Early Head Start Teacher Float

Job Title: Early Head Start Teacher Float

Pay Range: $17.19-$19.89 hourly depending on education.

Locations Covered: Hendricks, Owen, and Morgan County

Who We are: At Bauer, we empower children and their families to thrive. Bauer Family Resources mission is at the heart of every program and service offered to our community. It is our belief that every child and family has a desire for a life that is filled with success, strong family and community connections and hope for tomorrow. Bauer's work is measured against this mission statement to ensure we are true to it.

Position Summary:

The Early Head Start Teacher Float serves as a permanent substitute teacher and provides high-quality infant and toddler services throughout the agency's service area. This position supports program continuity by covering staffing needs in Early Head Start classrooms serving children from birth to three years of age. The Early Head Start Teacher Float is not assigned to a consistent classroom and may work in multiple centers as operational needs require. The Teacher Float promotes healthy child development through responsive caregiving, relationship-based practices, and individualized learning experiences designed to support children's cognitive, social-emotional, language, physical, and developmental growth. The Early Head Start Teacher Float collaborates with families and staff to create safe, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate environments while ensuring compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards, state licensing regulations, and agency policies.

Essential Functions:

The duties identified below are the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This list may not be inclusive of all job responsibilities and are subject to change based on business needs with or without notice.

Classroom Support & Child Development

• Serve as a permanent substitute teacher by providing classroom coverage throughout the assigned service area.
• Build secure, nurturing relationships with infants, toddlers, and families through responsive caregiving practices.
• Implement individualized routines that support each child's feeding, sleeping, diapering, toileting, and developmental needs.
• Implement curriculum activities that promote infant and toddler development through play, exploration, and relationship-based interactions.
• Maintain continuity of care and consistent daily routines during staff absences and vacancies.
• Support children's social-emotional development through positive guidance and responsive interactions.

Child Assessment & Documentation

• Observe, document, and assess children's developmental progress.
• Utilize ongoing child assessment data to support individualized learning experiences.
• Complete required child assessments, observations, reports, and program documentation accurately and timely.

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Follow safe sleep practices and maintain compliance with all health and safety standards.
• Perform diapering, feeding, toileting assistance, and other caregiving responsibilities while maintaining children's dignity and promoting self-help skills.
• Maintain clean, safe, and engaging indoor and outdoor learning environments.
• Ensure compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards, Early Head Start requirements, state licensing regulations, and agency policies.

Family Engagement & Collaboration

• Partner with families to support children's development and strengthen family engagement.
• Conduct Family Conferences and Home Visits when assigned to long-term classroom coverage.
• Collaborate effectively with Center Managers, Education Supervisors, Family Advocates, and other support staff.

Professional Development & Program Support

• Attend required trainings, meetings, professional development activities, and pre-service events.
• Travel regularly between assigned locations.

Priority Placement Opportunity

• The Teacher Float position is designed to support professional growth and future advancement opportunities within the organization. Employees serving in the Teacher Float role who are in good standing, meet position qualifications, and demonstrate satisfactory performance shall be given priority consideration for placement into vacant Lead Infant/Toddler Teacher positions before external candidates are recruited or hired.

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this position successfully, an individual must demonstrate regular, predictable attendance and be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge and skill required. The individual must be able to successfully pass routine background checks.

Education/Certification/Licensure:

• Associate's or Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Infant/Toddler Development, or a related field with qualifying coursework preferred.
• Infant/Toddler Child Development Associate (CDA) credential required.
• Valid Driver's License required.
• Reliable transportation and ability to travel throughout the service area.

Experience Required:

• 2-3 years of experience working with infants and toddlers preferred.
• Early Head Start experience preferred.
• Experience in relationship-based care and family engagement preferred.

Knowledge and Skills Required:

• Strong understanding of infant and toddler development.
• Knowledge of responsive caregiving and attachment-based practices.
• Understanding of safe sleep requirements and infant/toddler health and safety standards.
• Commitment to providing high-quality services to children and families experiencing economic hardship.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing classroom assignments and environments.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Effective organizational and time-management skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams and families.
• Basic computer and documentation skills.
• Bilingual English/Spanish abilities preferred

Physical Requirements:

• To accomplish the essential functions of the position, one must be physically able to operate or work with computers, calculators, reference books, computer software applications, phones, and other standard office equipment.
• To accomplish the essential functions of the position, an individual must be able to lift and carry young children; bend, squat, kneel, sit on the floor, reach, grasp, and engage in active supervision throughout the day.
• The position requires frequent diapering, feeding assistance, lifting children, standing, and moving classroom equipment and materials.

Working Conditions:

• Work is performed primarily in Early Head Start classrooms serving infants and toddlers.
• Frequent travel between centers within the service area is required.
• Position requires flexibility in classroom assignments and work location.
• Exposure to routine childhood illnesses and classroom environments should be expected.
• Minimal safety hazards with adherence to established health and safety procedures.

Our Workplace Culture:

At Bauer Family Resources, every person is supported to bring their most authentic self to work and enable them to do the best work of their life. We are a culture grounded by collaboration, personal growth and well-being. We care about each other, ourselves, our communities and the environment which we live in. We respect all with humility and patience.

Bauer Family Resources does not discriminate on basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, veteran status, marital status, or based on an individual's status in a group or class protected by local, state and federal government laws. At Bauer we encourage diversity and promote equality.

Full-time employees (30+ hrs/week) enjoy:

Health & Financial Wellness

• Medical, Dental & Vision insurance
• Matching 401(k)
• Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Free mental health coverage + Telehealth Services

Time Off & Support

• 10 paid holidays + Paid Time Off
• Paid bereavement leave
• Reflective supervision & wellness programs
• Referral bonuses

Position-based perks may also include:

• Early Childhood Education scholarships
• Paid professional development
• Cell phone & mileage reimbursement, for select positions

Bauer Family Resources, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action Employer.

Bauer Family Resources is a Drug-Free Workplace