Head Start Teacher Assistant - Community Council of South Central Texas

MISSION:

CCSCT empowers vulnerable families and individuals in greater South Central Texas to achieve self-sufficiency by eliminating barriers through innovative programs and strong community partnerships.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Head Start Teacher Assistant I-IV is responsible for the assisting the Head Start Teacher in implementation of the program in an assigned classroom and ensuring that classroom operates in compliance with Head Start Performance Standards, TDFPS Minimum Standards and all state and local regulations. The Head Start Teacher Assistant provides care and education for children and their families in a child care setting, provides a supportive, safe, and stimulating learning environment and will be knowledgeable of Texas Minimum Standards for Licensing and Head Start Performance Standards.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Assists Teacher in maintaining a calm, safe classroom and playground that incorporates developmental appropriateness; assists in creating an atmosphere in which the children feel comfortable and secure, reflecting the cultures of all enrolled children.
• Ensures the safety of children through constant supervision, effective arrangement of space, proper maintenance of equipment and regular practice of fire drills and other emergency procedures.
• Works closely with the Teacher to develop lesson plans that meet the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual needs of each child, planning for variations in ability levels and individual interests.
• Assists Teacher in incorporates developmentally appropriate practice according to the Head Start Performance Standards.
• Assists Teacher in ensuring continuity of curriculum and high standards of equality in the classroom; works individually with children who experience difficulty in group activities.
• Consistently implements center routines, including hand washing, tooth brushing, eating, napping, and transitioning between activities.
• Operates the classroom in compliance with all childcare-licensing standards, paying particular attention to standards prohibiting any form of physical punishment.
• Assists Teacher in ensuring that the arrangement of each classroom provides a stimulating, clean, and safe learning environment.
• Ensures proper documentation in children's files in all content areas.
• Assists Teacher in completing Individual Education Plans for each enrolled child; continues the on-going assessment process, maintaining written or computer records on each child.
• Supplies a variety of materials and planned activities designed to encourage individual and group play and offers a variety of language stimulation activities.
• Provides experiences that promote individual self-expression in conversation, imaginative play, and creativity and provides positive guidance to promote self-esteem.
• Provides experiences involving thinking skills such as generalizing, classifying, sorting, and problem solving.
• Makes available a variety of opportunities to help children develop and understands appropriate relationships with others.
• Increases the complexity and challenge of activities as children develop.
• Observes, records, and reports any child's behavior, sharing information appropriately with other staff members.
• Shows personal development and growth by being relaxed, using a calm, quiet voice, being pleasant and enthusiastic about the children, and by using self-control in trying situations.
• Assists with transition activities for the Head Start child and family: into Head Start, during the year, and to the next placement (kindergarten).
• Assists the children at snack, breakfast, and lunchtime, ensuring that the Head Start philosophy of serving family style meals is maintained and that the children serve themselves. The Teacher Assistant and Teacher will both be seated at the table(s) with the children at mealtimes.
• Encourages the involvement of the families of the children in a Head Start program and supports the development of relationships between children and their families.
• Reports all suspected child abuse to the Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400 or to an immediate supervisor.
• Follows CCSCT Policies and Procedures and maintains confidentiality in all phases of agency operations.
• Familiarizes self with the agency's Strategic Plan and gains an overall understanding of how position contributes to the accomplishment of goals within that plan.
• Attends and participates in staff meetings and related activities; attends conferences, workshops, and trainings to increase professional knowledge; serves on committees as assigned.
• Performs other related duties as assigned or required.Hill Country Community Action Association https://hccaa.applicantpro.com

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SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Education and Experience Requirements

• Child Development Associate (CDA) credential required. Individuals without a CDA credential must either be enrolled in program to obtain their Associate's or Bachelor's degree or be enrolled into a CDA Program to be completed within two (2) years of hire.
• Prior experience working with children age birth to five in a licensed child-care facility or other childcare setting preferred.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred.
• Must successfully complete a pre-employment criminal background check, initial health screening, TB test, drug test and motor vehicle records check. Must be able to pass regular criminal background checks and submit to TB tests as required.
• Must be at least 21 years of age, have a valid Class 'C' Texas Driver's License with an acceptable driving record and have access to a reliable vehicle with current vehicle liability insurance; must be willing to travel within service area.
• Must maintain CPR and First Aid certifications.
• Must be able to work Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:00am-6:00pm. Schedules may vary based on business needs.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of federally funded Child Care programs associated with serving low-income clients (i.e. Child Care Services, Head Start) preferred.
• Knowledge of Texas Minimum Standards for licensing, Head Start Act and Head Start Program Performance Standards preferred.
• Working knowledge of computers and basic to intermediate skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook); able to operate office machines such as fax, scanner, printer, copier, and telephone.
• Effective communication skills with an ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing, with persons from varied ethnic, socioeconomic, educational and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to analyze the effectiveness of classroom operation and choose the most effective course of action for the Head Start Program at any given point in time.
• Ability to provide guidance to classroom staff, maintain records and prepare reports.
• Ability to resolve problems, handle conflict and make effective decisions under pressure.
• Ability to read, comprehend and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to work well in a team environment, collaborating with others to accomplish business objectives.
• Ability to use sound judgment and make timely decisions based on careful, objective review and analysis of available considerations and factors.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, management, program participants, and others encountered in the course of work.
• Ability to deal with frequent change, delays or unexpected events and adapt to changes accordingly in the workplace

TRAVEL:

Travel to and from various sites throughout the CCSCT service area may be required occasionally to attend meetings, in-service training or pre-service training. Occasional out-of-state and overnight travel may be required for conferences.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to interact with the children on their level at times (on the floor). In addition, this position is regularly required to sit, stand, bend, walk, stoop, kneel, talk, hear, see, use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls, and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. This position requires manual dexterity sufficient to operate standard office equipment and tools. The employee must be able to react quickly (run after a child or go to the scene of an accident). The employee must be able to lift and/or carry up to 40 lbs.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work is generally performed in a child care or classroom setting in which there is moderate exposure to unpleasant and/or hazardous working conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud. Employee must be able to function in an environment with constant interruptions.