Family Advocate- Head Start Program

Family / Community Partnership Specialist

Salary: $26.35 - $27.88 / hour (depending on position and qualifications)

Posting: Accepting applications as long as posting is up

To apply: Submit a resume and transcript/diplomas

Bonus: Signing bonus eligible, $500

Position Summary: Provide family / community partnership services for families enrolled in Head Start programs. Monitor compliance in accordance with Head Start performance standards. Recruit and enroll children. Facilitate ethnically responsive approaches to problem solving for children and families. Participate in development of parent education materials and classes. Coach parents to learn and / or develop the skills for effective parenting and develop problem solving skills and skills to improve and reinforce self-sufficiency. Assist the Program Director in ensuring that the center exemplifies and maintains a quality child development program.

Work Environment:

Mile High Early Learning is a premier provider of early care and education for children 6 weeks to five years focused on growing great young minds and preparing them for kindergarten and the world using a Montessori inspired curriculum approach.

Consider joining a learning organization that is as focused on growing great teachers and family-oriented professionals as we are on providing a high quality educational experience for our students and comprehensive services to our families. Mile High Early Learning invests in our staff with on-going professional development including college courses, certifications, conferences and workshops. Our Professional Development programs include semi-annual Child Development Associate certification trainings, annual Inclusive Practice in Early Childhood training, and a Bachelor's degree Residency program.

Mile High Early Learning is seeking candidates who are committed to educational equity, anti-racism, and willing to engage in the hard work it takes to bring positive, impactful change. As an inclusive, learning-centered organization, we embrace innovation, assessment, and reflection to continuously improve.

We are always looking to add thoughtful, energetic, honest, positive, and creative people to our team. Must be an outstanding communicator and rapport builder.

Essential Job Functions: Family Support and Engagement

• Maintain a significant caseload of 34 – 65 families who are enrolled in the Early Head Start (EHS) - Child Care Partner (CCP) and Head Start (HS) programs.
• Guide parents in accessing strengths, needs, and goals of families in the establishment of Family Partnership Agreements; follow-up completion of the Agreements.
• Complete the PFCE Family Needs/Goals Assessment twice a year.
• Engage effectively with parents, staff, and community members who are educationally, economically, culturally, and racially diverse and/or whose first language may not be English.
• Recruit and support enrollment for Head Start children.
• Facilitate child transitions from classroom to classroom; work with families and areas schools to facilitate transitions from preschool to kindergarten.
• Coordinate and plan family meetings and involvement activities in conjunction with the Program Director.
• While respecting family confidentiality, regularly shares information with teachers to ensure coordinated services that meet the needs of individual children and families.
• Provide case management to families including providing resources and referrals for families and following up on referrals; ensuring parents have access to resources that extend the child's classroom learning into the home environment; and encouraging families in activities that support self-sufficiency.
• Perform recordkeeping, including written documentation, scheduled reports, and mandated reporting, in a timely, accurate, and confidential manner.
• Documentation of all efforts and follow up into the programs data base.
• Assist caregivers in learning the skills necessary to advocate for their children's services.
• Research, plan and coordinate family literacy activities including reviewing the literacy sheets for accuracy and send them to the on a monthly.
• Assist caregivers in whatever ways appropriate to meet CCAP requirements to assure Center compliance.
• Accompany teachers on home visits as needed.
• Identify child abuse and report situations to appropriate center or Agency personnel according to Agency and state reporting requirements.
• Manage and maintain center waitlist for all children.
• Read and respond to emails daily.
• Respond to questions and concerns from families, licensing representatives, and the community in a timely and professional manner.
• Make attendance calls to homes of absent children and enter notes as appropriate; conduct home visit after three consecutive days of a child's absence; follow up on attendance concerns
• Cooperate with the Program Director in coordinating the day-to-day operations of the center to ensure a safe and healthy environment for children and staff and smooth operational functioning of the center.

Essential Job Functions: Operational

• Collect and compile report data as required by Head Start Performance Standards and Agency policy
• Collect and compile report data related to enrollment, recruitment, selection, eligibility and attendance as required by Head Start Performance Standards and Agency policy.
• Monitor the accuracy of the ATS daily reports and correct all missed ATS times and ensure parents approve within the CDHS timeline.
• Ensure that all BLS forms are accurate and complete and submitted to the Billing Coordinator weekly on the day requested.
• Work with the Program Director to assure compliance and guide staff in complying with requirements of childcare licensing, Head Start Performance Standards, Child Abuse reporting., and all other Mile High program policies.
• In the absence of Program Director (and Assistant Director as applicable), maintain classroom staff/child ratios at all times, including but not limited to schedule breaks, lunches, and planning time.
• Maintaining and update all children's files in consultation with the Program Director.
• Develop relationships with other community-based service providers targeting the needs of families served.
• Work collaboratively with community-based organizations serving families in the Head Start program.
• Maintain confidentiality related to all aspects of the families / children enrolled as defined by the Agency, State of Colorado and Federal regulations.
• Participate in regularly scheduled meetings.
• Due to the nature of this program, all staff members must be willing to provide support to maintain a quality program for all children and their families being served at MHEL.
• Maintain professional and effective working relationships with co-workers and Agency staff.
• Effectively resolve conflict; remain calm in a very busy or emergency situation.
• Support with verbal and written translation as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Required Position Qualifications / Certificates / Licenses:

• Bachelor's degree in social work, Psychology or related field
• Valid State of Colorado driver's license with current State of Colorado automobile insurance with at least minimum liability requirements
• Proficient knowledge of child development and family involvement activities
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Clear understanding of verbal, written and oral communication
• Compliance with other regulatory requirements as applicable
• Pass CBI background check and post-employment medical examination

Desired Qualifications / Skills / Licenses / Certifications:

• Pediatric First Aid/CPR
• Bi-lingual or multilingual

Essential Physical Requirements:

• Safely lift a child or children with total weight of 50 pounds
• Conduct activities involving substantial standing, walking and moderate sitting; stooping kneeling, bending, crouching, crawling, twisting, and reaching on a frequent basis
• Work with hands above shoulder height with a weight up to 20 pounds
• Work with arms extended at shoulder height with a weight up to 20 pounds
• Must be able to stoop, bend and kneel on the floor without assistance
• Must be able to walk within a 4 square block of the center
• Push, pull, playground equipment, art supplies, manipulate office equipment, etc
• Participate in routine conversation in person or via telephone and distinguish telephone radio/pager signals, alarms and other auditory tones

Environmental Conditions:

• Typical office environment
• Children's classroom environment
• Outdoor classroom

Equipment Used:

• Office Equipment: Telephone, computer, iPads,, calculator, copier/scanner, and similar office equipment
• Use of mild cleaning chemicals
• Light cleaning equipment: Vacuum cleaner, plunger, mop, broom
• Educational materials: Art supplies, toys, reading materials, other learning materials and supplies
• Outdoor equipment: playground equipment, pull wagons