SUMMARY

The Education Coordinator is the content area expert who provides teaching staff with leadership and guidance in carrying out a high quality education program for preschool age children. This position is responsible for observing and assessing the classroom activities for the 0-5 early childhood program and providing on-the-job guidance and training in order to improve the qualifications and development of classroom staff and to maintain high quality education services.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Observes and assesses the learning environment in the 0-5 classrooms and provides individualized mentoring and coaching for teachers on a regular, consistent basis.
• Supervises education staff in the 0-5 classrooms and provides individual, reflective supervision for Lead Teachers.
• Assists with supervision of the Early Childhood Education program in the absence of the Program Manager.
• Provides guidance and training to program staff to enhance teaching strategies. Identifies training needs of staff and participates in the development of Individual Professional Development Plans for staff development.
• Ensures that NAEYC standards are being met to ensure high quality programming and education services for children, parents and staff.
• Provides guidance, support and suggestions to the education staff to meet and exceed Head Start and Early Head Start performance standards. Completes monthly job targets as appropriate.
• Ensures staff knowledge, understanding and ability to implement the Creative Curriculum and Creative Curriculum online assessment tool for Infants, Toddlers, Twos and Preschoolers.
• Assists in the planning and coordination of field trips.
• Assists teachers with completion of developmental screenings within 45 days of a childs enrollment. Coordinates with parents and Chicago Public Schools, or makes a referral to Early Intervention if appropriate, to ensure any child suspected of a disability is evaluated and receives services. This includes attending ISFP or IEP meetings and any other coordination activity.
• Assists parents with transitioning their children to the 3-5 program or kindergarten, as appropriate.
• Reviews education plans for children, ensures a developmentally appropriate environment, monitors home visits, and encourages parents participation in the program.
• Monitors education binders and weekly lesson plans.
• Monitors the education program on an ongoing basis, and ensures integration with other service areas (disabilities, health, nutrition, etc.)
• Collects education information for the Monthly Management Report and other reports as needed, and submits to the Program Manager.
• Ensures that all children in the 0-5 early childhood program are enrolled in the agencys federally funded Life Long Families Program.
• Keeps records, establishes procedures for special situations and monitors and tracks all activities in the 0-5 early childhood program.
• Completes Lead Teacher performance evaluations.
• Communicates regularly with the Program Manager to receive guidance, report progress, plan new strategies, discuss problems and receive information on program policies and procedures.
• Attends monthly Head Start and Early Head Start meetings.
• Participates in the Head Start and Early Head Start Self Assessment process.
• Maintains inventory of all classroom equipment.
• Schedules, coordinates and facilitates multidisciplinary staffing's for children in the 0-5 early childhood program, and attends teacher meetings, trainings and All Staff Meetings.
• Completes intakes for new children in the 0-5 early childhood program.
• Maintains the confidentiality of information and records related to children and families in the 0-5 early childhood program at all times.
• Participates in Childrens Place quality assurance initiatives as needed and appropriate to improve service quality and ensure compliance with licensing, accreditation and contractual standards.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as necessary to meet new funding requirements or as assigned by the Program Manager.

OTHER EXPECTATIONS

Employees shall respect the diversity of all individuals (e.g., clients, co-workers, stakeholders) and refrain from any form of discrimination and/or harassment based on religious, marital, ethnic, racial, gender, sexual orientation or other differences. Employees share the responsibility of creating and maintaining a welcoming and supportive work environment.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

In conjunction with the Program Manager, the Education Coordinator will supervise Lead Teachers in the 0-5 classrooms.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION, SKILLS, and/or EXPERIENCE

• Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education and Infant-Toddler Credential required. Type 04 teaching certificate preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of teaching experience in an early childhood setting with a strong focus on the 0-5 age group required.
• Minimum of 1 year of supervision/administration experience in an early childhood setting preferred.
• Knowledge of Head Start, Early Head Start, and NAEYC performance standards required.
• Experience working with teachers, young children and their families with a strong focus on the 0-5 age group required.
• Experience training and/or supervising early childhood teachers required.
• Knowledge of early childhood curriculum and developmentally appropriate practices for the 0-5 age group required.
• Must be familiar with practices that promote optimal age-appropriate development for the 0-5 age group.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and color vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment described here is representative of that an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate and is sometimes loud. The work environment may include any or all of the following: working alone; working with others; verbal contact with others and face-to-face contact; working inside; working outside; working in extreme hot or cold temperatures; moving objects.