What are the responsibilities and job description for the Head Start Teacher La Grande position at Eastern Oregon University?
This is for 2026 – 2027 school year. Develop and maintain a safe, nurturing, and stimulating learning environment; Provide varied experiences to help each child achieve the overall goal of school readiness, good health, and social competence through the acquisition of social, emotional, intellectual, nutritional, hygienic, and physical skills in a manner appropriate to the child’s age and stage of development. Support the parent’s role as the primary educator of the child and promote the parent-child attachment; Build trusting relationships with families; Assist families in meeting personal goals.
Full benefits package as an Eastern Oregon University employee including, health, dental, life, PERS, tuition benefit, and paid holidays.
This is a 10-month position from August to May
Child Contact Time
- Establish and maintain a safe, healthy, emotionally secure learning environment.
- Meet the individual needs of all children, including children who are at risk, have special needs, are gifted, and are culturally diverse.
- Integrate all Head Start components into classroom activities.
- Utilize lesson plans to provide a balance of adult-directed and child-initiated activities.
- Follow a consistent schedule that includes one-on-one time, small and large group experiences, choice time, music and movement, large and small motor activities, skill development, two meals, and effective transitions between activities.
- Encourage language use, experimentation, exploration, problem-solving, cooperation, socialization, and choice-making.
- Provide an atmosphere that promotes and reinforces parental involvement in the classroom.
- Supervise and monitor children at all times.
Collaborative Service Delivery/Home Visits
- Work with appropriate agencies in developing specialized planning for children/families. Assist families to strengthen their knowledge of community resources and support family problem-solving efforts.
- Complete Education Home Visits.
- Provide opportunities for parent involvement and educational activities that are responsive to the needs of enrolled families.
- Involve families in the completion of child screening and assessment in the areas of education, intellectual and physical development, behavior, physical and dental health, and nutrition.
- Complete Parent Teacher Conferences.
- Encourage parent involvement in program planning and development.
Curriculum Development
- Utilize information obtained from screening and assessment, observations, and parental input to develop individual child goals, classroom curriculum, lesson plans, and home visit activities.
- Plan and implement learning experiences that advance the intellectual and physical development of children by developing literacy, phonemic, print, and numeracy awareness, an understanding and use of language, an understanding, and use of increasingly complex and varied vocabulary, an appreciation of books, and problem-solving abilities.
- Utilize the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework (aligned with the five essential domains) to guide curriculum, implementation, and assessment to plan teaching and learning experiences that align to school readiness goals and track children’s progress across developmental domains.
- Utilize in-depth, long-term studies to integrate different content areas and address developmental goals that build on children’s knowledge and interests.
Written Documentation and Communication
- Maintain accurate written records, including screening and assessment, special education documentation, anecdotal observations, family services, health, immunizations, nutrition, and documents for transition to public school.
- Provide timely and frequent updates in addition to monthly reports to the management team and to administrators.
- Maintain open and ongoing lines of communication within the direct service team, with enrolled families, with consultants and service providers, and with a supervisor.
- Actively participate in professional development plans, including coaching support, if provided by EOUHS or an EOUHS contractor.
- Participate in program assessment, planning, and development.
Associate, bachelor’s or advanced degree in early childhood education, or a degree in a field related to early childhood education and experience teaching preschool children;
Documented knowledge and experience in child development and early childhood education, the principles of child health, safety and nutrition, adult learning principles, and family dynamics;
Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to write informational bulletins and general correspondence, to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of staff, managers, parents, and the general public;
Working knowledge of local community resources; Strong organizational skills, the ability to work under pressure, and meet strict deadlines; Intermediate level computer skills (word processing, spreadsheets, data entry).
Preferred Qualifications
Documented knowledge and experience in child development and early childhood education, the principles of child health, safety and nutrition, adult learning principles, and family dynamics;
Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to write informational bulletins and general correspondence, to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of staff, managers, parents, and the general public;
Working knowledge of local community resources; Strong organizational skills, the ability to work under pressure, and meet strict deadlines; Intermediate level computer skills (word processing, spreadsheets, data entry).
- Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education/ Development or a degree in a related field that includes a minimum of 6 college-level classes focusing on Early Childhood Education/ Development.
- Experience in a preschool classroom and prior registration with the Central Background Registry is preferred.
- Knowledge of Conscious Discipline preferred.
Prior to beginning work, the successful candidate must:
Eastern Oregon University is an EEO Employer and welcomes applications from women, members of historically underrepresented minority groups, US Veterans, and persons with disabilities. EOU is committed to providing equal opportunity in its recruitment, admissions, educational programs, activities, and employment without illegal discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or any status as protected by state or federal law.
Salary $3,858 to $4,979 monthly salary depending on education and experience- Enrollment in the Oregon Child Care Division Central Background Registry at the time of application (free)
- Pass Communicable Disease Verification from a qualified Healthcare Provider
- Provide work authorization documentation necessary to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States as required by the Federal Government. Eastern Oregon University Head Start does not sponsor applicants for employment visas.
- Pediatric CPR/First Aid certification
- Oregon Food Handler’s Card
Eastern Oregon University is an EEO Employer and welcomes applications from women, members of historically underrepresented minority groups, US Veterans, and persons with disabilities. EOU is committed to providing equal opportunity in its recruitment, admissions, educational programs, activities, and employment without illegal discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or any status as protected by state or federal law.
Salary : $3,858 - $4,979