Teacher Assistant - Alma College

Job Description

Job Description

Salary: $17.44 - $18.60 - $19.68 - *$20.89

JobTitle:Teacher Assistant

Classification:Full -time, non-exempt, hourly

Salary Range:HS01-04 ($17.44 - $18.60 - $19.68 - $20.89*)*To be eligible for HS 04 an employee must have a bachelor's degree in a field related to the position.

Hours: 40/week

Work Weeks: 41-44/year(school year)

Program: Head Start

Reports To:Teacher

Positions Supervised: None

Mission Statement

EightCAP, Inc., improves our community by collaborating with private, government, and community organizations to deliver programs that alleviate the causes of poverty and its effects, allowing individuals to become self-sufficient.

Role Overview

As aTeacher Assistant, youare responsible for
assistingtheTeacherin ensuring that a safe,healthyand organized environment is created for both children and adultsthrough planning and implementing learning experiences through effective curriculum implementation and assessment.This position involves regular communication with children,familiesand staff, ensuring requirements and outcomes are met.You will support the social and emotional development of children by encouraging families to be actively involved in their childrens education and recognize a childs parents/guardians are their first and most important teachers.

Key Responsibilities

1. Monitoring: Provide a safe, healthy, organized environment for children through daily monitoring of activities, maintenance of the classroom, and completion of required checklists.
2. Professionalism:Comply withprogram confidentiality policies concerning personally identifiable information about children, families, and other staff members and mustmaintainprofessional boundaries with enrolled children and families at all times.
3. Compliance: Follow regulations and requirements of the Office of Head Start, Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
4. Reporting: Assist in maintaining accurate recordsincluding butnot limited to attendance,CACFP mealtimedocumentation, in-Kind, communicable disease reports, participate in planning, conducting and documenting home visits and parent teacher conferences,sharechild outcomes, andevaluateprogress towards individual child and family goals, reporting and suspected child abuse or neglect.
5. Communication: Communicate positively with children,parents/guardians,teachingteam, support staff, community partners, andsupervisor.
6. Collaboration: Work professionally and cooperatively with staff, parents/guardians, volunteers, serviceprovidersand community partners to ensure smooth operations and address any concerns.
7. Emergency Preparedness: Be familiar with emergency proceduresin order torespond effectively in the case of an emergency.
8. Professional Development: Activelyparticipatein professional development and training opportunities that ensure compliance with Head Start Performance Standards and Child Day Care Licensing Regulations.
9. Perform Other Duties as Assigned.

Our CORE Values at Work

1. Accountability: TheTeacher Assistant
   demonstratesaccountability by following the classroom schedule and ensuring that transitions between activities happen smoothly. This helpsmaintaina structured and predictable environment, which is crucial for young childrens sense of security and learning.
2. Communication: TheTeacher Assistant
   utilizesopen, clear, and respectful communication with children, families, staff, and community partners.
3. Compassion: When challenges arise, theTeacher Assistantwill approach these situations with empathy,seekingto understand the root causes and working collaboratively to find solutions.
4. Empowerment: TheTeacher Assistantwill empower families in their role as the first and most important teachers in their childrenslife.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in early childhood education or child development, aPreschool or Birth to 5 Child Development Associate(CDA)or an associate degree in related field with 12 semester hours in early childhood education or child development.

• Ability to communicate effectively and positively and work collaboratively with staff, families, agency representatives, service providers, and community organizations in a respectful, professional, and non-judgmental manner.

• Understanding ofmandated reporting requirements, including the ability to recognize, document, and report suspected child abuse or neglectin accordance withstate law and program procedures.

• Must successfully complete all required state and federal background clearances.

Work Environment

This positionoperatesprimarily within Head Start and Early Head Start classroom settings. This role requires regular interaction with children, families, staff, and community partners in a fast-paced early childhood education environment. The employee may be exposed to noise levels typical of preschool and infant/toddler classrooms and willparticipatein indoor and outdoor activities in varying weather conditions as part of daily program operations.

Travel Requirements

Local travel between program sites, training locations, meetings, and community events may berequired. The employee mustpossessa valid Michigan drivers license, maintain an acceptable driving record, and have reliable transportation available for work-related travel.

Physical Requirements

Reasonableaccommodationsmay bemadeto enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
The physical requirements of this position include:

• Ability to move throughout classrooms, playgrounds, and program facilities.

• Ability to supervise and actively engage with children in indoor and outdoor environments.

• Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, kneel, crouch, and reach as needed throughout the workday.

• Ability to lift, carry, and move up to 50 pounds occasionally.

• Ability to respond quickly and appropriately in emergency situations.

• Ability tooperatestandard office equipment, including computers, phones, and printers.

• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

Benefits

Benefits include health, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, medical flex, and a 401k with a 5% employer match on your one-year anniversary. Benefits begin on your 31stday of employment.

Staff in this position may be eligible to apply for unemployment benefits during periods oflayoff,in accordance withstate unemployment regulations.

Employment At-Will Statement

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Employment withEightCAP, Inc. is at-will, meaning either the employee or the organization mayterminatethe employment relationship at any time, with or without notice, and with or without cause, consistent with applicable law.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

EightCAP, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive and respectful workplace.