Floater Teacher

Metropolitan Family Services empowers families to learn, to earn, to heal, to thrive. Part mentor, part motivator, part advocate, since 1857, Metropolitan Family Services has been the engine of change that empowers families to reach their greatest potential and positively impact their communities. Metropolitan is Illinois’ first comprehensive human services agency and reaches more than 122,900 individuals and families in Chicago, Evanston/Skokie, the southwest suburbs and DuPage County with services promoting education, economic stability, emotional wellness and empowerment.

We are now hiring for a full-time Floater Teacher to join our Early Childhood Team!

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: 

• Responsible for maintaining emotional environment of the classroom by: modeling and ensuring that children are spoken and listened to respectfully and comforted as necessary; setting appropriate limits for children with reasonable consequences; and using positive reinforcement that supports the development of children’s self-help skills.
• Responsible for promoting the cognitive development of children by developing and implementing weekly curriculum and lesson plans using Creative Curriculum and projects which include: literacy, dramatic play, science, math, fine and gross motor activities, open-ended art, computer, and problem-solving.
• Responsible for performing Parent Child Educator responsibilities in the event the floating assignment involves home based programming.
• Responsible for modeling and ensuring appropriate adult-child interactions including the use of open-ended questions, moderate tone of voice, respect for children’s individual learning and communication styles and providing assistance, comfort and encouragement as needed.
• Responsible for arranging and maintaining the physical environment of the classroom to complement the curriculum and to provide a safe, healthy environment.
• Supervises and/or delegates responsibility to supervise all activities in which children participate, in the classroom, outdoors and off-site.
• Conducts and/or oversees screening of all children within prescribed time frames using the Early Screening Inventory, Ages and Stages Social Emotional Questionnaire and other prescribed tools.
• Responsible for completing weekly observations, objective anecdotal recordings, samples of child’s work, photographs, child’s dictations, and anecdotal recordings of other teachers, parents and children.
• Responsible for ensuring the development of an education file for each child which includes required forms, consents, assessments, screening results, IEPs, parent-teacher conference results, home visits and on-going individual goal planning and accommodations as needed.
• Responsible for the planning and implementation of a minimum of semi-annual home visits and parent-teacher conferences.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with all documentation as required by licensing agents, Head Start, Preschool for All, and Metropolitan Family Services.
• Supervises and provides leadership to classroom staff by: modeling DAP practices, conducting individual and team supervision on a weekly basis, providing resources and development opportunities to team, coaching and developing individual and team goals.
• Participates in teacher development opportunities through in-service, conferences and professional organizations, and utilizes available resources on site, through internet websites and professional organizations and libraries.
• Acts as an advocate for children and families through participation in IEP development; communicating information about children appropriately to parents, specialists and other agency staff; working as a member of the Direct Service Team; supporting center goals; and translating policies, developmentally appropriate practice, curriculum and standards to parents.
• Ensures effective, supportive relationships with parents, children and staff are developed and maintained.
• Supervises and coaches student teachers, volunteers and new teaching staff.
• Works effectively with diverse staff and service populations. Proactively models and encourages anti-bias behavior and respect for others.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field with a minimum of 21 credit hours in Early Childhood Education or Child Development. 

• One (1) year teaching experience with children 0-5 years old (preferred)
• Ability to work effectively with diverse individuals and groups
• Planning and implementing learning experiences that advance the intellectual and physical development of children, including improving the readiness of children for school by developing their literacy, phonemic, and print awareness, their understanding and use of increasingly complex and varied vocabulary, their appreciation of books, their understanding of early math and early science, their problem-solving abilities, and their approaches to learning.
• Establishing and maintaining a safe, healthy learning environment
• Supporting the social and emotional development of children
• Ability to encourage the involvement of the families of the children in a Head Start program and supporting the development of relationships between children and their families. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is required to sit and stand for sustained periods of time, frequently talk, hear, use hands and fingers to feel, handle and operate objects or controls, and occasionally stand, bend, stretch, stoop, kneel and crouch.
• The employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing data and figures, transcribing and viewing a computer terminal.
• The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

 SALARY:

• The average starting salary for this position will fall in the range of 40,000 to 45,000 annually. Where candidates fall in this range will be based on skill and experience level.

Metropolitan Family Services puts our people first with a top-of-the-line benefits package.

• Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of IL Medical Coverage options that support all levels of staff (including Part-Time): HMO, PPO, and HSA (PPO).
• ZERO: A free benefit for BCBS PPO members that helps find the least expensive option for medical services.
• MFS will contribute $2,000 to individual and $4,000 to family HSA Accounts through our HSA coverage, all front-loaded at the start of the year, or the start of your HSA enrollment.
• Teladoc services provided to all employees: A no-cost benefit providing general medicine and behavioral health services, no insurance necessary.
• Dental HMO and PPO options through Guardian Dental.
•  VSP vision insurance with one of the largest networks in the Chicago-land area.
• Company-paid individual life insurance policy of $100,000, with a wide range of additional, employee-cost options.
• Company-paid individual Short-Term Disability (STD) and Long-Term Disability (LTD) insurance.
• Five Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options ranging from Health to Transit. Contribute your pre-tax dollars where you need them the most.
• Ascensus 401K Plan with up to a 4% Match, vested at 100% on day one of eligibility.
• 12 paid Holidays.
• Starting with 15 days of PTO, maxing at 30 days after 3 years of service.
• Training and Professional Development Plan with E- Learning.
• Pet Insurance options for your furry (or non-furry) friends.
• Comprehensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Free Will preparation services.
• On-staff notary available to employees.
• ALEX, AI-powered assistance that will make your benefit decisions seamless.

Salary : $100,000