Head Start Assistant Teacher - Future Scholars

• Thinks, communicates and behaves as a cause-driven leader and role model for other staff and members when it comes to desired staff behaviors; promotes youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility in all job-related functions. 
• Maintains professionalism and integrity at all times in the classroom, staff/program meetings, trainings, and with any parts and partners of the YMCA Head Start program.
• Maintains confidentiality and adhere to the YMCA and Head Start Code of Conducts.
• Actively monitor professional development goals and annually required hours.
• Assists in supervising and implementing the program in accordance with Head Start Performance Standards and the policies and philosophy of the YMCA.
• Completes duties as required by the Child and Adult Care Food program.
• Maintain prompt hours and follows procedures for absences.
• May be assigned additional duties based upon program needs and areas of developing expertise.
• Collaborate with other content areas to ensure the needs of children and families are met.

Classroom Activities 

• Assist in creating an environment and positive experiences inclusive for the children served based on DAP, curriculum, Head Start standards and state and local agencies.

• Help to plan and implement individualized learning experiences for the children using data collected from initial assessment, observations, and family input.
• Participate in children’s development by collecting and analyzing ongoing child assessment data to determine children’s progress towards school readiness goals.

• Promote a positive teacher child interactions by offering children appropriate affection, verbal praise, and acceptance while providing clear and consistent expectations for behavior; sets firm limits with positive phrasing and actions when necessary.
• Support in maintaining a clean and organized learning space
• Assist with meeting the needs of children in all developmental levels, to include children with special needs and abilities.
• Work effectively and regularly with teaching team to ensure that tasks are completed accurately and timely to include the designating of roles and responsibilities within the classroom.
• Act as a role model for children to promote family style meals and healthy eating practices.

Record Keeping & Reporting

• Collects, records, and maintains all necessary information and documentation as prescribed.
• Attendance is monitored and updated throughout the day.
• CACFP forms are completed accordingly
• Assist in timely completion and input of all child and family outcome data into MTS on a weekly basis.
• Assists in the process for on-going monitoring and record keeping on progress towards achieving School Readiness.
• Submit monthly reports as prescribed by Center Manager.
• Help to review In Kind forms for accuracy and submitted to Center Manager.
• Take inventory of supplies and materials needed for the class or center and submit to Center Manager

Supervision:

• Work with teaching team to develop and provide consistent routines and transitions throughout each day
• Actively participate in the supervision of all indoor and outdoor activities while maintaining ratio requirements at all times Ensure each child is within sight and sound and accounted for at all times
• When center manager is not at the center, may be designated as person in charge to handle all emergencies and have access to all records according to ODJFS.

Family Engagement:

• Promote parents as the child’s first teacher by sharing child’s developmental levels, establishing learning goals collaboratively and provide home activities to extend classroom learning.
• Build rapport families through positive and professional interaction.
• Promote volunteerism in the classroom and participation in Family Engagement activities.
• Schedule and attend all Home Visits and Parent Teacher Conferences to gather information about a child’s developmental needs and share progression towards school readiness goals.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and taste or smell.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and distance vision. The noise level in the work environment can be loud.