Area Manager - Head Start

• Provide operational management of assigned early childhood programs;
• Follow and implement all agency policies and procedures as well as federal mandates related to the HS Program Performance Standards;
• Cooperate and coordinate efforts with other management team members within HS/EHS and other NEMCSA divisions;
• Responsible for building effective local work teams;
• Recruit and select area staff and provide new hire training and mentoring ;
• Coordinate recruitment activities and assist in the assignment of families to each classroom or Home Visitor maintaining full enrollment at all times;
• Complete required documentation of relevant activities and submit records and reports in a timely and accurate manner;
• Communicate consistently with the Head Start Regional Manager ;
• Provide direct supervision to Family Service Coordinators, Teachers, Home Visitors, Bus Drivers and Cooks responsible for performance and accountability, work activity, leave time and professional development.

• Conduct an annual performance review for assigned staff and develop goals for continued improvement;
• Facilitate the development of professional development plans for assigned staff;
• Plan and conduct monthly staff meetings/TLCs to address program needs as well as identified  training needs;
• Support  intra-staff mentoring;
• Pursue goals through an individual professional development plan to enhance knowledge base and skills with respect to child development, family services, and management;
• Complete additional training as required by continuing education plan. Maintain annual CLASS reliability;
• Maintain confidentiality and code of ethics at all times.

Family Relationships/Engagement: 

• Oversee the development and implementation of family partnership plans designed to meet the individual needs of families;
• Develop strategies for parent engagement that promotes parents as decision makers in governing and advisory bodies such as Policy Council, parent officers, health advisory and other community early childhood committees;
• Work with FSC staff to ensure the occurrence of parent committee meetings including sharing the parent curriculum and other education opportunities. Assure parent/community participation in order to reach the program’s non-federal share target.

• Oversee health services systems with regard to children’s health and nutritional status, including physical, dental, mental health and follow-up;
• Conduct monitoring activities per schedule;
• Conduct regular resource staffing meetings to ensure the needs of children and families are being met;
• Monitor to ensure strict adherence to the child supervision policy;
• Oversee the implementation of outcome-based activities in cognitive, social-emotional, physical domains with an emphasis in language, literacy, math, and science; ensure a learning environment that supports positive growth and development in the center or home setting, including provision for children with special needs;
• Conduct CLASS assessment and utilize results to guide staff toward continued improvement in the areas of emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support emphasizing teacher-child interactions;
• Provide written feedback regarding daily classroom operations based on on-site observations and record monitoring.

• Promote Head Start to the public and recruit families through a variety of community and media activities;
• Exhibit willingness to promote and enhance programming in local area, i.e. grant writing, community collaborations, local work groups;
• Provide for inter-agency coordination through committee membership and/or written agreements with child welfare agencies, and health, mental health, and  education systems;
• Ensure successful transitions to or from Head Start by fostering collaboration with program staff and members of the community to plan and implement strategies to meet transition goals.

• Maintain knowledge and  proficiency in current database systems such as CHILDPLUS and My TS;
• Develop technology skills and use software programs, as requested, for monitoring child and family data and/or outcomes;
• Provide oversight to local program budgets including ordering supplies, staff training and parent activity expenditures;
• Ensure staff are tracking inventory in the data base.

• Monitor progress toward school readiness goals for assigned area;
• Ensure that all staff are aware of and plan for school readiness goals;
• Ensure curriculum is implemented to fidelity;
• Ensure that classrooms and program activities as well as materials reflect children’s/family’s cultures and communities;
• Insure implementation of a curriculum that is responsive to each child’s individual learning style and temperament, through monitoring of ongoing observation and assessment of children;
• Build trusting, supportive relationships with classroom staff.
• Disability Coordination
• Coordinate child disability services to meet Subpart F  of the Head Start Program Performance Standards;
• Secure inter-agency agreements and work collaboratively with LEA’s to provide service delivery and coordination of services to eligible children;
• Attend IEP meetings when available and/or necessary;
• Collect Disability in-kind from LEA’s.