What are the responsibilities and job description for the 2026-27 Vacancy - Head Start Teacher, Stone Spring Elementary School (Harrisonburg) position at Shenandoah Valley Head Start Program?
Vacancy: Head Start Teacher - 2026-2027
Site: Stone Spring Elementary School (Harrisonburg)
Reports To: Director, Assistant Director, and Building Principal
FLSA Status : Exempt
2025-2026 Salary Scales
General Definition of Work:
Provides a learning environment that allows preschool children to learn naturally and ensure parent involvement is an active part of the classroom program provided.
Typical Tasks:
- Prepares, writes, and carries out lesson plans that match each preschooler’s level of development
- Provides a physical environment for preschoolers that includes a wide range of objects and the freedom to explore that environment
- Provides care and attention with appropriate learning opportunities in an atmosphere that makes learning enjoyable and satisfying for preschoolers
- Implement curriculum to support quality teacher-child interactions in order to promote social emotional development in preschoolers
- Reports suspected abuse or neglect to appropriate authorities
- Conducts ongoing assessment of each child’s progress in order to plan instruction for that child and to identify those children who may need special services
- Involves families in school activities
- Visits each preschooler’s home twice during the school year and provides two parent conferences at the school each year
- Participates in professional development and attends educational conferences
- Provides a strong literacy environment that incorporates a wide variety of strategies
- Conducts ongoing child observations
- Enters observations into DRDP online database according to the established calendar
- Enters data into VKRP website (4 year olds only) according to the established calendar
- Maintains children’s progress record in ChildPlus, DECA (online Social/Emotional assessment system) and cumulative records onsite
- Implements the Creative Curriculum
- Implements Conscious Discipline
- Participates in practice based coaching with identified coach, including CLASS support
- Assists with other program responsibilities, as necessary
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Thorough knowledge of child development and the principles and practices of working with young children, a capacity for warm personal relationships; sensitivity and responsiveness and the ability to discipline in constructive ways
Education and Experience:
A Collegiate Professional Certificate with endorsement in NK-3; experience in working and playing with young children
Primary Function:
To develop and implement an instructional program that will effectively provide the best possible education for each student
Qualifications:
- Valid certification to meet State requirements with specific endorsement in the area to which assigned.
- Applicant must have good health and no disqualifying physical or emotional handicaps. Evidence of fitness to teach from the standpoint of health may be required from a qualified healthcare provider.
- Applicant who has had teaching experience must have an acceptable rating for such teaching.
Performance Responsibilities:
Professional Performance
- To comply with Head Start and School Board Policies and Regulations
- To work cooperatively with the comprehensive services staff of Head Start
- To relate positively to parents and other community representatives
- To demonstrate professional growth
- To be prompt and accurate with required records and reports
- To demonstrate a command of standard English, both spoken and written
- To accept responsibilities outside the classroom as they relate to Head Start
- To use instructional and planning time effectively
- To assume responsibility for the care of materials, equipment and facilities
- To assume responsibility for a neat, safe environment for students committed to the teacher’s care
- To maintain a child-specific system of collecting student data and ongoing observations
- To participate in formal mentoring with identified coach or Education Coordinator
- To participate in dialogue with the Family Service staff and Staffing Team to ensure continuity of services to the family
Instructional Performance
1. Interpersonal Relations:
- To practice and promote positive interaction with and among students
- To demonstrate enthusiasm for learning
- To demonstrate interest in students
- To encourage self-direction and self-motivation in students
2. Subject Matter:
- To demonstrate knowledge of the subject being taught
- To demonstrate the ability to adjust presentation of subject content to students’ needs and interests
3. Planning/Materials:
- To maintain an organized program of instruction based on effective long-range plans
- To exhibit evidence of effective lesson plans
- To utilize a variety of appropriate materials and resources
- To use student data and observations to plan for individualization
4. Techniques/Delivery:
- To communicate lesson objective and its importance to students
- To utilize appropriate and varied teaching techniques and learning activities
- To use out-of-class activities when appropriate, to support instructional objectives
- To maintain an effective system of monitoring student progress and to inform appropriate persons
5. Classroom Management:
- To maintain discipline appropriate to learning situation
- To keep students on task
- To use positive consistent reinforcement to maintain good student discipline
Competencies:
Teachers must be able to: provide effective and nurturing teacher-child interactions, plan and implement learning experiences that ensure effective curriculum implementation, use assessment and promote children’s progress across the standard described in the Head Start Early Learning Outcome Framework and Virginia Foundation Blocks, including children with disabilities.
Evaluation:
Performance on this job will be evaluated in accordance with school board policy and administrative regulations on evaluation of certified personnel.