Teacher Family Advocate

CLACKAMAS COUNTY CHILDREN'S COMMISSION TEACHER/FAMILY ADVOCATE

GENERAL OBJECTIVE: Develop and maintain a safe, nurturing, and stimulating learning environment; provide varied experiences to help each child achieve the overall goal of school readiness, good health, and social competence through acquisition of social, emotional, intellectual, nutritional, hygienic, and physical skills in a manner appropriate to the child’s age and stage of development. Support the parent’s role as the primary educator of the child and promote the parent-child attachment; build trusting relationships with families; and assist families in meeting personal goals.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

TEACHER:

• Effectively lead and monitor all aspects of a part-day classroom for an assigned group of children, ensuring that children have continuous supervision.
• Supervise assigned Assistant Teacher and any classroom volunteers.
• Plan, implement, and evaluate daily classroom activities to ensure that they:
• are developmentally appropriate;
• follow the Agency’s research based curriculum
• respond to the goals set for individual children;
• reflect the diversity and culture of the class; and
• meet Federal Head Start Performance Standards.
• Ensure that children have a safe and developmentally appropriate learning environment that meets Federal Head Start Performance Standards and Oregon Office of Childcare regulations.
• For all children in assigned class, conduct assessments, make appropriate referrals, actively participate in goal planning, and attend any follow-up meetings, including:
• Developmental Screenings/Assessments.
• Child Assessments three times per year, per agency calendar.
• Individual Goal Plan (IGP forms) and child goals, in partnership with parents.
• Referral of children with suspected disabilities or other special needs, as appropriate.
• Attend and participate in IFSP and case management meetings as scheduled.
• Consult with Education Supervisor and make child attendance referrals as needed.
• Maintain CLASS scores at or above the expected thresholds.
• Work collaboratively with agency specialists and parents to ensure children with disabilities and special needs receive all recommended services
• Accurately enter child observations to be used for individualization and online assessment completions into electronic database (TS GOLD).
• Accurately enter Education service activity completion and corresponding notes into electronic database (ChildPlus).
• Use ChildPlus and TS GOLD reports to monitor individual status of teacher related job expectations.
• Maintain complete and accurate child files, forms, and reports within allotted timelines to document and track the needs of children and services provided.
• Include the Assistant Teacher, Classroom Aide, and volunteers in the classroom planning process.
• Demonstrate effective ways to guide young children through modeling in the classroom and continuous use of positive teacher-child interactions.
• Attend and take a lead role in monthly Family Gathering events for assigned site.
• Responsible for attending and actively participating in monthly family nights.
• Achieve and maintain TS GOLD Inter-Rater Reliability.

HOME VISITING AND FAMILY SERVICES:

• Facilitate parents as primary teacher of their own children. Partner with parents in scheduling and completing the required number of Education and Social Service home visits and parent conferences per child, per year.
• Provide parenting skills and child development information to parents. Provide guidance in choosing developmentally appropriate activities for children and model age-appropriate, constructive, positive ways to work with young children.
• Partner with the parents in setting educational goals for each child.
• Responsible for planning and carrying out individual goals in coordination with classroom curriculum and for assisting parents in doing this during and between home visits.
• Responsible for bringing information regarding classroom curriculum to parent's attention when planning Home Visit activities.
• Individualize services, focusing on strengths and needs. Identify, create, support and track goals and outcomes.
• Complete Family Assessment of Strengths and Needs (FASN) for all families on assigned case load.
• Provide opportunities to develop a Family Partnership Agreement (Goal Plan) using SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) goals.
• Maintain complete and accurate child and family files (in electronic and hard copy formats), forms, and reports within allotted time lines to document and track needs of families and services provided to children and families.
• Use pre-home visit file study to review family data before completing Family Service home visits.
• In consultation with team members, coordinate and participate in parent open house during start-up of each year.
• Obtain necessary health information for families and children on assigned case load and track treatment needed and received after exams and screenings.
• Provide timely referral follow-up on failed hearing, vision, and growth screenings for children. Complete screens and re-tests as directed by the Health Services Team. Complete ongoing data entry and status reports within expected time frames.
• Use ChildPlus reports to monitor individual status of family service related job expectations.
• Ensure needed social services are provided to all families on assigned case load, which may include: direct, individual problem solving; referrals; long and short-term goal setting; assistance with follow-up; and advocacy.
• Initiate, schedule, and attend regular case management meetings, ensuring each family on assigned caseload is reviewed at least annually. Participate in monthly meetings with EHS staff to review shared EHS/HS families. Responsible for all case management documentation in hard copy and/or electronic form.

ADDITIONAL EXPECATIONS:

Program Participation and Team Member:

• Arrive to work on time; punctually attend and actively participate in all required activities, meetings, and trainings.
• Be a respectful, cooperative, and reliable team member and participant in program activities.
• Project a professional work image, both in dress and manner.
• Be familiar with, and adhere to, position-related policies and procedures as well as the program’s overarching objectives.
• Follow Agency policy/procedures for reporting and documenting suspected child abuse and/or neglect.

Code of Conduct:

Perform all work in compliance with the Clackamas County Children’s Commission Code of Conduct.

Confidentiality:

Respect and maintain confidentiality of information regarding enrolled children and families, personnel issues, and other program operations as appropriate.

Training:

In consultation with supervisor, develop professional work goals and training plan. Participate in training as requested.

Education and Experience:

Education:

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in early childhood education (ECE)

OR

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in a related field with qualifying coursework equivalent to a major in early childhood education

OR

• Associate’s degree in early childhood education or related field; must enroll in a Bachelor’s Degree within 12 months of date of hire
• Experience in an early childhood education classroom, certified childcare center, or comparable group care program.
• Knowledge of Head Start preferred.
• Family Services credential required; or ability to achieve required credential within 18 months of start date in position required to maintain eligibility for position.

Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to positively interact with families of various cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Ability to use a positive approach in directing and redirecting child behavior.
• Ability to take a leadership role in the classroom.
• Ability to work cooperatively as a member of a team.
• Good computer and data entry skills.
• Ability to possess and maintain a valid driver’s license and insured vehicle available for use on the job (or have alternative transportation).
• Ability to possess and maintain compliance with State of Oregon Criminal Background Registry.
• Ability to possess and maintain current First Aid/CPR certification.
• Ability to obtain and maintain an Oregon Food Handler’s Card