Assistant Teacher

About HomeFront

The mission of HomeFront is to end homelessness in Central New Jersey by harnessing the caring resources and expertise of the community. We lessen the immediate pain of homelessness and help families become self-sufficient. We give people skills and opportunities to ensure adequate incomes and to increase the availability of adequate affordable housing. We help homeless families advocate for themselves individually and collectively. HomeFront is seeking an Assistant Teacher in our Atkinson Child Development Center, located at the HomeFront Family Campus, to support young children and families experiencing homelessness and the effects of living in poverty.

The Atkinson Child Development Center is an important part of HomeFront’s Family Campus, our innovative model designed to be a haven of healing and hope. The Family Campus offers a wide array of services for families experiencing homelessness and the effects of poverty including shelter for families experiencing homelessness, on-site childcare, career support, vocational opportunities and job training, educational support for adults and children, physical and mental health and wellness partners, therapeutic art programming, specialized support for children, and much more. The Family Campus is designed to offer these solutions to the barriers facing HomeFront families, lessen the immediate pain of homelessness, and help break the cycle of poverty. Within the Family Campus model, the Atkinson Child Development Center exists to provide quality, affordable childcare for children ages 0-5 residing at the Campus or participating in other HomeFront programs.

Job Overview

The Assistant Teacher in Atkinson provides developmentally appropriate, trauma informed care for our youngest children. The Assistant Teacher embodies HomeFront’s mission and ensures that HomeFront’s core values are embedded in the children’s experience in Atkinson.

Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities:

• Create a warm and welcoming environment for all children, staff, and families.

• Collaborate with teachers and assistant teachers to create weekly plans and deliver ageappropriate curricular plans that nurture and stimulate all domains of each child’s development utilizing age appropriate and best practices

• Assist in the arrangement of each classroom environment in accordance with program goals and philosophy

• Responsible for all aspects of care and education for all enrolled children

• Establish professional rapport with families to provide quality care and education

• Ensure child safety in classroom, playground, in common areas and events

• Maintain observation and evaluation of children’s development and progress as directed by administration

• Conduct standardized developmental assessments in partnership with the families and assistant teacher

• Share and discuss children’s developmental progress, needs, and interests with families • Plan family engagement activities and parent education opportunities

• Collaborate with and support families to ensure a smooth transition from Home to Center and exit plans for childcare upon leaving Atkinson

• Follow age, developmentally appropriate, and best practice methods at all times

• Establish professional rapport with director, co-workers, and families provide quality care and education

• Encourage and foster an inviting, warm, and nurturing learning environment

• Appropriately supervise each child to ensure safety in classroom, playground, in common areas, and at events

• Maintain portfolio for each child

• Assist with completing daily sheets pertaining to eating, sleeping, diapering, and activities for each child and update parents daily

• Communicate with the Lead Teacher regarding all aspects of the children’s care as well as classroom management

• Always maintain a professional self-image and project the values of the organization

• Provide a developmentally appropriate, orderly, and clean classroom environment that reflects children’s learning and growth incorporating pleasant appearance and décor

• Plan and implement age and developmentally appropriate practices to address physical, emotional, social, and cognitive needs of children

• Treat each child with dignity and respect for his/her cultural background and life experiences

• Encourage children’s development of self-confidence, problem solving, and responsibility for their actions.

• Interact with each child on a daily basis through circle time, centers, snacks, lunchtime, playground, free play, etc.

Required Competencies:

• Excellent verbal and written communication

• Nurturing and Caring approach to children

• Interpersonal Skills

• Conflict Resolution

• Ethical Conduct • Patience and perseverance • Strong Work Ethic • Time Management and Flexibility

Required Education and Experience:

• A minimum of 2 years’ experience working with young children in a quality licensed group setting

• Current Infant and Toddler or Preschool CDA

• Ability to meet all standards for hire in background checks as required by New Jersey State Licensing and HomeFront, Inc.