PARA - HEAD START

Terms of Employment:  Nine (9) months

Hours:  7:45m - 3:45pm, Monday through Thursday, when school is in session

Variable full-time and part-time positions available with flexible scheduling.

Education: Must have a high school diploma and experience working with preschool children.  A CDA (Child Development Associate Credential) preferred or willing to obtain a CDA within 2 years of hire.

Qualifications: Human relations skills, basic academic skills, ability to work in teams, experience working with preschool children and demonstrate effective communication skills.

Job Goal:  Assist in providing a high quality, individualized education for Head Start children in a center environment.  Ensure that all children will develop skills in accordance with the Grand Forks Head Start School Readiness Plan. 

Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Adhere to the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and the Head Start Performance Standards with all Head Start children, families, colleagues, and the community.
• Coordinate meals to include, facilitate table setting with children’s assistance, get the meal cart to and from the classroom and kitchen, be aware of dietary accommodations, serve meals family style, sit and engaging in conversations with the children and facilitate mealtime clean up.
• Assist the teacher and classroom paraprofessional to implement planned activities to reinforce small group and large group instruction.
• Assist the teacher and classroom paraprofessional with classroom preparation and general maintenance of the classroom.
• Be responsive to children, interacting frequently, and showing affection, interest, and respect.
• Provide children with guidance and a social/emotional climate conducive to child development.
• Encourage pro-social behaviors such as cooperation, taking turns, and concern for others. Support children’s beginning friendships.
• Stimulate children’s thinking by posing problems, asking open-ended questions, and introducing new experiences, being careful to challenge but not frustrate any child.
• Provide active supervision at all times, to include in the classroom, on field trips and outside.
• Conduct smooth and unregimented transitions between activities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Training requirements: Must attend all in-service and pre-service training sessions as planned and required by the Head Start director and coordinators per the Head Start Performance Standards.  Attend Annual Training required to maintain any and all licenses.  Must be CPR and First Aid Certified and maintain this certification.

Work Environment and Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, walk and stand. Lift sixty (60) lbs. occasionally, with the ability to reach, stand, walk, carry, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, sit, and/or crawl. The ability to hear and see in order to communicate effectively as well as communicate clearly and concisely.  Maintain mental capacity, allowing for effective interaction and communication with others. The job is performed under some temperature extremes and under conditions with some exposure to risk of injury and/or illness.

Evaluation: Job performance will be evaluated by the Supervising Teacher / Director of Head Start.