Teaching Support Specialist

Position Summary:

The Teaching Support Specialist supports the overall mission and value of Catholic Charities and the Childcare and ECEAP division. Primary duties include providing quality care and education to all children of Carrolls Children Center and Growing Hope Childhood Development Center through an emergent rotation module. This position will support classroom coverage for lead teacher and teacher assistants upon request with an emphasis on promotion of social, physical and intellectual growth of children. The Teaching Support Specialist is responsible for the care, hygiene, learning, and developmental activities of the children; communication with parents; and maintaining the classroom records, cleanliness, and orderliness while assigned in any classroom.

Responsibilities:

Report daily to the assigned hallway and TSS Lead to get daily classroom assignment.

Maintain flexibility in emergent needs and response times for overall program coverage and success

Support and inform child attendance counts at all times when in classroom or on playgrounds

Assist Lead Teachers and Teacher Assistants to create and maintain a safe and healthy environment by following program standards, policies and procedures

• Work with Site Supervisors to plan daily coverage as needed, including but not limited to classrooms, bus, kitchen and reception
• Provide support services to the Early Learning division as assigned including but not limited to breaks, lunches, lesson planning, and meeting coverage for Lead Teachers and Teacher Assistants
• Survey all classrooms consistently, seeking opportunities to support and step in as requested
• Care for the physical, mental, and emotional needs of the children while providing competent direct supervision to ensure the safety of all the children in the classroom
• Apply health standards and care for the children and classroom
• Assist the Childcare and ECEAP Services Program Manager in reducing infractions of company policies
• Report needed repais and maintenance to the Childcare and ECEAP Services Program Manager

Support with planning & provide curriculum through standard care giving routines as assigned with your time and role in the classroom

• Support Lead Teachers and Teacher Assistants in establishing a learning environment that builds and enhances each child’s self-esteem and positive self-concept
• Provide activities and opportunities that encourage curiosity, creativity, exploration and problem solving appropriate to the developmental level and learning style of each child
• Implement positive guidance practices that teach and meet the individual temperaments of each child
• Observe, document and assess individual and group needs, interest, and skills and share the observations daily with the Childcare and ECEAP Services Program Manager.

Provide support to the families of the children

• Promote and implement family involvement
• Embrace diversity and a variety of family arrangements and styles
• Maintain open, friendly, cooperative, and respectful verbal communication with each child’s family
• Provide families with information, resources and referrals as needed

Foster positive discipline and communication in the classroom

• Guide and sustain positive, respectful interactions between children and adults
• Maintain an atmosphere that encourages open communication with children and adults
• Provide opportunities and support for children to understand, acquire, and use verbal and non-verbal means of communicating thoughts and feelings, like Sign Language and PECS
• Submit attendance records and required paperwork in a timely manner
• Maintain confidentiality of children, families, and staff
• Initiate and encourage teamwork among adults in the room and across both centers

Continue professional development

• Participate in required training and share information with other staff as requested
• Participate in scheduled supervision, require meetings and retreats
• Attend required Pyramid Module trainings and ensure the implementation of learned information in the classroom
• Work with the site supervisor to apply for the Early Achievers grant to create professional development plan that will allow for the achievement of higher education in ECE or related fields.

Participate in Center activities and other duties as requested

Job Requirements:

The following requirements are those that are normally required for performance of this position. Any disabled applicant or incumbent who does not meet one or more of the requirements, but who can perform the essential function of the job (with or without reasonable accommodations) shall be deemed to meet these requirements.

Physical Requirements:

This position normally requires the physical demands of standing and sitting for extended periods, walking, running bending, lifting or performing other work requiring medium physical exertion, talking and hearing and adequate vision are required on a regular basis to perform the job duties. This position frequently experiences a noisy or loud environment including children laughing, talking, shouting, and crying. These physical demands are required up to 95% of the time.

Non-Physical Requirements:

Education & Experience

• ECE Certificate or Professional Development Plan

Special Skills

• Preschool Classroom experience
• Emergency Procedures
• Training in Creative Curriculum
• Basic computer skills

Licensure, Registration, Certification

• Valid food handler’s card
• Valid First Aid and CPR card
• Verification of a negative TB test
• Proof of 1 MMR
• Bloodbourne Pathogens Training
• Renew Annual Trainings Safe Sleep; Shaken Baby
• 30 hour STARS Training Childcare basics (or proof of exemption)
• 10 hours STARS Annual Training
• Enhancing Qualify of Early Learning In Service STARS Training with 6 months of hire

Licensure, Registration, Certification

• Valid Washington State Drivers License and required minimum liability insurance for WA State

Employment is conditional upon:

• Being cleared by criminal background check and fingerprinting when required