Early Childhood Administrator

Great things are happening at Battle Creek Public Schools!

Battle Creek Public Schools (BCPS) is located in Calhoun County, Michigan (between Chicago and Detroit), serving the City of Battle Creek as well as parts of Emmett, Pennfield and Bedford townships, and the City of Springfield. With a bold goal of achieving 100% success for every Bearcat, we offer a broad range of educational experiences to meet the individual needs of students at all levels, including experiential learning, individualized instruction, advanced and accelerated curricula, and outdoor education.

In 2017, BCPS received an historic investment from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and we are continuing our transformation plan, advancing bold, top-to-bottom changes to provide a world-class career, college, and community-ready education for every student, in every grade, at every school. In May of 2023, we were thrilled to announce an average teacher pay increase of more than $10,000, positioning us as one of the best-paying districts for teachers in Southwest Michigan.

We offer competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits (including up to $20k in home purchase assistance), and opportunities for professional development. Apply now and join the Bearcat family!


Position Summary:
Battle Creek Public Schools knows the value of investing in our community’s earliest learners and has demonstrated a solid commitment to strengthening its students' positive trajectory and preparing them to achieve beyond high school. We are committed to a high-quality Early Care and Education innovation center for the Cradle-to-Career Continuum in the Washington Heights/Northside area and Battle Creek Public Schools, which will impact and create a legacy for the community and families for generations.

The Early Childhood Administrator provides leadership and oversight for the daily operations of the center, ensuring a high-quality, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate learning environment for young children. This role is responsible for staff supervision, curriculum implementation, family engagement, and compliance with all licensing and accreditation standards. The Administrator collaborates with teachers, support staff, and families to foster a safe, inclusive, and engaging early learning experience that supports children's social, emotional, and academic growth.



Position Responsibilities:

Instructional Management

• Maintain, at all times, high quality child care standards based on developmentally appropriate practices.
• Have knowledge of developmentally appropriate curriculum, interactions and environments.
• Oversee and assist the Preschool Staff in administering, planning and evaluating activities and lesson plans that promote developmentally-appropriate learning.

Personnel Management

• Train and supervise the Preschool Staff by holding regular meetings, mediating minor disagreements, and assisting in the classroom when necessary.
• Plan, organize, coordinate, and promote professional development, training, and staff meetings. Regularly monitor staff performance and provide coaching or mentoring for performance improvement and development.
• Provide day-to-day leadership and work with staff to ensure high performance and to promote a positive employee relations environment.
• Conduct Preschool Staff performance evaluations.
• Arrange for substitute help for the Preschool Staff (and serve as a substitute as needed). Coordinate recruitment and hiring to fill Preschool Staff vacancies and make hiring recommendations to the Human Resources.

Management of Fiscal, Administrative, and Facilities Functions

• Develop a budget for the center and establish controls to assure that the center adheres to the budget.
• Ensure that the program is cost effective and funds are managed prudently
• Oversee the day to day functions of the child care center and manage staff.
• Define policies of admission, attendance, tuition, and educational goals and other necessary policies, procedures or rules pertaining to the operation with the approval of the supervisor and school board when necessary.
• Assure consistent compliance and coordination with all Michigan Child Care Licensing rules, including maintenance of annual fire, health and other inspections.
• Assure consistent compliance and coordination with all GSRP and ECSE rules, including curriculum, IEP compliance, and enrollment requirements.
• Follow all rules, regulations, and policies of Battle Creek Public Schools and Calhoun ISD and follow directives from supervisors.
• Perform other functions that may be assigned by the Administration and/or supervisor.

Professional Growth and Development

• Attend professional development seminars to maintain an understanding of the current best practices of curriculum and administrative functions of child development programs.
• Oversee the training and professional development of all child care staff.
• Attain and maintain membership in the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
• Complete all MiRegistry required training

School or Community Relations

• Articulate the center’s mission to employees and other stakeholders and solicit support in realizing the mission.
• Articulate long term plans to facilitate the growth of the center to support the sustainability plan.
• Maintain open, consistent and effective communication with parents, providing parent education training, assistance and support as needed.
• Provide reliable, accurate and timely information about the child care center to interested parties per district communication guidelines.
• Use appropriate and effective techniques to encourage positive community and parent involvement to include a warm and nurturing disposition.
• Represent the center in a professional, courteous and positive manner at all times.
• Promote a positive, caring atmosphere for learning for staff, students, and parents.
• Deal sensitively and fairly with persons from diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Perform any and all duties as assigned.
• Successfully advance district initiatives.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Education with a concentration in Child Development or Early Childhood
• Must be eligible for approval as Director of a child care center per the MIchigan Child Care Licensing Division
• Must be eligible for or have an elementary administration certification
• Three years experience as a classroom teacher of young children
• Three to five successful years’ experience managing child care facilities, programs, or elementary building leadership

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Strong supervisory and leadership skills
• Thorough understanding of child care center operations
• Strong organizational, communication, public relations, computer and interpersonal skills
• Ability to coordinate center functions
• Ability to implement policy and procedures
• Knowledge and implementation of Michigan child care guidelines and state licensing
• Comprehensive knowledge and proven success implementing programs for children based on developmentally appropriate practices
• Accepts and respects differences in children, parents and coworkers
• Ability to manage a budget
• Ability to identify a problem, analyze problems and resolve them quickly and appropriately.

Salary: $78,361 - $93,147

Contract: 261 Days (12 months)




SCHOOL SAFETY CLEARANCE: The successful candidate will be subject to a fingerprint and background check as a condition of employment. All fees required for this check (estimated $73.00) will be the responsibility of the successful applicant.


The Battle Creek Public School District is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, handicap, sex, age, religion, national origin, weight, height, or marital status in its employment practices.