SUMMARY of ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES of Child Development Specialist:

· Ensure compliance with all education-related Head Start Program Performance Standards, Child Care Licensing and all other regulations. 

· Ensure that the vision, philosophy and values of CAO Head Start/Early Head Start are integrated in all activities and learning approaches.

· Observe and assess learning environments, ensuring that teaching staff are effectively implementing the curriculum, creating complete lesson plans at least a week ahead of time, completing all needed paperwork, keeping the classroom safe, and creating a positive, warm classroom environment. 

· Provide regular on-site coaching and mentoring to teaching staff, assisting them in all education-related areas, including, but not limited to, classroom management, lesson planning, adhering to the daily schedule and individualization.

· Ensure that child/staff ratios are always met by staying fully staffed, having a healthy pool of substitutes as well as classroom volunteers. 

· Ensure that classroom/learning environment activities include all areas of learning, including language, cognitive, social-emotional, pre-literacy, pre-math, fine motor, gross motor, etc. 

· Partner with Child Care Provider to provide consultation in the area of education and child development. 

· Work in partnership with the other content areas in order to provide comprehensive services to children and families.

· Provide training to teaching staff on education-related topics, including but not limited to, developmentally appropriate practices, implementation of curricula, lesson planning and safety in the classroom, individualization, positive teacher/child relationships, positive teacher/parent relationships and effective classroom management.

· Ensure that all developmental screenings are conducted within the first 45 days of each child’s enrollment. 

· Provide consultation and guidance to teaching staff on education-related topics, such as inclusion of children with disabilities, managing challenging behaviors and effectively implementing the curriculum.

· Provide training to parents on effective parenting skills as well as developmentally appropriate practices and other areas of child development and education.

· Provide ongoing monitoring to ensure that all learning environments and playgrounds are safe, developmentally appropriate and set up to facilitate learning.

· Work with center staff to facilitate a successful process to transition children and families into Early Head Start/Head Start as well as out of Early Head Start/Head Start.

· Develop and implement an outcomes measurement system; analyze the results and adjust training and mentoring according to the needs of the teaching staff.

· Partner with all staff in order to get all centers NAEYC-accredited (or the State equivalent)

· Collect data, prepare reports and establish tracking systems in order to create and maintain an effective and efficient education content area.

· Perform all related work as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Access to transportation required to visit sites throughout Erie County.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development; at least three years supervision and experience with low income children and families. Knowledge of infant and toddler development required. Experience with home visit techniques is helpful

OR

Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development; at least five years supervision and experience with low income children and families. Knowledge of infant and toddler development required. Experience with home visit techniques helpful

 NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE - WE WILL REACH OUT TO YOU VIA ONE OF THE METHODS YOU HAVE PROVIDED US WITH IF YOU ARE SELECTED.