Teaching Support Specialist

Position Summary:

The Teaching Support Specialist supports the overall mission and value of Catholic Charities and the Childcare and ECEAP division. Primary duties include providing quality care and education to all children of Carrolls Children Center and Growing Hope Childhood Development Center through a floater model. This position will support classroom coverage for lead teachers and teacher assistants upon request with an emphasis on promotion of social physical and intellectual growth of children. The Teaching Support Specialist is responsible for the care hygiene learning and developmental activities of the children; communication with parents; and maintaining the classroom records cleanliness and orderliness while assigned in any classroom.

Responsibilities:

Maintain flexibility in emergent needs and response times for overall program coverage and success

Support and inform child attendance counts at all times when in classroom or on playgrounds

Assist Lead Teachers and Teacher Assistants to create and maintain a safe and healthy environment by following program standards policies and procedures

• Work with Site Supervisors to plan daily coverage as needed including but not limited to classrooms bus kitchen and reception
• Provide support services to the Early Learning division as assigned including but not limited to breaks lunches lesson planning and meeting coverage for Lead Teachers and Teacher Assistants
• Survey all classrooms consistently seeking opportunities to support and step in as requested
• Care for the physical mental and emotional needs of the children while providing competent direct supervision to ensure the safety of all the children in the classroom
• Apply health standards and care for the children and classroom
• Assist the Childcare and ECEAP Services Program Manager in reducing infractions of company policies
• Report needed repairs and maintenance to the Childcare and ECEAP Services Program Manager

Support with planning & provide curriculum through standard care giving routines as assigned with your time and role in the classroom

• Support Lead Teachers and Teacher Assistants in establishing a learning environment that builds and enhances each childs self-esteem and positive self-concept
• Provide activities and opportunities that encourage curiosity creativity exploration and problem solving appropriate to the developmental level and learning style of each child
• Implement positive guidance practices that teach and meet the individual temperaments of each child
• Observe document and assess individual and group needs interests and skills and share the observations daily with the Childcare and ECEAP Services Program Manager.

Provide support to the families of the children

• Promote and implement family involvement
• Embrace diversity and a variety of family arrangements and styles
• Maintain open friendly cooperative and respectful verbal communication with each childs family
• Provide families with information resources and referrals as needed

Foster positive discipline and communication in the classroom

• Guide and sustain positive respectful interactions between children and adults
• Maintain an atmosphere that encourages open communication with children and adults
• Provide opportunities and support for children to understand acquire and use verbal and non-verbal means of communicating thoughts and feelings like Sign Language and PECS
• Submit attendance records and required paperwork in a timely manner
• Maintain confidentiality of children families and staff
• Initiate and encourage teamwork among adults in the room and across both centers

Continue professional development

• Participate in required training and share information with other staff as requested
• Participate in scheduled supervision require meetings and retreats
• Attend required Pyramid Module trainings and ensure the implementation of learned information in the classroom
• Work with the site supervisor to apply for the Early Achievers grant to create a professional development plan that will allow for the achievement of higher education in ECE or related fields.

Participate in Center activities and other duties as requested

Job Requirements:

The following requirements are those that are normally required for performance of this position. Any disabled applicant or incumbent who does not meet one or more of the requirements but who can perform the essential function of the job (with or without reasonable accommodations) shall be deemed to meet these requirements.

Physical Requirements:

This position normally requires the physical demands of standing and sitting for extended periods walking running bending lifting or performing other work requiring medium physical exertion talking and hearing and adequate vision are required on a regular basis to perform the job duties. This position frequently experiences a noisy or loud environment including children laughing talking shouting and crying. These physical demands are required up to 95% of the time.

Non-Physical Requirements:

Education & Experience

• Initial ECE Certificate (12 credits) or Professional Development Plan

Special Skills

• Preschool Classroom experience
• Emergency Procedures
• Training in Creative Curriculum
• Basic computer skills

Licensure Registration Certification

• Valid food handlers card
• Valid First Aid and CPR card
• Verification of a negative TB test
• Proof of 1 MMR
• Bloodbourne Pathogens Training
• Renew Annual Trainings Safe Sleep; Shaken Baby
• 30 hour STARS Training Childcare basics (or proof of exemption)
• 10 hours STARS Annual Training
• Enhancing Qualify of Early Learning In Service STARS Training within 6 months of hire

Employment is conditional upon:

• Being cleared by criminal background check and fingerprinting when required

Wage: $17.20 - $18.20 depending on experience

Schedule: Monday - Thursday 32 hours week

Benefits:

• 7 paid holidays 1 paid Personal Day 15days of Paid Time Off (PTO)per year
• Health insurance including medical & prescription coverage with optional dental and vision insurance plans. Majority of premiums paid by Catholic Charities
• Retirement 403(b) Plan: employee contributions commence upon employment; Catholic Charities contributes 2% of monthly income and matches up to 4% of employee contributions following 6 months of employment
• Basic Life Insurance paid 100% by Catholic Charities
• Flexible Spending Account eligibility following 6 months of employment
• Education Assistance Program reimbursing up to $5250 per year for approved continuing education after 6 months of employment
• Additional voluntary insurances including supplemental life accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) critical illness long term disability accident and ID theft
• Employee Assistance Program includes 3 counseling sessions per year legal consultations financial coaching and other wellbeing tools
• Annual longevity awards begin at 5 years of employment

It is the practice of Catholic Charities to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race color national origin sex age disability citizenship status marital status creed genetic predisposition or carrier status sexual orientation gender expression or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Applicants from underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We gladly offer reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities to support participation in the hiring process and employment.