What are the responsibilities and job description for the Teacher I position at Total Action For Progress?
Roanoke, VA
- Department: Head Start/Early Head Start
- Posting Date: 02/03/2025
- Closing Date: Open until filled
- Salary: $23.00-$36.03/hr
- Code: TI-HS/EHS
CLASSIFICATION: Non-Exempt
Every TAP employee shares in TAP’s responsibility to “Mobilize Community Resources” in support of TAP’s anti-poverty efforts.
DEFINITION AND PURPOSE:
The Early Head Start Teacher I, serves as the leader of the classroom team, taking on the role of primary caregiver for a group of infants/toddlers. Collaborating with all service areas, classroom staff, and volunteers, the Teacher I ensures the provision of successful and nurturing experiences for infants and toddlers in their care. Moreover, the Teacher I partners with parents to establish goals for their child’s development within the program, recognizing parents as the foremost influencers in their children’s lives. The classroom environment under the Teacher I’s guidance reflects the goals of Head Start and Early Head Start, fostering experiences that promote the mental, social, emotional, and physical growth of infants and toddlers.
ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIP
Supervised by: Lead Teacher/Center Supervisor, Education Coordinator, and Supervisor of Education
Supervises: Teacher II, Child Care Aide and Classroom Volunteers
Coordinates with: Other Center Staff, Central Staff and Contract Specialists
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Plans and implements activities that meet the social, emotional, physical, and educational needs of the children in the classroom.
- Creates and submits lesson plans to the Education Coordinator at least one week in advance.
- Conducts developmental and health screenings on children within 45 calendar days of child’s date of entry. This includes hearing, vision, and dental screenings as needed.
- Provides individualize educational programming for assigned children based on screening results and ISPF goals.
- Plans, implements and documents individualization weekly, incorporate IFSP goals as applicable.
- Submits alerts to Education Coordinator and participates in meetings to complete written referrals and/or individualized service plans on children.
- Reviews and analyzes individualizations/observations to complete the ongoing assessment of the child at each designated checkpoint.
- Completes two home visits and two in school parent/teacher conferences per child per year.
- Prepares a flexible classroom schedule.
- Conducts daily child progress reviews and prepares a Daily Report for parents.
- Schedules field trips and submits forms to Education Coordinator, if applicable.
- Plans and implements food experiences monthly.
- Maintains and keeps up-to-date Education Files, Individualizations, Observations and other paperwork as assigned.
- Implements family style meals in the classroom.
- Demonstrate skills in the CLASS Tool to promote a positive, engaging, responsive, respected, child-centered, and safe environment. By nurturing meaningful interactions, educators will support children’s holistic development.
- Utilizes a team approach in classroom operations
- Communicate daily with Teacher II and Child Care Aide.
- Coordinates educational programming with the Teacher II.
- Assigns Teacher II as primary care giver for the children.
- Collaborates with Teacher II and/or Child Care Aide to development and implement a flexible daily schedule and lesson planning.
- Delegates tasks to staff, substitutes and volunteers.
- Ensures adherence to policies and procedures in all aspects of the classroom.
- Maintains a working knowledge of all Head Start Performance Standards and Minimum Standards for Licensed Child Care Centers.
- Demonstrates an understanding of the Head Start Performance Standards, licensing standards.
- Creates and maintains a safe environment aligned with Infant/Toddler Environmental Rating Scale (ITERS) and/or Early Childhood Environmental Rating scale (ECERS) requirements.
- Keeps equipment and materials safe, clean, and in good condition indoors and outdoors.
- Follows the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and TAP Head Start Code of Conduct regarding appropriate interactions with staff and parents and demonstrates professionalism at all times.
- Continuing Education:
- Creates professional development goals with Education Coordinator, annually.
- Participates in at least 21 hours of professional development per year.
- Attends center staff meetings monthly, or as needed.
- Works with Lead Teacher/Center Supervisor to create an atmosphere in the center that is welcoming to parents and families
- Greets parents daily and encourages parent participation and involvement at the center/classroom.
- Attends parent meetings, as assigned.
- Works with all service area staff and parents to maintain a quality program
- Assists in meeting monthly in-kind goals.
- Communicates with Lead Teacher/Center Supervisor within 2 hours of the center opening in case of absences or emergencies.
- Works an 8 hour shift between the hours of 6:30am-6:00pm.
- Selects appropriate materials and supplies for the children in collaboration with the Teacher II
- Adheres to all policies/procedures as outlined in the TAP Head Start & Early Head Start Policies and Procedures Manual.
- Reports suspected cases of child abuse or neglect immediately to appropriate authorities.
- Adheres to NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and TAP Head Start Code of Conduct.
- Ensures attendance and meals are completed at the point of service daily and recorded in ChildPlus.
- Performs all other job related tasks as required by Supervisor.
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Ability to read, write and communicate with staff, parents, and children in an appropriate and professional manner.
- Thorough knowledge of best practices in the field of Early Childhood Education.
- Considerable knowledge of developmental characteristics of infants and toddlers.
- Demonstrates ability to exhibit appropriate professional interactions with staff, parents, and the community.
TRAINING, EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- Obtain Infant and Toddler Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) within 90 days of hire and
- Minimum AAS Degree with concentration in early childhood development within two years of hire.
- Currently hold a BS/BA Degree with concentration in early childhood development or related field (preferred)
- Two years classroom experience in working with infants and toddlers (preferred)
- At TAP, we focus on the Whole Family Approach. Whole Family is a family led strategy to achieve set goals. As an employee you may be required to attend Whole Family training and subject to data entry into the agency’s software as part of the Whole Family approach and serving clients
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
- Must possess a valid VA operator’s license and have daily access to reliable transportation.
- TAP participates in the Virginia DMV Driver Alert Program. Employees who operate a TAP vehicle or their personal vehicle to conduct TAP business may be subject to driver record monitoring through the Virginia DMV Driver Alert Program.
- Must have CPR and First Aid certification and MAT certification, or be able to complete such certification within 6 months of employment.
- Must pass drug screening. Some positions require positive complete background screening including: criminal, sex offender and child protective services.
- Physical activity of this position – climbing; ascending and descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like; balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, use of fingers for – picking, pinching and typing; grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, repetitive motion of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
- Physical requirements of this position – medium work; exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force to move objects.
- Visual acuity requirements – close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading.
- Conditions subject to in this position – environmental conditions; protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.
- Performs other duties as assigned and required by the Supervisor.
This description provides information regarding the essential functions of the designated job, and general nature and level of work associated with the job. It should not be interpreted to describe all the duties that may be required of such employees or be used to limit the nature and extent of assignments such an individual may be given.
We only hire individuals legally eligible for employment in the United States.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Drug Free Workplace
Bilingual Ability is a plus.
Salary : $23 - $36
