Mentor Teacher/Coach

All Kids Academy Head Start is seeking a Mentor Teacher/Coach. Join our team in the mission to close the achievement gap by providing quality school readiness programs and comprehensive services to children, families, and communities in East County.

Summary:

Under the direction of the Center Director, the Mentor Teacher/Coach is assigned to Head Start and Early Head Start Education to contact, observe, model, coach, and mentor on a regular basis; providing information to others; and implementing and maintaining services within established guidelines and principles. The Mentor Teacher/Coach meets and provides feedback for facilitated discussion on common concerns teachers are facing in order to design appropriate intervention strategies. The Mentor Teacher/Coach supports the agency developed School Readiness Framework and works with Head Start and Early Head Start Education and staff to support them in effectively developing their learning environment using curriculum and planning educational experiences. The Mentor Teacher/Coach will be responsible for administrative support to the center potentially including training other staff, responding to audits, Community Care Licensing, reports, participating on special projects, and serving as second in command in the absence of the Center Director as well as stepping into the classroom to support ratios as needed.

Hours per week: 40

Weeks per year: 44

COMPETITIVE BENEFITS:

• Group medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan with up to 6% employer match
• Annual 5% pay rate increases, up to the maximum step
• 16 Paid holidays
• Two paid personal days
• Paid vacation and sick leave
• $1500 Tuition Reimbursement each year
• $1000 Service Awards every 5 years
• Employer-paid Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Free Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Voluntary benefits: Life and AD&D, Accident Insurance, Short-term Disability, Critical Illness Insurance, and Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Paid professional development days

MINIMUM EMPLOYMENT QUALIFICATIONS

1. Bachelor’s degree or higher in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Early Intervention, or related field.

2. 12 semester units of Early Childhood Education or Child Development courses, including three semester units Supervised Field Experience in an Early Childhood Education setting;

3. Three (3) semester units of infant/toddler development (for centers with Early Head Start option ONLY);

4. Site Supervisor Permit from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) OR the ability to obtain a permit within 90 days of employment; and

5. Four years of experience as a classroom teacher.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Assists in the mentoring and training of education staff to support school readiness measures and program quality;

2. Conducts classroom observations and provide feedback to teachers improving teacher[1]child interactions and curriculum implementation that supports positive child outcomes towards school/readiness;

3. Provides technical support and assistance to classroom teachers as assigned, including direct coaching and mentoring of education staff to improve instructional practices and classroom quality;

4. Provides regular classroom observations using the specified evidence-based tools CLASS, Creative Curriculum Fidelity Tool, ECRs, etc.;

5. Assists with the planning and monitoring of educational component services under the direction of the Education Department;

6. Provides reflective coaching and mentoring to the teachers to ensure the implementation of the education program reflects the AKA Head Start philosophy;

7. Promotes and supports professional development of the education staff;

8. Ensures teacher-child interactions and instruction is responsive, intentional and developmentally appropriate to ensure children are provided socially supportive, organized and instructionally meaningful interactions to support their development (i.e., social-emotional, physical, cognitive and language) and learning (i.e., literacy, math, science, technology, social studies, and the arts);

9. Ensures all mandates of Head Start Performance Standards, state and local licensing are met;

10. Supports the administrative responsibilities of the center in the absence of Center Director;

11. Attends workshops, conferences, and other necessary trainings to support component goals; and

12. Assists in establishing and maintaining a safe, healthy, nurturing, and inviting learning environment for children;

13. Promotes positive professional relationships with parents; and

14. Submits action plans, reports and data analysis to the Education Department when requested; and keeps Coaching Plans and Reflective and Feedback sessions confidential.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. Good manual dexterity of hands and fingers to demonstrate activities or run instructional equipment;

2. Must have the ability to sit and stand for extended periods;

3. Must be able to reach overhead as well above the shoulders and horizontally;

4. Requires repetitive bending at the waist, as well as kneeling, stooping, crouching to assist children;

5. Hearing and speaking to exchange information, make presentations, hear in a noisy environment and locate the sources of a sound for health and safety including crying by children;

6. Must have excellent speaking and hearing ability;

7. Must be able to input data using a computer terminal keyboard;

8. Seeing to read a variety of materials and monitor children’s activities is essential;

9. Walk for extended periods of time;

10. Handle or feel with fingers, reach with hands and climb or balance, or crawl;

11. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus; and

12. Move, push, pull if needed while moving and holding children and ability to physically interact with young children through running, chasing, bending, stooping, climbing, and standing with occasional lifting up to 40 lbs.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Prior to employment, in compliance with Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 as amended, employment candidate will be required to provide either proof of U.S. citizenship or other documents that establish the candidate’s eligibility to be employed in the U.S. Head Start regulations require that no person shall work in any Head Start program until they have been fingerprinted and cleared through the Department of Justice.

AKA Head Start is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No person will be denied employment, discriminated against, or prohibited from participating fully in employment opportunities for reasons of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), creed, ethnicity, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition), age, gender, gender identity, political affiliation, sexual orientation, genetic characteristic, marital status, military or veteran status, medical or physical disability, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by federal state, or local law.

Applicants will be required to obtain a Health Screening, TB clearance, proof of immunization against measles and pertussis (MMR and Tdap vaccines), and background clearance prior to starting employment.