Position Openings: Multiple

Internal External Opening: External

Locations: Itasca County

Work Arrangement: In person

Job Summary

Work cooperatively with Classroom Teachers in providing age and developmentally appropriate preschool education and activities. Ensure Head Start Performance Standards and Rule 3 licensing requirements are being met at all times.

Application for Employment

Job Posting Information

Qualifications

  • Minimum: High School Diploma or GED with childcare experience
  • Preferred: Child Development Associate/Certificate or Two-Year College Degree in Early Childhood Education
  • Certification in First Aid, CPR, Sudden Unexplained Infant Death, and Preventing Abusive Head Trauma, or willingness to obtain through agency.
  • DHS Background Study Clearance
  • Completed Employee Physical Health Certification w/I 60 days of hire

Location/Schedule

  • 36+ Hours/Week following school calendar
  • Scheduled layoff from June through mid-August
  • Daytime weekday shift- no nights, weekends, or holiday shifts.

  Compensation

  • Starting Hourly Wage of $17.70 or $18.89 based on qualifications.
  • Wage Scale of $17.70 to $27.15
  • Scheduled Raises & Cost of Living Adjustments

 Benefits

  • Generous Paid-Time-Off (PTO) Package + 14 Paid Holidays/year
  • Medical, Dental, Vision, Life & Disability Insurances,
  • Health Savings Account & Flexible Spending Account options.
  • Retirement Plan with option for employer contribution
  • Tuition Assistance opportunities & Loan Forgiveness qualifying credit
  • Many Training and Professional Development opportunities.

 

Job Description

Qualifications

  • Education
    • Minimum: High School Diploma or GED.
    • Preferred: Child Development Associate/Certificate, or Associates/Two Year College Degree in Early Childhood Education
    • Certification in First Aid, CPR, Sudden Unexplained Infant Death, and Preventing Abusive Head Trauma, or willingness to obtain through agency.
  • Experience
    • Minimum: More than 1 year working in childcare setting.
  • Authorizations
    • DHS Background Study Clearance
    • Employee Health Certification form w/i 60 days of hire.
  • Skills
    • Ability to proficiently operate copy/fax machines, telephone, and computers and software, including email, spreadsheets and word processing.
    • Excellent oral and written communication skills.
    • Ability to manage time that results in both a satisfactory quantity and quality of work.
  • Abilities
    • Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a team member.
    • Must be able to handle diverse work problems on a daily basis.
    • Must be able to organize a work schedule, set priorities and work effectively to meet deadlines without supervision.
    • Must be able to adjust to changes necessitated by last minute assignments and deadline requests that may prove stressful.
    • Must be able to work flexible hours as needed in order to meet the needs of the clients.
    • Attend trainings, classes, and meetings as necessary to improve job skills and maintain an acceptable level of job performance.
  • Other Knowledge
    • Working knowledge of MN Child Abuse Laws and community resources.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive and employee will also perform other reasonably related business duties as assigned.

Area 1: Classroom Operations

  • Assist in carrying out daily schedule and activities.
  • Assist with preparing meals and snacks, cleaning the room, preparing materials for classroom activities, completion of paperwork, etc.
  • Assist staff in carrying out outings, field trips, and special events.
  • Help plan for routines and transitions so that they occur in a timely and predictable manner according to each child’s needs.

Area 2: Learning Environment

  • Help provide a learning environment that is inclusive of children with disabilities.
  • Help promote each child’s physical development.
  • Assist with the provision of an appropriate child development and education approach for all children.
  • Assist the Classroom Teacher in supporting emerging literacy and numeracy development and by providing materials and activities in relation to each child’s independent developmental level.
  • Assist in the provision of an environment that will encourage self-control by setting clear, consistent limits and having realistic expectations.
  • Support and respect the home language, culture, and family composition of each child in ways that support the child’s well-being.
  • As a member of a site team, work in cooperation with other staff, volunteers, and outside agencies to present a united effort in providing supportive services as necessary.
  • Conduct one section of the assessment tools to be completed three times yearly (IGDI’s, PNF, CSP) and assist in collecting TS Gold observations.

Area 3: Health & Safety

  • Observe and view all areas of the classroom, and react appropriately and immediately in the event of an emergency, including by evacuating children from the room if necessary.
  • Assist Classroom Teacher in assuring all health and safety procedures are followed.
  • Assist Classroom Teacher in making certain that staff and volunteers are adhering to safe practices.
  • Help evaluate nutritional services, family nutritional needs, and food safety and sanitation to determine that both Rule 3 and the HS Performance Standards are adhered to.

Job Factors

Supervision of Others: 

  • Not responsible for supervision of others

Safety of Others

  • Responsible for the safety of others on the job. Provides oversight of work groups and/or public served. Implements and enforces safety standards for self and others.

Contacts

  • Contact is within own department, and with other departments, customers, vendors, or the public

Physical Demand

  • Must be able to lift 50 pounds.
  • Requires sitting, standing, bending, stooping and reaching.

Travel

  • Must have reliable transportation.
  • Must have valid driver’s license and current auto insurance coverage in compliance with Minnesota State guidelines on the vehicle used for work related travel.
  • Travel for completion of job duties, trainings and meetings as required.

General Agency Requirements

Professionalism:

  • Maintain positive work atmosphere by behaving and communicating in a manner that fosters good relations with clients, customers, co-workers, providers, volunteers, and supervisors.
  • Treat clients, co-workers, and the public in a respectful and courteous manner at all times.
  • Continue to develop skills and abilities.

Community Representation:

  • Represent KOOTASCA Community Action, Inc. in a positive manner.
  • Adhere to the Community Action Code of Ethics.
  • Seek to understand poverty and the barriers faced by community members.

Confidentiality:

  • Maintain confidentiality of agency, program, and client information.

KOOTASCA Community Action is an Equal Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action (AA) Employer. We recruit, select, hire, place, transfer, promote, demote, layoff, discipline, terminate, recall, compensate, and train without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, familial status, disability, veteran status, status with regard to public assistance, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, or any other basis protected by applicable laws, directives, and regulations of federal, state, and local governing bodies or agencies. We will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants and employees with disabilities whenever possible.