Head Start Teacher

Nature of work:Serving the public by participating in teaching children in the Head Start Program
Assisting in providing a supporting and nurturing environment for the development of preschool children in a collaboration setting.
Distinguishing features:
Assists the Collaboration Teacher in providing a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate early childhood program of instruction.
Provides a safe and nurturing environment.
Promotes the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of the children enrolled in the Head Start Program, including children with special needs.
Essential functions (these essential duties are only illustrative):Rides assigned morning and/or afternoon bus to ensure safe transportation and supervision of all children on the bus. Utilizes checklist for children to ensure that all children are accounted for when entering or exiting the bus.
Assists and trains children in personal hygiene activities.
Assists in organizing and carrying out daily activities pertaining to children as directed by the collaboration teacher.
encourages children’s active learning and individualism through good modeling skills in a developmentally appropriate environment.
Assists in coordinating a class of preschool children and maintaining all required reporting forms as outlined in program policies and procedures.
Assists the collaboration teacher in lesson planning, administering developmental screening and completing referral, IEP as outlined in the procedure’s manual.
Communicates changes concerning children to collaboration teacher.
Reports potential classroom, children or family problems and concerns to collaboration teacher, family support staff or community partner coordinator, as appropriate.
Prepares, organizes and submits required reports as outlined in the procedure’s manual.
Participates in annual program review process.
Assists in recruitment of Head Start eligible children for enrollment into the program.
Carries out the best practice for safety procedures concerning children, staff, families and community individuals.
Assists in cleaning facility, playground and other areas applicable to the well-being and image of the program.
Develops partnership relationships with parents in Head Start Program and encourages each parent to take an active role in the child’s Head Start experience.
Participates in activities and displays attitudes that promote positive public relations and positive image for the program and agency.
Maintains reasonable and predictable attendance.
Supervision received:Detailed instruction and close supervision are initially provided for employees with no training or experience however, once an employee experiences all tasks of the position, work is performed independently.
A community partner coordinator or an employee of a higher level classification is available to advise or assist as necessary or provide guidance on new or unusual tasks.
Work is reviewed in progress and upon completion for quality, thoroughness, accuracy and conformance to established policies and procedures.
Supervision exercised:Supervision is not a responsibility of positions of this class, although functional direction may be exercised over other employees and trainees in connection with various activities of the program.
Employees may provide training in operational procedures, orient new employees, or assist in resolving unusual or difficult problems.
Working conditions and physical demands:
Work is performed primarily in an office and classroom setting, although home visits involve traveling throughout the county.
Work activities may also involve attending meetings, conferences and training, that involves out-of-town travel.
Ability to lift up to 60 pounds occasionally is required.
Success factors:Some knowledge of early childhood development and education.
Some knowledge of the educational requirements of the Head Start Program
Some knowledge of good hygiene practices in a center setting.
Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with children, parents and co-workers.
Ability to communicate effectively with children, parents and others.
Ability to attend regular and ongoing professional development training in early childhood.
Skill in the operation of a personal computer.
Education, training and experience:Associate’s degree in early childhood education or 60 credit hours, 18 of which should be in early child development.
Completion of one year teaching experience in early childhood education.
Any satisfactory equivalent combination of experience and training which ensures the ability to perform the work may be substituted for the required experience.
Necessary special requirements:Possession of a valid IL driver’s license.
Maintain a para license through the Educator Licensure Information System.
All new hires shall be required to obtain first aid and CPR training as required by position.
Must meet Illinois DCFS licensing standards.
Residency requirement:Modified Nov. 15, 2021: All employees (except Police sworn and Fire sworn) hired on or after June 1, 2018, shall reside anywhere in Winnebago County or within 15 miles of Rockford City Hall (425 E. State Street Rockford, IL 61104) within six months after their introductory period. Department heads shall live within the municipal boundaries of the city of Rockford.
Effective June 1, 2018, all newly hired employees, including newly hired department heads, shall live within the municipal boundaries of City of Rockford within six months of their completion of their introductory period.
Classified employees hired after Jan. 1, 1984, may live anywhere in Winnebago County or anywhere within an area 15 miles from the Public Safety Building within six months of their date of completion of probation. Employees hired prior to Jan. 1, 1984, shall be subject to their conditions of employment in effect at that time.