Early Head Start and Home Base Education Specialist

Company Overview

Family Services of Westchester (FSW) provides mental health and social services that strengthen and support families, children and individuals at every stage of their lives. With 50 innovative programs, FSW serves 30,000 individuals annually in Westchester County, New York, here to create hope, restore dignity and connect families with the resources to get back on track.

Founded in 1954, Family Services of Westchester is a private, nonprofit, non-sectarian social services agency. FSW's Head Start/Early Head Start is a federal government program that was created in 1965 to give preschool children from low-income families a "head start" on their readiness for elementary school.

JOB SUMMARY

Family Services of Westchester is seeking a Full-Time Early Head Start and Home Base Education Specialist to join our Early Head Start Program located in White Plains, NY.

RESPONSIBILITES

PROGRAM ADMIN AND COORDINATION

• Coordinates the program operations for Education and Early Childhood Development 1302 Subpart C of the Head Start Program Performance Standards for the Early Head Start program.
• Stays abreast of NAEYC, Head Start/Early Head Start and other applicable regulations and regularly updates program procedures and informs centers of application in the workplace to ensure program compliance.
• Works closely with the site director and other administrative/management staff to assure adequate classroom supplies and equipment are available to staff and that schedules are appropriate for infants and toddlers.

COMMUNICATION

• Provide support, feedback, and supervision for EHS teachers for continuous improvement using standardized training procedures and a system of professional development.
• Provides guidance and oversight to teaching staff through monitoring and in designing developmentally appropriate classroom or home-based environments.
• Ability to communicate ideas and instructions orally and in writing.
• Ability to speak, read and write English well enough to understand and be understood by others.
• Ability to write reports and business correspondence.
• Ability to speak before groups of individuals.

PLANNING

Infant/Toddler training

• Support EHS teaching staff to effectively implement curricula and monitor curriculum implementation and fidelity.
• Incorporate the training for infant/toddler caregivers provided on ECLKC to ensure staff provide appropriate curriculum and parent/child activities. (Also, may use the Program for Infant Toddler Caregivers (PITC)).
• Provide strategies to support young dual-language learners and their families.

SUPERVISION OF CHILDREN

• Responsible for setting up and tracking that all EHS education staff have a professional development plan that ties into an agency-wide T/TA Plan.
• With the other content area managers/specialists/coordinators, plans and implements pre-service and ongoing in-service for EHS education staff.
• Works with individual teachers to develop training plans for obtaining a CDA credential and then an AA degree or higher in Early Childhood Education.
• Develops, conducts, or arranges training as needed, including volunteer training in the classroom, CDA training and/or acts as CDA advisor as appropriate.

COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

Monitoring, Record Keeping, and Fiscal

• With the other content area managers/specialists/coordinators:
• Monitors compliance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards in the areas of Education and Child Development, and Human Resource Management, and Program Structure.
• Develops and implements a plan and system of continuous monitoring and evaluation of activities within the program.
• Maintains record keeping and reporting systems.
• Monitors budget related to the areas covered.
• Completes the identification, purchase and annual inventory of education supplies and equipment in accordance with the budget.
• Plans and directs the work of the staff supervised. Observes and gives feedback to staff or volunteers supervised where applicable and other staff as assigned on at least a weekly basis.
• Determines appropriate training needs to meet the program goals and objectives and makes the necessary recommendations.
• Develops and supports the professional development plan for staff supervised

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree or higher with emphasis on infant toddler development, and a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential with infant/toddler endorsement and or equivalent.

SKILLS

• Ability to implement the Head Start Performance Standards and policies of the agency.
• Ability to exercise professional judgment in evaluating before making decisions.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, children and parents, and outside agencies.
• Ability to assist staff at all levels to understand and work sensitively and appropriately with children with a variety of disabilities, developmental delays or at risk for such.
• knowledge of program planning and supervisory techniques and practices.
• Knowledge of basic fiscal accountability.
• Knowledge of local regulations.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) is a plus.

EXPERIENCE

• 3+ years' experience related Head Start Performance Standards, developmentally appropriate early childhood education practices in infant/toddler programs.

There are a variety of benefits to joining Family Services of Westchester, an organization with over 65 years of history impacting vulnerable communities. In addition to the opportunity to connect with and help thousands of residents in Westchester County, FSW offers its employees an inspiring, diverse and team-based work environment with comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, and 403(b) for full-time employees.

At FSW, we enjoy working in a collaborative, mission-driven environment and value the benefits of a diversified workplace that prioritizes our clients and the communities we serve. If you want to make a difference in the lives of thousands of people across the communities of Westchester, and if the position of Assistant Teacher speaks to your capabilities, experience and commitment to social service, please submit your resume and cover letter. Qualified candidates will be contacted by phone and/or email.

FSW is an equal opportunity employer.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $27.47 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person