Head Start Teacher

Job Description

Job Description

About This Role

• To provide a successful, safe and supervised educational setting for children, while they are in the Head Start environment (classroom, outdoor play area, and field trips);
• To promote the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of Head Start children relative to the Creative Curriculum, Head Start Performance Standards/Domains, and Licensing guidelines.
• To encourage parental involvement in all aspects of the program;
• To develop individual goals for children, provide on-going assessment on progress, promote positive child outcomes and facilitate transition into kindergarten.

• Frequent significant decisions to assure developmental progress of children.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise pre-school children and ensure a safe learning environment including the ability to monitor and respond to events going on at all times in classroom, outdoor play areas and on field trips. This includes the physical ability to move quickly in order to respond to children who are very active and may need restraint or redirection in order to insure their safety or the safety of others in the environment.
• Ability to respond appropriately (both mentally and physically) to an emergency or a crisis situation.
• Daily kneeling, stooping, bending, and sitting on the floor to attend to children's needs.

Position Information:

• 11 or 12-month position, depending on program model.
• Supervised by Education Specialist and Assistant Education Specialist.

Essential Job Responsibilities: Performance Indicators

Child Contact/Classroom Time (40%)

• Meet the needs of all children, including those with special needs, those who are gifted and those who are culturally diverse.
• Integrate all Head Start service areas into classroom time.
• Develop and utilize lesson plans, which reflect mandated elements, parental and cultural influences, and promote the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of Head Start children.
• Implement ongoing early child/family literacy activities.
• Individualize one-to-one and group activities to reflect the unique needs and strengths of all children in the classroom. Observe and record behaviors of children to assist in this process.
• Follow a consistent schedule, which includes small and large group experiences, choice time, music and movement, large and small motor activities, skill development, meals, and effective transitions between activities.
• Encourage experimentation, exploration, problem solving, cooperation, socialization, and choice making, ask open-ended questions and listen respectfully to the answers.
• Provide an atmosphere that promotes and reinforces parental involvement in the classroom.
• Conduct ongoing assessments for children and record data using the Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies Gold web-based assessment tool.
• Work with appropriate agencies in developing specialized planning for children/families, as needed.
• Supervise and monitor children at all times.
• Respond to crisis or emergency situations that may occur and provide first aid or CPR. Prevent the spread of blood borne pathogens, and access emergency services as needed.

Written Documentation (20%)

• Maintain accurate written records; including assessments, special education documentation, screening instruments, anecdotal observations, documents for transition to public school and parent/teacher conference, home visits and other required forms.

Collaborative Service Delivery/Home Visits (15%)

• Provide classroom supervision and effective communication for teacher assistants and all volunteers. Ensure teamwork with teacher assistant and others assigned to the class.
• Participate in regularly scheduled team meetings to plan for and deliver collaborative services across all service areas. To include working with the Transportation Service Area to ensure children's safety to and from Head Start centers.
• Meet regularly with parents, and other staff regarding each child's status and progress.
• Conduct regular home visits and parent/teacher conferences for purposes of assessment and support, and to share information on classroom progress, educational strategies and parenting.

Curriculum Development (20%)

• Assess individual and group needs, attending to special needs, specific interests, strengths and concerns.
• With parental involvement, develop balanced lesson plans, which are developmentally appropriate, intellectually challenging and address each child's specific strengths and needs.
• Establish daily and weekly goals, which will promote individual and group educational plans and include other Head Start service areas.
• Prepare classroom materials to support lesson plans and change and create learning centers as needed.
• Adapt curriculum to address and meet individual goals for children as identified in their individualized plans.

Miscellaneous (5%)

• Attend meetings, trainings, and appropriate professional development activities.
• Assure general classroom maintenance/sanitization, laundry and security of facility where applicable.
• Maintain an inventory of classroom equipment.
• Other duties as requested.

Knowledge/Skills/Experience/Documentation Required:

• Strong knowledge of child development, family dynamics, and the needs of children:
• Minimum educational requirement of a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or bachelors in a related field that includes classes focusing on early childhood education/development. Note : An associate degree in early childhood education will be accepted; on the condition the employee is already enrolled or enrolls in a bachelor's degree (ECE) program, which will be mandatory, to maintain teacher status. Failure to work towards a bachelor's degree will result in the relinquishment of said position.
• Diploma/transcripts will be required to validate early childhood education degree or transcripts to validate related classes if bachelor's degree is in a related field.
• Prefer two years' experience in preschool classroom with ability to adapt curriculum to meet the needs of all children including special needs, gifted, and culturally diverse populations.
• Ability to apply early childhood development theory in daily classroom activities, and adapt to the individual needs of children.
• Excellent communication skills, especially good listening and writing skills.
• If a licensed driver, employee must have a valid Virginia Driver's License and proof of current auto insurance where applicable.
• Employment is conditional pending immediate enrollment in Child Care Division - Criminal History Registry.
• Must present current TB/Physical at the time of employment or within 10 working days for TB test and 30 days for physical.

• Hampton Roads Community Action Program offers a variety of employee benefits, which generally will be available to you on the first day of the month following your date of hire. Medical, dental and vision insurance coverage options are available for employees and dependents. Employer pays seventy-five (75%) of the premium costs for health insurance. Coverage becomes effective on the first day of the month following the date of hire. The cost of coverage depends on the plan options and/or dependent coverage elected. All health insurance premiums are deducted from payroll on a pre-tax basis through a Section 125 Plan. Our retirement plan consists of a dollar for dollar matching contribution on salary reduction contributions made by each participant up to 3% after one year of service. Hampton Roads Community Action Program provides eleven (11) paid holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

The Hampton Roads Community Action Program (HRCAP) is a nonprofit community action agency that has been serving residents of southeastern Virginia for over 50 years. As an award-winning organization, we have been a pivotal contributor to the economic stability of individuals, families and the community here in Hampton Roads. HRCAP is a regional organization with a steadfast commitment to improve the quality of life through programs in education, training, work experience, emergency services, housing counseling, and many other proven strategies. We have been at the forefront of attacking the root causes of poverty towards the goal of elimination. As a result, many families have broken the chains of poverty and are now equipped for success!

Qualified individuals should apply at 2410 Wickham Avenue, Newport News, VA 23607. Office hours are 8:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. Monday through Friday. You can visit: to print an application and mail to P.O. Box 37, Newport News, VA 23607. Also you can email your application and resume to View email address on ziprecruiter.com