Emotional Well-being Director-Early Childhood Education

Director of Emotional Well-being Program Job Description

Friends Center is an early childhood education center providing year-round, full-time care for children ages 3 months to 5 years. We offer a child-centered, hands-on learning experience in a safe and nurturing environment. At the Center, children learn through creative play and a wide range of developmentally appropriate activities. We are a non-sectarian organization whose value-based curriculum is guided and enhanced by its foundations in the Quaker principles of community, equality, peace, simplicity, truth, and stewardship. As a cooperative organization, parents and teachers at the Center work together to create a diverse and supportive community. Our mission is: educate children, empower families, inspire teachers, engage community, embrace diversity, embody equity.

An Emotional Wellbeing Program is a set of attitudes and practices that support optimal personal and interpersonal functioning at the Friends Center. We are attentive to how trauma can interrupt natural physical, mental, and emotional growth processes. Our aim is to recognize the effects of adverse childhood experiences on children and to counterbalance those effects. Likewise, we recognize the residual effects of individual and cultural trauma on the adults in our community. We impart possible pathways to healing and life-long learning, leaning into partnerships with other community services. An emotional well-being program reflects the goal of the Friends Center to provide tangible, interpersonal, inspirational, and spiritual support to all members of the Friends Center community.

Reports to: Program Director and Executive Director

Classification: FTE - Non-Exempt

Hours: 40

Salary Range: $70,000- $80,000 dependent upon qualifications

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Purpose: To promote the mission of Friends Center by overseeing the delivery of professional mental health support to children, families, and staff members, with outreach to the community.

1. Oversee the Emotional Well-being Program and related staff benefits

• Manage the daily operations of the Emotional Well-being Program
• Manage the implementation and tracking of the Staff Support Program
• Manage the Teacher Housing Program
• Manage the mission, growth, and development of the program

2. Administrative duties

• Supervise Emotional Well-being Program staff
• Lead weekly EWBC team meetings
• Conduct 1-hour weekly supervision and reflection meetings with each EWBC Coordinator
• Promote balancing the well-being of the individuals and the institution
• Provide human service outlook regarding policies and procedures
• Oversee staff professional development and community messages re: cultural oppression, bias, peaceful play, safety protocols, staff cooperation and climate, ethics, relationship building/repairing, team-building, emotional intelligence, diversity, Quaker foundations and practices.
• Foster safety awareness and practices

3. Support children and families

• Identify needs and resources
• Provide 1-1 support to children
• Counsel parents seeking parenting skills, employment, education, housing, food security, transportation, awareness of trauma, stressors & resources
• Collaborate to build school-family connections; make home visits
• Organize opportunities for parent education

4. Support classroom teachers and milieu

• Participate in 5 hours of weekly team meetings
• Consult with teachers to individualize the program to accommodate children’s needs
• Guide trauma-informed assessments of behavior and the choice of interventions
• Support developmentally appropriate expectations and structure in the classroom
• Model interpersonal skill-building and emotional regulation techniques
• Collaborate re: methods of supporting emotional intelligence and social skills
• Provide well-being information, short-term counseling, and referrals for staff members
• Support Professional Growth Plans in the area of emotional well-being

5. Outreach to the community

• Develop wrap-around referrals for children, families, and staff
• Support the development of new resources as needed
• Supervise social work and human service interns
• Foster relationships with community resource partners and service providers

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES: to perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily and must possess the following minimum qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Social Work or Master's Degree in Human Services required
• Clinical Licensure (LCSW or LPC)
• Clinical experience with children/families required
• Knowledge of child development, parenting, and family systems required
• Supervisory experience required

Preferred Qualifications:

• 3 years of post-masters experience preferred
• Fluency in English and Spanish preferred
• Practice in an educational milieu preferred

Skills and abilities:

• Strong interpersonal skills and excellent organizational and time management skills
• Demonstrate an understanding of team approach and communication
• Contribute to a positive atmosphere and demonstrate positive interactions with patients/families and colleagues
• Develop and utilize community resources
• Develop content for staff training/professional development
• Track behavior, develop individual plans, and document observations
• Link with clinicians for wrap-around care
• Provide parenting education opportunities
• Supervise interns
• Support classroom by modeling, 1-1 care for children in need,
• 2 Gen work: supports parents with housing, transportation, food insecurity, services, etc.
• Counsel parents and staff
• Foster social-emotional learning

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

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $70,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Application Question(s):

• Please provide your email address and best contact number.

Education:

• Master's (Required)

Experience:

• post-graduate experience and supervising staff: 3 years (Required)

Language:

• English (Required)

License/Certification:

• updated covid vaccination status or willing to obtain (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• New Haven, CT: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $70,000 - $80,000