Emergent Curriculum Literacy Coordinator

Job Description

Job Description

About This Role

Position Summary: The Emergent Curriculum Literacy Coordinator is a leader in education and a library science specialist who will partner with educators to enhance their approach to building children’s physical, social, emotional, and educational development through literacy and curriculum. The focus of this role is to promote the mission of Friends Center by supporting young children’s development through Emotional Well-Being practices, early learning strategies, and equitable access to literacy and community resources via a Mobile Library. The Emergent Curriculum Literacy Coordinator operates as part of the School Leadership Team to support educators in using literacy to build positive, caregiving relationships with children while honoring each child’s home culture, language, and self-identified needs.

Key Responsibilities:

Community Connection

• Work as part of a team to design and launch the Mobile Library Program to provide accessible, hands-on literacy experiences that promote early literacy and social-emotional skill-building.
• Develop partnerships with local organizations, libraries, and service providers to expand wraparound support for families.
• Use the mobile library as a platform for sharing community information, offering resources, and deepening school-community ties.’

• Attend annual Curriculum Night and New Haven Family Stroll events to build relationships and provide opportunities for children, staff, and families to engage with the Mobile Library.
• Engage with local universities and colleges to recruit interns from the library science or other related degree programs who can support the Mobile Library Program operations.

Child and Educator Support

• Build strong, trusting relationships with educators and their children to promote healthy development, learning, and emotional growth.
• Partner with educators to identify their strengths, interests, and needs, and help connect them with educational and local community resources.
• Organize family learning events, storytimes, and parent workshops focused on early literacy, development, and social-emotional skills.

Classroom and Curriculum Collaboration

• Collaborate with teachers to support developmentally appropriate, inclusive classroom practices and routines using literacy as a tool.
• Share techniques to promote emotional intelligence, self-regulation, and positive peer-to-peer and adult-child interactions.
• Help adapt curriculum and classroom activities to reflect the needs and cultures of all learners.
• Support educators in creating learning experiences that integrate literacy, play, and Emotional Well-Being.

Mobile Library and Literacy Outreach

• Develop and lead a Mobile Library Program that brings high-quality, inclusive children’s books and resources to childcare programs, neighborhoods, community centers, and school events.
• Coordinate regular mobile library visits to support family literacy, early reading skills, and access to culturally diverse, inclusive books.
• Host read-aloud, interactive storytelling, and adult-child literacy workshops as part of mobile outreach.
• Distribute educational materials and offer guidance to caregivers on supporting early literacy in any setting.
• Partner with staff to use the mobile library as a tool for outreach and connection, especially for early care and education providers with limited access to traditional libraries or school resources.

Resource Development and Library Services

• Curate a child- and family-friendly physical and mobile resource library with books, learning tools, and accessible information about parenting and community support.
• Curate curriculum resource kits that educators can borrow.
• Offer book recommendations to staff and families based on children’s developmental stages, interests, and cultural backgrounds.
• Ensure mobile and on-site library collections reflect a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and joy in reading.
• Inform the creation of a lending library system that is electronic, user-friendly, accessible, and efficient

Professional Development

• Provide training on effective ways to use books/storytelling as a tool to develop and promote social-emotional learning.
• Offer reflective coaching sessions for educators focused on collaboration and child-centered practices.
• Support teachers and colleagues with strategies for social-emotional learning and developmentally appropriate teaching practices that promote literacy.
• Lead or co-lead professional development sessions around literacy, well-being, and inclusive family engagement.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or higher, Library Science, or a related field required; Master’s preferred.
• Experience working with children ages 0–8 and their families in educational or community settings.
• Knowledge of early literacy practices, child development, and inclusive learning environments.
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel locally using a mobile library van or vehicle.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred.

Key Skills:

• Strong relationship-building and communication skills across diverse communities.
• Creativity and initiative in designing mobile learning and literacy experiences.
• Collaborative mindset and flexibility in working with educators, families, and community partners.
• Passion for promoting joy in learning, early literacy, and emotional growth.
• Organizational skills to manage mobile outreach schedules, book collections, and community events.

Physical Requirements:

• Vision and hearing within normal range so as to be able to provide sight and sound supervision
• Ability to lift and carry 40 lbs.
• Traveling up/down a flight of stairs, standing and sitting for long durations, typing for continuous hours on a computer keyboard, and reading information on a computer

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred.

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Paid Leave
• Sick Leave
• Retirement Plan
• Tuition Assistance
• Child Care Discount
• Professional Development

• Paid Time Off: 11 federal holidays, Winter Recess, 10 paid personal days

  Employee Child Tuition Discount: Up to $22,000 for children enrolled at FCfC (based on income)

  Health Insurance: FCfC will contribute 80% of the equivalent of a standard HMO individual coverage cost through our provider for our group health insurance program.

  Paid Professional Development: Up to $500 per year.

  Tuition Reimbursement for ECE coursework: Up to $4,000 per year, Amount dependent on years of service at FC.

  Emergency Financial Hardship Loan: Up to $1,000 per year, dependent on years of service at FC.

  Emergency Financial Hardship Grant: Up to $1,000 per year, dependent on years of service at FC.

  Emotional Hardship Program: Emotional Wellbeing support as needed.

  Haven's Harvest Program: Free food from Trader Joe's (bi-weekly)