Head Start Teacher

Qualla Boundary Head Start & Early Head Start   Cherokee, NC   Full-time     Education
Posted on October 31, 2024
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TEACHER – HEAD START

Starting Pay: $37,494 - $46,867 depending on education and experience.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS: In performance of their respective tasks and duties all employees of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) are expected to conform to the following:

  • Uphold all principles of confidentiality to the fullest extent.
  • Adhere to all professional and ethical behavior standards of the Tribal Government.
  • Interact in an honest, trustworthy, and respectful manner with employees, Tribal members, visitors, and vendors.
  • Participate in departmental staff meetings, quality management activities and educational programs.
  • Embody respect and understanding of EBCI traditions and values.
  • Display willingness, initiative, and teamwork, to perform other duties as requested.

POSITION PURPOSE: Provides educational services consistently on a day-by-day basis according to Head Start performance standards and HS/EHS policies and procedures. Ensures classroom activities, equipment, materials, and supplies are age and developmentally appropriate and that all areas of child development are addressed including social/emotional, physical, cognitive, self-help, and speech/language. Maintains a safe and healthy environment for all children.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES, FUNCTIONS, & RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Greets parents, children and other visitors to the classroom.
  • Ensures children have access to fully supplied and equipped classrooms.
  • Provides age and developmentally appropriate learning environment for children enrolled in Head Start.
  • Participates in the Teaching Strategies Gold assessments.
  • Develops and implements Individual Lesson Plans/ activities for children.
  • Prepares, posts and implements lesson plans which address IEPs for all children including those with disabilities.
  • Monitors and records progress of each child, and prepares progress reports for parents.
  • Arranges room appropriately to support healthy child development.
  • Works with parents to ensure each child reaches maximum potential while in the Head Start Program.
  • Responsible for maintaining administrative reports (attendance, accidents, education files, portfolios, etc.).
  • Dispenses emergency medication as needed/directed.
  • Makes home visits and follows home visit guidelines for sharing of information.
  • Provides an environment of acceptance that support and respects gender, culture, language, ethnicity, and family composition.
  • Provides a balanced daily program of child-initiated and teacher-directed activities, including individual and small group activities.
  • Allows and enables children to independently use toilet facilities when it is developmentally appropriate and when efforts to encourage toilet training are supported by the parents, changes diapers of children who are not trained, and changes clothing of children who are not trained, and changes clothing of children when accidental soiling occurs.
  • Assists children as needed, with personal hygiene, washing face and hands, brushing teeth, brushing hair, etc.
  • Invites parents to become involved in the development of the program's curriculum and approach to child development and education. Encourages parents to participate in staff/parent conference and home visits.
  • Supports social and emotional development by encouraging development that enhance each child's strengths by building trust, fostering independence , and encouraging self-control by setting clear, consistent limits, having realistic expectations, and encouraging respect for the feelings of others.
  • Supports and respects the home language, culture, and family composition of each child in ways that support the child's health and well-being.
  • Plans routines and transition so they occur in a timely, predictable, and un-rushed manner, according to each child’s needs.
  • Provides for the development of each child's cognitive and language skills by supporting each child’s learning using various strategies including experimentation, inquiry observation, play, and exploration.
  • Ensures opportunities for children’s creative self-expression through activities such as art, music, movement and dialogue.
  • Promotes interaction and language use among children and between children and adults.
  • Supports emerging literacy and numerous developments through materials and activities according to the developmental level of each child. Promotes each child's physical development by providing sufficient time, indoor and outdoor space, equipment, material, and adult guidance for active play and movement that support the development of gross skills according to each child’s development level.
  • Provides an appropriate environment and adult guidance for the participation of children with special needs and disabilities.
  • Assists with serving meals and snacks, feeding children when necessary.
  • Trains parents to enable them to properly care for their children when necessary.
  • Orders food, classroom supplies, and equipment as necessary.
  • Performs housekeeping duties such as vacuuming, disinfecting, mopping, etc.
  • Washing clothing, diapers, and other laundry as needed.
  • Wears proper safety items, and clothing as necessary.
  • Drives or rides a bus when necessary.
  • Performs duties according to established safety guidelines and Tribal policies.

Scope of Supervision: This position is supervised by program leadership. This position is not responsible for supervising others.

MINIMUM MANDATORY QUALIFICATIONS

Experience: Two (2) years of related experience required. Experience to include working in childhood education and lesson plan development.
Education: Associates Degree in Early Childhood or related field required.
Licenses & Certifications: Valid, insurable NC Driver’s License required. Proof of vaccination status is required by Head Start Performance standards. All Head Start and Early Head Start staff are required to be fully vaccinated by January 31, 2022.

Key Job Knowledge:

  • Must have a thorough knowledge of the policies, procedures, guidelines and performance standards of the Head Start/EHS program.
  • Must be familiar with the developmental stages of children.
  • Must know all applicable health, safety, and environmental rules, regulations and requirements.
  • Skill in the use of all assigned equipment including: basic office equipment, cleaning, kitchen and laundry equipment is required. Must have good communication skills, both written and verbal.
  • Must have computer skills and know specified software applications.
  • Requires the ability to read and interpret educational materials, including: instructions, age appropriate literature, and songs.
  • Requires the ability to develop lesson plans and creative activities.
  • Must be familiar with Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian culture, lifestyles and health risks.
  • Requires the ability to maintain records, compile data, and complete reports.
  • Maintain CPR/First Aid certification.
  • Must complete an annual physical.
  • Six (6) to nine (9) months would be necessary to become proficient in most phases of the job.

Safety/Accuracy Focus: Most errors would be detected within subsequent procedures, testing, and review activities. Failure to detect errors could have extreme results or be damaging to parent relations or the program reputation.

Key Relationships: Interact with internal and external customers/clients in a polite and professional manner. Interacts frequently with children, staff, and parents; which require that a positive working relationship be maintained at all times. Tact, courtesy and sensitivity to others are necessary. Must obtain and share information, respond to questions, and gain the cooperation of others.

Resourcefulness & Initiative: Follows well defined Tribal procedures and guidelines. Initiative is required to maintain accuracy, establish work priorities, and meet scheduled timeframes. Must follow well-defined procedure guidelines, and policies; but has some latitude in the presentation of the lesson. Must use planning, creativity, resourcefulness and initiative to complete tasks efficiently. Problem solving and judgment are required.

Discretion – Confidential Data: Access to confidential and proprietary data and information which is not known by the public may occur during employment. Exercise excellent professional discretion regarding confidential and proprietary data and information, never disclosing or misusing such information. Has access to highly confidential information (such as child physical health and health records, children's files, staff files, etc.) of program participants and their families which requires much discretion. Must follow all applicable confidentiality guidelines and Tribal policies.

Complexity of Duties: This position includes completing tasks of varying complexity levels.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work Environment: Works both inside a classroom and outside whether on the playground or on a field trip. Exposed to potential contagious diseases, requires the use of standard precautionary procedures (OSHA).

Mental/Visual/ Physical Effort: Must be able to lift 25 pounds and carry 5 pounds on a repetitive basis. Moderate lifting, with occasional heavy lifting is required. Close attention to details is required while planning teaching, reaching, kneeling, bending, manual dexterity, and visual acuity. Must be able to speak and hear. Playground activities and field trips include running, climbing, and more strenuous movements. Must complete an annual physical.

OTHER

Confidentiality: All employees must uphold all principles of confidentiality to the fullest extent. Sensitive information must be kept secure; a breach of these principles may be grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination.

Background Investigation: All employees are required to complete a background investigation. Results of the background investigation will be evaluated against the requirements of the position, and as applicable to federal and state requirements. Candidates must be able to successfully pass all required background checks for data sensitive positions and for those positions subject to a 101-630 background check to ensure compliance with Public Law 101-630 “Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act.”

Drug Screening: All applicants must successfully pass a preemployment drug screening prior to beginning employment. Random drug testing will be carried out based upon position requirements.

Disclaimer: The information on this position description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performance by employees in this position. It is not designed to contain, or be interpreted as, a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this position. Employees will be asked to perform other duties as needed.