Preschool Teaching Assistant

Full Time Preschool Teaching Assistant

Wildflower Preschool & Child Care LLC

Position: Full Time, Year-Round

Average Schedule: 40 hours per week

Pay: $16–$19 per hour, based on education and experience

Position Summary:

We are looking for a full-time Preschool Teaching Assistant who finds joy in children’s questions, creativity, and everyday discoveries. This person will work alongside the teaching team to bring our inquiry-based curriculum to life while creating a warm, inclusive classroom where every child feels a sense of belonging and has opportunities to learn and thrive.

The ideal candidate will have experience working in a preschool classroom, willingness to support other classrooms and ages, understand inclusive practices, and enjoy supporting children through play, exploration, relationships, and daily routines.

Primary Responsibilities

• Assist the lead teacher in providing a welcoming, responsive, and developmentally appropriate preschool program.
• Support inquiry-based learning experiences inspired by children’s interests, questions, and discoveries.
• Engage children in art, sensory play, dramatic play, literacy, science, building, music, movement, and outdoor exploration.
• Help prepare and organize classroom activities, learning materials, and interest areas.
• Support children’s social-emotional development by modeling kindness, cooperation, problem-solving, and respectful communication.
• Use inclusive practices and individualized strategies to help children with varying abilities and support needs participate fully in the classroom.
• Follow children’s IFSPs, behavior-support plans, health plans, and classroom accommodations as directed.
• Maintain active sight-and-sound supervision and required staff-to-child ratios.
• Assist children with meals, toileting, handwashing, dressing, rest time, and other daily routines.
• Observe children and contribute information that supports curriculum planning and developmental documentation.
• Communicate respectfully and professionally with children, families, coworkers, specialists, and program leadership.
• Support smooth transitions and provide children with clear expectations, choices, and encouragement.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe classroom by completing routine cleaning and sanitizing tasks. Accurately document attendance, meals, activities, and other required information using software or program records.
• Participate in staff meetings, required trainings, professional development, and occasional family-engagement activities.
• Follow all Wildflower policies and Oregon child care licensing requirements.
• Perform other classroom-related duties needed to support children and the teaching team.

Minimum Qualifications

• Applicants must:
• Be enrolled in Oregon’s Central Background Registry before beginning employment.
• Be a Step 5 or higher on the Oregon Registry or have a professional development plan to achieve a step 5 or higher.
• Hold, or be able to obtain before the first day of work, current First Aid and CPR certification covering infants, children, and adults.
• Hold, or be able to obtain before the first day of work, a valid Oregon Food Handler Card.
• Complete Oregon’s required Safety Set training before the first day of work.
• Have experience working with children in a preschool classroom or similar early-learning environment.
• Demonstrate an understanding of inclusive classroom practices and a commitment to supporting children with varying abilities and needs.
• Be dependable, patient, flexible, and able to work collaboratively as part of a teaching
• team.
• Wildflower can help direct selected applicants to resources for completing the required
• certifications and training.
• Preferred Qualifications
• Preferred applicants will have one or more of the following:
• A Step 7 or higher on the Oregon Registry.
• A Child Development Associate credential.
• An associate degree or higher in early childhood education, child development, or a related
• field.
• Experience supporting children with disabilities, developmental delays, behavioral needs, or
• individualized support plans.
• Experience with inquiry-based, play-based, or child-led curriculum.
• Bilingual or multilingual communication skills, particularly English and Spanish, to support communication with the families and communities we serve.

Schedule:

This is a full-time, year-round position averaging 40 hours per week. The schedule will be based on classroom and program needs. Our hours of operation are 7am-6pm with occasional evening or weekend participation may be requested for family-engagement events, staff meetings, or professional development, with advance notice whenever possible.

Physical Requirements

With or without reasonable accommodation, the employee must be able to:

• Frequently stand, walk, sit on the floor, bend, kneel, squat, reach, and stoop.
• Move easily between floor-level activities and standing.
• Lift and carry children or classroom materials weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Assist children with toileting, dressing, meals, rest time, and other personal-care needs.
• Supervise children indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Respond quickly and appropriately to children’s health and safety needs.
• Hear and see children well enough to maintain active supervision.
• Perform routine classroom cleaning, sanitizing, and organizational tasks.

Wildflower Preschool & Child Care LLC is committed to providing an inclusive workplace and considering qualified applicants without regard to legally protected status.

To Apply: email a cover letter with the position you are applying to along with your resume to

Rionna Ruley at rionna.ruley@wildflowerpcc.com

Pay: $16.00 - $19.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Employee discount
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan

Work Location: In person

Salary : $16 - $19