Teacher Assistant - Floater

The Teacher Assistant - Floater supports the overall mission and value of Catholic Charities and the Childcare and ECEAP division. Primary duties include providing quality care and education to all children of Carroll Children's Center and Growing Hope Childhood Development Center through a floater model. This position will support classroom coverage for lead teachers and teacher assistants upon request with an emphasis on promotion of social, physical and intellectual growth of children.  The Teacher Assistant - Floater is responsible for the care, hygiene, learning, and developmental activities of the children; communication with parents; and maintaining the classroom records, cleanliness, and orderliness while assigned in any classroom.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain flexibility in emergent needs and response times for overall  program coverage and success
• Support and inform child attendance counts at all times when in classroom or on playgrounds
• Assist Lead Teachers and Teacher Assistants to create and maintain a safe and healthy environment by following program standards, policies and procedures
• Provide backup and extra coverage as assigned, including but not limited to classrooms, bus, kitchen, and reception to cover for breaks, lunches, lesson planning, and meeting coverage
• Survey all classrooms consistently, seeking opportunities to support and step in as requested
• Care for the physical, mental, and emotional needs of the children while providing competent direct supervision to ensure the safety of all the children in the classroom
• Apply health standards and care for the children and classroom
• Assist the Program Managers in reducing infractions of company policies
• Report needed repairs and maintenance to the Program Manager

Support with planning & provide curriculum through standard care giving routines as assigned with your time and role in the classroom

• Support Lead Teachers and Teacher Assistants in establishing a learning environment that builds and enhances each child’s self-esteem and positive self-concept
• Provide activities and opportunities that encourage curiosity, creativity, exploration and problem solving appropriate to the developmental level and learning style of each child
• Implement positive guidance practices that teach and meet the individual temperaments of each child
• Observe, document and assess individual and group needs, interests, and skills and share the observations daily with the Program Manager.

Provide support to the families of the children

• Promote and implement family involvement
• Embrace diversity and a variety of family arrangements and styles
• Maintain open, friendly, cooperative, and respectful verbal communication with each child’s family
• Provide families with information, resources and referrals as needed

Foster positive discipline and communication in the classroom

• Guide and sustain positive, respectful interactions between children and adults
• Maintain an atmosphere that encourages open communication with children and adults
• Provide opportunities and support for children to understand, acquire, and use verbal and non-verbal means of communicating thoughts and feelings, like Sign Language and PECS
• Submit attendance records and required paperwork in a timely manner
• Maintain confidentiality of children, families, and staff
• Initiate and encourage teamwork among adults in the room and across both centers

Continue professional development

• Participate in required training and share information with other staff as requested
• Participate in scheduled supervision, require meetings and retreats
• Attend required Pyramid Module trainings and ensure the implementation of learned information in the classroom
• Work with the site supervisor to apply for the Early Achievers grant to create a professional development plan that will allow for the achievement of higher education in ECE or related fields.

Participate in Center activities and other duties as requested

Job Requirements:

The following requirements are those that are normally required for performance of this position.  Any disabled applicant or incumbent who does not meet one or more of the requirements, but who can perform the essential function of the job (with or without reasonable accommodations) shall be deemed to meet these requirements.

Physical Requirements:

This position normally requires the physical demands of standing, walking, bending, lifting up to 50lbs or performing other work requiring medium physical exertion, talking and hearing and adequate vision on a regular basis to perform the job requirements.  These physical demands are required up to 95% of the time.

Non-Physical Requirements:

Education & Experience

• Initial ECE Certificate or be on an approved Professional Development Plan to obtain within 5 years

Special Skills

• Preschool classroom experience
• Emergency procedures
• Training in Creative Curriculum
• Basic computer skills

Licensure, Registration, Certification

• Valid food handler’s card
• Valid First Aid and CPR card
• Verification of a negative TB test
• Proof of 1 MMR
• Bloodbourne Pathogens Training
• Renew Annual Trainings – Safe Sleep; Shaken Baby
• 30 hour STARS Training – Childcare basics (or proof of exemption)
• 10 hours STARS Annual Training
• Enhancing Quality of Early Learning inservice STARS training within 6 months of hire

Employment is conditional upon:

• Being cleared by criminal background check and fingerprinting when required

Wage Range: $17.20 to $18.20, depending on education and experience

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8am to 5pm

Benefits:

• 7 paid holidays, 1 paid Personal Day, 15 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) per year
• Health insurance including medical & prescription coverage, with optional dental and vision insurance plans. Majority of premiums paid by Catholic Charities
• Retirement 403(b) Plan: employee contributions commence upon employment; Catholic Charities contributes 2% of monthly income and matches up to 4% of employee contributions following 6 months of employment
• Basic Life Insurance paid 100% by Catholic Charities
• Flexible Spending Account eligibility following 6 months of employment
• Education Assistance Program reimbursing up to $5,250 per year for approved continuing education after 6 months of employment
• Additional voluntary insurances including supplemental life, accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D), critical illness, long term disability, accident, and ID theft
• Employee Assistance Program includes 3 counseling sessions per year, legal consultations, financial coaching, and other wellbeing tools
• Annual longevity awards begin at 5 years of employment

It is the practice of Catholic Charities to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, citizenship status, marital status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, sexual orientation, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Applicants from underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We gladly offer reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities to support participation in the hiring process and employment.

Salary : $17 - $18