Temporary Classroom Assistant

The Classroom Assistant works in collaboration with the Team Leader and Family Services Teacher (FST) to ensure the Infant/Toddler classroom provides an educational environment that is developmentally and linguistically appropriate and accommodates children’s individual rates of development as well as individual interests, temperaments, cultural backgrounds and learning styles. This role also ensures the classroom is safe, inclusive, and culturally responsive. In the absence of the designated transportation staff, the Classroom Assistant serves as a Transportation Assistant helping ensure the safe transportation of children to and from the center by assisting with boarding, supervision, and safety procedures during transit. The CA will work with the Team Leader and FST to ensure that the team works in accordance with Head Start Performance Standards/USDA requirements, state licensing requirements and agency policies and procedures.

Essential Job Functions:

1. Assist the Team Leader and the Family Services Teacher in the following duties in accordance with Head Start /USDA requirements:

- Assist in implementing classroom activities and preparation of materials and supplies.

- Assist in administering developmental assessments and health screenings for all children.

- Implement, support, and promote policies and procedures for Child Abuse and Neglect, Child Guidance and Active Supervision.

- Conduct child observations and input data as assigned.

- Document all contact directly received from parents. Assist with written and electronic documentation of the provision of education and special services as assigned.

- Assist with the scheduling of parent teacher conferences and home visits and participate in the conferences/visits as assigned.

- Provide assistance to classroom volunteers and parents to help them feel comfortable and successful in the classroom by providing guidance and direction to them during the classroom session.

- Use practices that value cultural backgrounds, special needs, and developmentally appropriate practices.

- Assist with safe transportation of children by serving as a Transportation Assistant when needed, ensuring children are properly secured, following safety procedures, and maintaining a calm, supportive environment during transit.

- Support child supervision during transport by engaging with children in positive interactions, monitoring behavior, and ensuring accurate headcounts during pick-up and drop-off to and from the center.

- Communicate transportation-related concerns to transportation staff and management, including incidents, delays, or safety issues, and assist families during arrival and departure to promote smooth and secure transitions.

- Maintain a safe, healthy and sanitary environment ensuring that children are supervised at all times; respond quickly to crisis or emergency situations that may occur; provide first aid, CPR, and access emergency services as needed.

- Be committed to applying EPIC’s Core values to daily work by maintaining professionalism, accountability, consistency with program standards, and promptly reporting observed concerns through appropriate channels and following our Speak Up, Speak Out guidelines.

- Proactively generate and document in-kind contributions.

- Actively participate in professional development/coaching to improve student learning and performance.

- Actively participate in center family nights, parent meetings, staff meetings, professional development opportunities and all relevant center activities.

Working Conditions/Physical/ Mental Abilities and Processes:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
Work requires daily standing, sitting, walking, stooping, kneeling, lifting, twisting, turning, pushing, pulling, speaking, hearing, seeing and the ability to articulate clearly; use of hands to finger, bending and reaching.
Ability to feel or operate objects and equipment; reach with hands and arms.
Ability to work with personal computer for long periods of time.
Some travel to and from main office and training sites

Benefits:
•    Sick Leave (1 hour of sick leave for every 40 hours worked)
•    Paid Holidays

Qualifications

- Must be at least 18 years of age.

- Valid Washington State Driver’s License & Auto insurance

- Washington State ECE Initial Certificate & Infant/Toddler State Short Certificate or equivalent Child Development Associate Certificate (CDA) in an infant/toddler setting

- One year of classroom work experience working with Infants/Toddlers or preschool children.

- Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.

- Demonstrated ability to work closely with team members and take a team-centered approach to delivering services for children and families.