Education Specialist

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Description

Under the direction of the Education Manager, the Education Specialist will ensure that a plan of daily activities of enrichment and care for children are implemented in the NEXT Memphis Program according to standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or a Bachelor’s degree in Education.
• Minimum of three years of work experience with children ages three (3) to five (5) years.
  
  

Supervisory Responsibilities

There are no supervisory responsibilities for the position.

Essential Job Functions

• Assists Education Manager to develop, coordinate and manage the provision of education services to children in all Early Childhood Service programs in accordance with established standards.
• Maintain regular communication and coordination with the Site Manager for each site.
• Assures that individualized child goals and activities, anecdotal notes, child portfolios, daily activity sheets, developmental assessments and screenings, and a daily activities plan of enrichment and care for children are implemented in classrooms according to the standards set forth by Head Start, the NAEYC, Tennessee Day Care Licensing, TN-DOE, and Porter-Leath standards. Ensure parent involvement in the curriculum in the classroom and at home.
• Ensure developmental appropriateness and safety of classroom environment to include appropriate classroom sanitation procedures. Assist teachers in classroom instruction when necessary and provide strategies for challenging behaviors.
• Cooperatively work with other staff members in creating a positive environment for children, families, and staff. Function as a liaison between the educational staff and the Site Manager. Keep the Site Manager informed of programmatic issues in a timely and concise manner.
• Assist in developing, implementing, and monitoring a coordinated plan of care for families and home visits.
• Monitor the growth gains of the comprehensive assessment throughout the school year.
• Serve as a catalyst to ensure that educational goals are met.
• Support/guide staff in their mentoring roles. Assist in coordinating and conducting monthly planning meetings with educational staff (i.e. trainings.)
• Monitor & train Lead Teachers to provide guidance and support to ensure classroom data is accurate, classrooms are developmentally appropriate (set-up) and ongoing mentoring occurs throughout the school year.
• Serve as a resource and support on NAEYC accreditation.
• Ensure communication with family services regarding suspected child disabilities or the need for changes in the service plan.
• Ensure that children that are having challenging behaviors receive a classroom observation to rule out classroom management issues.
• Monitor utilizing the Health and Safety checklist, ELLCO, and ECERS-R Plan of Action.
• Ensure that licensed teachers receive Professional Evaluations as identified by the teachers' plan.
• Ensure that facilities, education materials, and equipment are readily available to meet all local, state, and federal requirements.
• Assist with preparation for local and national site visits/audits (i.e. HHS annual assessment, federal review, NAEYC, etc) and self-assessments which includes conducting ongoing classroom observations and file reviews.
• Represent Porter-Leath within groups at a national, state, and local level for purposes of advocacy, education, collaboration, networking, and information sharing. Remain current on trends in education services by maintaining professional and technical knowledge. Attend local, regional, and national educational workshops.
• Contribute to team effort by performing other duties as assigned.
  
  

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Ability to follow through on given directives in a timely manner.
• Thorough knowledge of developmentally appropriate practices and best practices in childcare facilities and early childhood education.
• CPR and First Aid Certification are required.
• Effective oral and written communication skills to effectively communicate with diverse groups.
• Possess a sincere desire to make a difference in the community and develop professional skills.
• Ability to have a positive relationship with children, staff, and others from diverse backgrounds, including children with special needs. Ability to work effectively and positively with parents to improve the quality of life of their children.
• Possess a commitment to continuous improvement and continued education including regular participation in workshops, conferences, training sessions, etc.
• Ability to provide a continuum of care to children ages three (3) to five (5) years.
• Ability to perceive and deal with sensitive issues while maintaining confidentiality/objectivity.
• Flexibility in scheduling.
• Ability to work as a team player; interact and assist all employees as necessary.
• Must possess the ability to forge a mutually respectful partnership with persons served & their families, must possess a conviction about the capacity of people to grow and change, and must possess the ability to set limits and maintain the helping role of the employee and the ability to intervene appropriately to meet the needs of the persons served and their families.
  
  

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger/handle/feel. Occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required: close and color vision. Work in a non-smoking environment.

Special Conditions

Maintain a valid driver’s license and good driving record with appropriate level of insurance. Ability to travel from administrative headquarters to all sites on a regular basis. Overnight travel is possible.