Head Start Teacher

Kitsap Community Resources’ Head Start and Early Head Start programs are looking for passionate team members who want to help children and families thrive. We are not childcare; we are early learning. Our team partners with families to build strong foundations for school readiness, healthy development, and lifelong success. If you’re excited about making a real difference in your community and supporting children during their most important years of growth, we’d love to have you join our team.

KCR offers comprehensive benefits including paid time off for vacation, sick days, and holidays, along with 100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage for employees. In addition, we provide a 6.5% employer contribution to 401K after the first year, plus access to employee assistance, wellness initiatives, and professional growth and development training programs.

Please apply at kcr.org/career-opportunities/ . If you need assistance with your application please contact Human Resources.

Job Title: Head Start Teacher
Department: Early Learning & Family Services
Hourly Wage: $21.03- $23.37 DOQ
Position Type: Full Time, Non-Exempt, Monday- Friday
Direct Supervisor: Child Development Site Supervisor
Work Environment: Works with young children in a classroom setting, playgrounds, and on learning trips. May require travel to other Head Start sites.

Job Summary
This position facilitates learning for 3–5-year-old children in a Head Start classroom using an approved developmentally appropriate curriculum which promotes routines, social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth of children in the program.

KCR Mission, Vision, & Core Values

Mission:
Kitsap Community Resources (KCR) is a nonprofit, private, social services agency. We are committed to creating hope and opportunity for all low-income Kitsap County residents by providing resources that promote self-sufficiency and stability.

Vision:
We exist with a clear vision of creating a community where everyone has an opportunity to thrive.

Core Values:
Kitsap Community Resources core values are a vital part of each position, and employees are expected to uphold them to the fullest.

• Integrity – taking care to honor our commitments in an ethical manner
• Compassion – genuinely empathizing with those we serve
• Excellence – demonstrating a high level of performance in all we do
• Diversity – showing honor and respect to all individuals we serve
• Collaboration – so we seek out partnership opportunities
• Teamwork – supporting our employees and partners as we fulfill our mission

Job Requirements

Qualifications:

1. Required Education: Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education plus three years teaching pre- school age children or BA/BS (with at least 30 credits in ECE or equivalent coursework) plus one year experience.
2. Early Head Start/Head Start experience preferred.
3. Ability to pass State and/or Federal Background Checks as determined by position (prior to hire date).

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

1. Must demonstrate recognition and compassion for low-income peoples.
2. Must be aware and sensitive to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).
3. Demonstrated ability to input, aggregate and analyze data including generation of accurate and complete reports.

License(s) and/or Certifications:

1. Valid Washington State Driver’s License (to operate company vehicles and/or utilize other vehicles for company business)
2. Ability to obtain proof of insurability for operating an automobile (to operate company vehicles and/or utilize other vehicles for company business).
3. First Aide/CPR certification (within 90 days of employment)
4. Food Worker Permit (within 90 days of employment)
5. Initial physical exam (within 90 days of employment)
6. Tuberculosis (TB) Testing (upon employment and before contact with children, testing done before hire will not be recognized)
7. Current Immunizations per Washington Administrative Code (can be obtained upon hire)

Essential Physical and Mental Functions

1. Be able to physically match the activity level of an infant, toddler, and/or preschool aged child.
2. Position requires intermittent sitting, standing, walking, twisting, and bending.
3. Must be able to get down on the child’s eye level and floor.
4. Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds.
5. Simple grasping and hand manipulation required as well as reaching above and below shoulder level.
6. Must be able to withstand exposure to noise in a classroom setting.
7. Must be able to build secure, nurturing relationships with children and families.
8. Cognitive ability to recognize and address safety concerns.
9. Cognitive and emotional ability to work directly with clients in need, which may include homelessness, mental health issues, substance abuse, or other mental or physical barriers.
10. Must be able to work outside in a variety of weather conditions.
11. Cognitive ability to discern accuracy and apply to work as necessary.
12. Physical and cognitive ability to operate a motor vehicle.

KCR Basic Expectations

1. Must be able to exhibit regular attendance.
2. Conducts business and performs responsibilities with honesty, empathy, and integrity in alignment with KCR Code of Ethics.
3. Maintain confidentially of all KCR participants and staff in accordance with KCR and ELFS polies for Personally Identifiable Information and Data protections.
4. Demonstration of service delivery that aligns with KCR Mission, Vision, and Core Values.
5. Proactively takes appropriate steps to maintain a safe, clean, healthy, and professional working environment, seeks guidance from supervision/management when there are questions.

Responsibilities- Included but are not limited to

1. Reports to and accepts assignments from the Child Development Site Supervisor and/or Child Development Manager.
2. Work collaboratively with teacher aide and other site team members to develop and implement the daily and weekly lesson plans.
3. Ensure active supervision practices for all classroom staff to oversee supervision and management of children in the classroom to ensure a safe, clean, healthy and professional learning environment.
4. Provide Primary Care to children through everyday routines including diapering, toilet learning, and feeding practices. Develop individualized plans as needed.
5. Ensure compliance with KCR Policies and Procedure, Head Start Performance Standards, Federal and State regulations and Washington Administrative Code (WAC) for the Child Care Licensing.
6. Develop and ensure implementation of KCR Early Learning and Family Services (ELFS) written curriculum plan including used of approved developmentally appropriate curriculum with fidelity and individualized instructions for each child.
7. Maintain a positive, nurturing, and strength-based learning environment that meets Performance Standards and is consistent with the curriculum and classroom assessment tools.
8. Maintain daily record keeping and reporting systems within Web based data entry platform and follow-up with timely completion.
9. Conduct home visits and conferences in accordance with Performance Standards.
10. In collaboration with parents, and school district personnel, administer developmental screenings, maintain on-going assessment systems, participates in individualized Goal planning including special needs Individualized Family Service Plan/Individual Education Plan (IFSP/IEP) meetings to ensure implementation of a developmentally appropriate individualized learning experience for every child.
11. Provide guidance to substitute and volunteers to maintain classroom quality in accordance with all policies, procedures and Performance Standards.
12. Attend and participate in all required/mandatory meetings and trainings, site parents and team meetings, and others as designated by Site Supervisor or Program Management.

Behaviors

1. Demonstrates support of KCR efforts within the agency and community.
2. Works collaboratively with supervisors, co-workers, and KCR participants.
3. Displays positive attitude in the workplace.
4. Takes personal responsibility for own words and actions.
5. Demonstrates willingness to work toward the greater good of KCR.
6. Demonstrates engagement in work activities by participating in meetings, events, and employee committees.
7. Positively contributes to the workplace culture ensuring a welcoming and inclusive environment.
8. Interacts with co-workers in a positive manner.
9. Proactively seeks out information and guidance in the performance of their job responsibilities.
10. Demonstrates a positive demeanor in all interactions with staff and clients and seeks guidance from supervision and management when experiencing difficulties.

Growth

1. Demonstrates a continuous quality improvement mindset through individual work, interpersonally, and in team settings.
2. Works consistently towards qualification completion including degree completion and/or required certifications/credential(s).
3. Establishes and communicates professional goals and demonstrates progress towards those goals which may include education, training, future career path, vertical job loading, shadowing, and job share.
4. Demonstrates initiative by seeking training opportunities and completing a minimum of 15 hours of professional development each year.

Work/Life Balance

KCR offers a robust benefits package to support balance between work and life outside the workplace.

1. Vacation, Sick, Personal Holiday, and other time off for life events such as Jury Duty, Bereavement, etc.
2. 100% Employer paid Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Long-term and Short-term Disability for employee only (dependents can be covered through payroll deduction)
3. 6.5% Employer Contribution to 401K after first 12-18 months of employment
4. Employee Assistance Program
5. Employee Wellness Program
6. Employee Growth & Development Training Programs
7. Communicates regularly with co-workers and supervisor/manager to relate wellness levels and awareness

All duties and requirements listed in this job description are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position; employees will be requested to follow any other job-related instructions and perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor. Kitsap Community Resources reserves the right to determine the contents of KCR job descriptions.

Kitsap Community Resources is an “at-will” employer.

KCR recognizes that ideas come from a varied mix of minds, backgrounds and experiences. KCR is committed to attracting and retaining a varied and highly skilled staff, by honoring experiences, perspectives and unique identities of the community in which we serve. KCR provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, nation of origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, disability, veteran status or any other protected category under federal, state, and local law.

KITSAP COMMUNITY RESOURCES (KCR) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. KCR is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment.

All employment decisions at KCR are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex, pregnancy, age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. KCR will not tolerate discrimination or harassment.