Teacher, Head Start

Direct Reports:

None

USC’s School for Early Childhood Education is dedicated to providing comprehensive, high-quality early childhood education services to children and their families in the South Los Angeles area. Founded in 1970 as a teaching school for future early-childhood professionals, the USC School for Early Childhood Education (USC SECE) seeks to promote school readiness, health/nutrition, mental wellness, and family engagement. Today, our licensed Head Start and Early Head Start centers serve more than 500 infants and pre-school children and their parents each year. We are seeking enthusiastic, creative, dynamic, and team-oriented individuals who enjoy working with children while fostering a supportive learning environment.

Job Overview:

The Teacher, Head Start is responsible for initiating, planning, and implementing education program within the classroom in accordance with the policies procedures and philosophy of Head Start Federal and State regulations. With the assistance of assigned program staff, this role facilitates the personal care, learning and development of a group of preschool children over the age of 2.5 years old.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Leads the planning and implementation of personal care, daily educational and recreational activities.

• Prepares learning environment. Sets up materials for individual/group instruction. Maintains the ongoing health, safety and upkeep of the learning environment.

• In conjunction with stakeholders, ensures program meets all applicable childcare requirements (e.g., licensing, health and safety, accreditation standards).

• Confers with licensing, health and safety, and social service personnel as required.

• Provides relationship-based care in daily routines such as mealtime, toileting, hand washing, and napping for infants or toddlers; and/or preschool age children.

• Plans and implements developmentally appropriate curriculum.

• Collaborates with team on developing and implementing daily lesson plans.

• Conducts assessments, develops individual development plans and records ongoing observations of children in assigned groups.

• Prepares and conducts parent-teacher conferences and home visits for each child in the assigned classroom environment/setting according to schedule of requirements.

• Conducts home visits for each child in the assigned classroom according to schedule of requirements.

• Utilizes classroom materials and routines to promote an environment conductive to appropriate levels of development, interests, and specific needs of the children.

• Maintains effective and professional relationships with enrolled families.

• Maintains a safe and healthy classroom environment in accordance with Head Start Program Performance Standards, Title 5, and Title 22 Regulations.

• Attends regular staff meetings as scheduled by Site Supervisor and Administration.

• Performs additional duties as assigned by Site Supervisor, Associate Director, Assistant Director and Administration.

• Encourages a workplace culture where all employees are valued, value others and have the opportunity to contribute through their ideas, words and actions, in accordance with the USC Code of Ethics.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Associate's degree in early childhood education, child development, or related field; combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education.

• 1 year of experience in early childhood education.

• Teacher Permit or permit eligible (24 ECE units, including 9 units Core Courses (Child Growth and Development, Child, Family and Community, and Curriculum).

• BLS/CPR Infant and Child First Aid/CPR certification.  

• Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Certification must be obtained within the first year.  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, child development, or related field.

• 2 years of experience in early childhood education.

• Ability to create and implement daily curriculum plans.

• Ability to work well harmoniously in a multi-cultural team.

• Ability to promote a feeling of security and trust in infants and toddlers, and preschool age children by being warm, supportive, and comforting.

• A caring, compassionate approach to working with children and families as well as maintaining an open, friendly, and cooperative relationship with each child’s family.

• Awareness of safe lifting techniques for lifting children, supplies and furnishings and commitment to using preventive health measures in the classroom to prevent the spread of disease.

Physical Requirements

Must be able climb stairs, reach, bend, lift 20-30 pounds, crawl, kneel, stoop, twist, grasp with hands and fingers materials, use arms and legs, able to walk, climb ladders if applicable.

Pre-Employment Requirements

• Physical exam

• TB test

• LiveScan/fingerprint clearance

• MMR and Tdap vaccinations

• CPR

• Child Abuse Mandated Reporter Training

The hourly rate range for this position is $25.00 - $27.00. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.