Child Care Assistant Preschool

Job Summary:

As a Child Care co-teacher, you will support the daily care and development of young children in our Early Childhood Education Center. Responsibilities include assisting with a structured routine of educational activities, creative play, and social interaction.  This position will be working with preschool age children (3-5years), with the flexibility to adapt as needed.  You will be responsible for the classroom in which you are assigned, child-directed curriculum, and an exciting and safe space to thrive.  This role requires attentiveness, adaptability, and the ability to work effectively with colleagues to provide a consistent and engaging experience for children.  Our program follows the Cathedral High School calendar and uses a flexible, play-based curriculum guided by the interests of the children. 

Education and/or Experience:

• A degree in Early Childhood Education (or related field) is preferred but not required
• Candidates should have experience working with young children
• Lift Minimum of 40 pounds to your waist regularly, and work indoors and outdoors (often on the floor)
• Ability to sit for extended periods.
• CPR/First Aid certified preferred but not required

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Please note that management reserves the right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time as needed. The examples provided are illustrative of typical work activities but are not meant to be an exhaustive or restrictive list.

• Plan and implement age-appropriate activities to stimulate the physical, emotional, intellectual,
• and social development of children
• Provide a safe and nurturing environment for children under your care
• Establish positive relationships with children, parents, and colleagues
• Engage in positive communications with families
• Maintain a healthy, safe, organized, and clean classroom environment
• Follow all health and safety regulations
• Diapering and Potty Training (if applicable)
• Delegating tasks to a coworker or Volunteer (when applicable)
• Ensuring proper meal/snack/resting schedules for your age group
• Communicate effectively with parents/guardians about their child's progress, day, or
• developments
• Administer basic first aid when necessary

Interaction with Children:

• Build trusting relationships with your students by engaging in positive interactions at all times.
• Provide positive behavior support when guiding children’s behavior
• Use positive reinforcement for wanted behaviors
• Stay calm and use a firm voice (without yelling) when stopping or talking about an unwanted behavior
• Help the child learn new, appropriate ways to get what they need/want
• “Time-Out” will NOT be used
• Play with children! Get on the floor, get messy, draw, color, build, race, interact with the students in your care
• Perform on-going developmental evaluations of children in order to develop lesson plans that address the individual needs of each child
• Perform developmental assessment and write progress reports for all children in your care at least twice a year (November & April)

Curriculum Planning:

• Child Care Assistant are expected to plan and implement a flexible, child-led and play-based curriculum from the Reggio Emilia Approach & The Project Approach to Early Childhood Education
• Child Care Assistants are expected to use their weekly team planning/prep time (when available) to create their newsletter, activity planner and/or documentation
• Child Care Assistants are to plan, prepare, and organize supplies needed in advance to implement their activities, investigations, and projects
• Child Care Assistants are expected to create and display documentation for their students’ work
• Documentation is the be typed with no errors
• It should be exciting, easy to read, and follow
• It should include children' s artwork, writings, words, and/or photographs

Environment Planning:

• Plan, evaluate and improve the physical environment in the classroom to create opportunities to meet the changing needs of your students on an on-going basis - it’s their classroom first and foremost
• Create and maintain a functional and uncluttered, Reggio-inspired classroom environment including but not limited to natural and found materials, lights & light reflecting materials, plants, cozy and home-like materials
• Classrooms should have clearly defined spaces for the children' s exploration
• Classrooms should have art/sensory materials and/or activities available to children throughout each day
• Environments and materials should be changed often to allow for new learning experiences
• Provide a classroom environment that encourages parent participation

Family Communication:

• Educators are expected to be the primary source of communication for the families of the children in their class
• Communication can include face-to-face conferencing at drop-off and pick-up, email, schooL phone and Hi Mamma
• Personal cell phone numbers should NOT be used to communicate about school-related issues
• Daily reports on every child will be sent home via HiMama
• Educators are expected to send home a weekly newsletter to all families
• Any communication and/or concerns about a child’s wellbeing at the center will be referred to his/her educator immediately
•  If the educator is not in yet, has left for the day, or is otherwise unavailable, a message will be taken and the family will be contacted by the educator as soon as possible
• Serious concerns of families will be referred to the Director of Irish Blessings for immediate attention
• Communication with families is expected to be friendly and professional at all times 
• Ensure that each family receives an opportunity to build strong relationships and experience clear communication and boundaries with teaching staff 
• Uphold the policies of Irish Blessings that are in place for all families
• If a question about a policy comes up, please refer the family to the Director of Irish Blessings for clarification

Professional:

• Educators are expected to arrive to work no later than their scheduled start time
• Educators are to clock-in and out through our Time and Attendance system (Paycom)
• Full-Time employees will receive a 1-hour lunch break
• Educators will dress in clean, un-torn, semi-professional attire
•  Clothing must be conducive to playing on the floor & possibly getting messy with the children
• Jeans may be worn
• No T-shirts with writing except for Cathedral High School spirit wear
• No sweatpants, low cut tops, or short shorts
•  Cell phone use is not allowed unless for work related instances
•  Personal use will be allowed when an employee is on break
• Personal Time-Off (PTO) will be tracked through our Time & Attendance system (Paycom)
• Employees will accrue PTO (Paid Time Off) per pay period
• PTO is submitted through Paycom and approved by the Director
• We will do our best to accommodate PTO but there may be times when we may deny time off due to school and child needs
• If an educator is unable to come to work a phone call to the Director of Irish Blessings is required
• Educators are evaluated by the Director of Irish Blessings twice a year (Informal Performance
• Review in the Fall and Formal Performance Review in Spring
• Practice open communication between yourself and other educators in your classroom and throughout the school
• Educators are expected to contribute to a positive working environment for all staff at all times