Early Childhood Education Coach

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Human Resource Development Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider applicants for all positions on the basis of qualifications and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, gender, marital status, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation and any other legally protected status.

Job Opening Date: April 29, 2021

Job Closing Date: Until Filled

Anticipated Start: ASAP

Job Status: This is a full time position (40 hours per week), M-F 8am-5pm

Wage: $45,000 annually, ($1875/pay period)

General Summary of Purpose of this Position:

This position works with the Education Manager to ensure high quality, individualized education is provided to all children and staff. This position requires a knowledge and understanding of developmentally appropriate practices for children ages 3-5 years.This position is effective at engaging teachers in self-reflection and encouraging them to adapt instruction when appropriate, along with adjusting learning environments when necessary. This position is responsible for reviewing, aggregating and synthesizing a variety of data to support teaching practices and ensure fidelity. This position requires an ability to build strong relationships and create a responsive environment that supports all children from diverse backgrounds and abilities. It is responsible for providing a program wide culture that promotes children’s mental health, and social emotional well-being by coaching staff to develop realistic and satisfying goals, plans and activities with customized instructions. Supports the Education Manager by making sure that all State Licensing Requirements and Performance Standards are met. 

This position is also responsible, through coordinated approaches and effective partnerships with Local Education Agencies, Community Mental Health providers, and the Mental Health consultant for promoting access, participation and individualization within an inclusive environment to support children’s positive school readiness outcomes.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Duty Statements.  This position has the following duties and responsibilities. They are listed starting with the most important. The percentage at the end of each statement is an estimate of the percentage of time spent on each duty. This listing does not include minor duties, which constitute less than 5% of the position’s time, unless such duties are significantly important or critical to the success of the position. If the word “essential” appears following the importance it indicates the duty is considered an essential function of this job. (Essential functions are those functions that the employee must be able to perform unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation. Regular and predictable work schedule and attendance are considered essential functions).

Primary Job Duties and Responsibilities

Coaching:

• Develop a culture of mentoring, coaching and training using the PBC model, supporting facilitation of TLC’s and providing one-on-one coaching to staff.
• Conduct regular walkthroughs and provide coaching, modeling and instruction to staff as appropriate. 
• Supports teaching teams with the creation and maintenance of classroom environments that support children’s learning.
• Ensures fidelity through walkthrough data and curriculum implementation. 
• Provide coaching with non-judgmental evaluative assistance thru support and feedback to help individuals set goals, identify obstacles, and develop strategies to improve job performance. Including implementing plans with concrete measures. 
• Provides support for in-house CDA coursework and completion.
• Promotes a collaborative, productive working environment that follows established communication protocols, clearly articulating expectations, outcomes and timelines and uses conflict resolution skills when needed.
• Use observation tools; CLASS, Walkthroughs, DECA, Conscious Discipline to collect data to ensure compliance with Performance Standards.
• Supports Teaching Team Training (professional development) for the education staff, including training in Creative Curriculum, TSGold, Conscious Discipline

Social Emotional Coordination:

• Conduct Social Emotional Assessments 
• Create Tiered Action Plans of support for children with social, emotional, and mental health concerns.
• Create a team for creating and supporting individual action steps on Action Plans
• Follow-up in a timely manner on all dated action plan steps.
• Create strategies of support for attachment, initiative, self-regulation and behavior needs and support teachers in implementing these strategies.
• Provide classroom support for effective classroom management and positive learning environments. 

• Utilize coordinated approaches to support classroom management dealing with challenging behaviors. 
• Utilize coordinated approach to support classroom management for supporting children with other social, emotional, and mental health concerns.
• Work in collaboration with the Mental Health Consultant, families and community Mental Health services to secure support for children with Tiered Mental Health concerns.
• Assists in the transition of children and families as they enter the ECE program and as they transition on to the public school system.
• Maintains records pertinent to mental health services and gathers records of children identified through screening or needing further evaluation.

Monitoring and Compliance:

• Complete data entry of screening results, observations, evaluations and while maintaining continuous ongoing monitoring of data on the Child Plus database
• Review and compile TS gold child based data on classroom and aggregate basis, review with teaching teams to support and improve teaching practices
• Provide regular statistical updates to education manager and support staff regarding children with social emotional action plan and children’s education attainment
• Work alongside Education Manager to aggregate, compile and present program based data for School Readiness meetings

• Works with the Education Manager to maintain Education Focus Area records including lesson plans, field trips, developmental screening, child assessment, individual child plans and child outcomes.

Enhances Program Quality:

• Provide support services when additional classroom support is required
• Serve on the School Readiness Committee
• Assist with family and parent education events and trainings 
• Participate in outreach activities
• Attend staff meetings, children’s staffing and referrals, community outreach events including possible weekend and evening attendance and other meetings or trainings both locally and out of town as required by the program
• Perform duties related to the planning and development of annual Health and Developmental Screening events, working cooperatively with other Support Staff and including the coordination of screening clinics, training and administration of the screening tool to determine  baseline developmental indicators and identify further evaluation needs.  
• Promote effective communication and cooperation with staff
• Participate in program planning and support activities including, but not limited to, annual Self-Assessment, PIR, Community Needs Assessment & Surveys, grant compilation, strategic planning and other programmatic requirements
• Perform other duties as assigned

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

Language Skills:

• Ability to analyze and interpret complex and sensitive information.
• Ability to interpret and write general business documents or technical procedures.
• Ability to interpret financial reports, legal documents including custody arrangements and restraining orders, or medical documents and present findings in public setting.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as governmental regulations, rules, and procedure manuals.
• Persuasive public speaking abilities; including the ability to give presentations to individuals and groups

Mathematical/ Money Handling Skills: 

• Basic counting skills.
• Add, subtract, multiply and divide simple numbers.
• Handle small amounts of cash.

Reasoning Ability:

• Ability to interpret and apply a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to solve practical problems.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables.
• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems.

Computer Skills:

• Words per minute computer keyboard required: Demonstrate competency
• Calculator strokes per minute data entry required: Demonstrate competency

Specialized Office Equipment:

• Operate fax machine to send or receive documents.
• Operate scanner to capture text or graphics and save or import them in application program for further use.
• Operate multi-line telephone to place, receive, or transfer calls or to retrieve voice mail messages.
• Other: Postage machine, copy machine, laminator.

Computer Software and Operating Systems:

• Utilize computer spreadsheet (Excel) to input, format, and edit data and save, print, or transmit data.
• Utilize computer word processing (Word) to input, format, and edit documents and save, print, or transmit documents.
• Utilize internet/ e-mail to access, compose, send, retrieve, save, print, or transmit documents, or data files or electronic communication.
• Operate personal computer with Windows operating system to start programs, input, format, and edit data files and print or transmit data.
• Utilize proprietary, custom or online programs or data bases to input, format, and edit data and save, print, or transmit data.     Specify Software: ChildPlus Head Start Data Base

Specialized Tools (Non-Computer):

• None

HRDC, Professional or Governmental Policies and Regulations:

• State or federal regulations or laws (List by name): Head Start Program policies, regulations and Performance Standards; State Day Care Licensing Standards, Child & Adult Care Food Program Standards, State Child Abuse/Neglect Reporting Requirements, and State Child Safety Restraint System Requirements.

• State or Federal Regulations or Laws (List by Name): Head Start Program Performance Standards, IDEA/ADA
• Agency Policies or Procedures (List by Name): HRDC Policies & Procedures, Head Start Policies and Procedures
• Specialized Professional or Industry Guidelines/Standards:    n/a

Drivers Licenses Required for Performing this Position:  

• Montana Class D Driver License and appropriate insurance.

Professional Licenses or Certifications Required by Law, Rule or Regulation for Performing this Position: 

• CPR, First Aid.
• Incumbent must pass a physical exam which results in a letter stating person is free of communicable diseases by employment date.
• TB Risk assessment yearly; Tetanus vaccination every 10 years.
• Satisfactory results from criminal check as required by Child/Adult Abuse Act.

Licenses or Certifications That Would Be Useful but Are Not Required:

• CLASS certified observer

• Inter-rater reliability certified 

Other Required Knowledge, Skills or Abilities:

• Ability to effectively work and communicate with a wide range of individuals from all socio-economic groups.
• Ability to read, interpret and implement documents such as governmental regulations, rules, and procedure manuals.
• Ability work with minimal supervision and effectively manage workflow.
• Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints from co-workers, children, or family members.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain privileged information in absolute confidence.
• Ability to present a professional appearance, positive attitude, and an ability to relate in a positive manner to clients, children, co-workers, other professionals and the public at large.
• Ability to travel throughout the service area and attend training both locally and regionally.
• Ability to re-prioritize on a moment’s notice and to handle crisis situations.
• Ability to present a professional appearance, positive attitude, and an ability to relate to co-workers and clients in a positive manner. 

Essential Physical, Mental and Emotional Requirements of this Position:

The following physical, mental and emotional abilities are considered essential to perform the duties listed above:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk and hear.
• The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• The incumbent must be able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, must be able to work under time and/or deadline pressures.
• Incumbent must pass a physical exam which results in signed documentation from a health care provider, stating person is free of communicable diseases by employment date.
• TB Risk Assessment with follow up examination if positive risk factors are presented
• Current Tetanus and proof of MMR vaccination
• CPR/First Aid Certification Card
• Satisfactory results from FBI criminal background check, Child Abuse/Neglect & Sex Offenders Registry check, Motor Vehicle Driving Record check, as required by Head Start Program Performance Standards and State of Montana Child Care Licensing regulations

• Exhibit the stamina to perform duties including ability to stoop, squat, bend and work with pre-school children
• Exhibit the stamina to perform duties including the ability to lift, carry and work with supplies, screening supplies, office files, etc.

Education and Experience

Education: The following course(s) of study or class work usually provides the required knowledge skills and abilities to perform the duties of this position: 

• A Bachelor’s degree or higher with an emphasis in Child Development, Special Education, Disabilities, Early Childhood Education, or a related field which includes the 24 credit core in  Early Childhood Education.  

Experience:  The following kinds of experience usually provide the required knowledge skills and abilities to perform the duties of this position: 

• • Four years teaching experience in early childhood education;

• Demonstrated experience in working with children and adults from diverse socioeconomic (especially low-income), educational, and ethnic backgrounds.

• Four years experience working with children with disabilities.

Supervision

Supervision Received:

• This position operates under the direct supervision of the Education & Program Managers. The incumbent follows specific guidelines set by HRDC, the Office of Head Start, IDEA/ADA, OPI, and State of Montana Child Care Licensing policies, procedures and regulations.
• The incumbent’s work is primarily assigned by daily workflow and operations. The incumbent is authorized to make decisions as to the timing and sequence of work and the work is performed according to established policies and procedures and/or within applicable laws, rules and regulations governing the tasks being performed.

Decisions

Impact of Decisions and Errors Made by Position:

• Decisions, final recommendations and/or errors primarily affect clients of one program.

• Decisions, final recommendations and/or errors primarily affect a single program.
• Decisions, final recommendations and/or errors affect continuation of existing program with respect to licensing and compliance

Judgment Required to Make Decisions:

• Job duties typically involve frequently changing conditions and problems. Requires considerable judgment in applying factual background and fundamental principles to the development of approaches and techniques for the solution of problems
• Requires judgment from time to time in the application of broader aspects of established practices to problems and situations not falling clearly or concisely within the limitations of accepted standards or precedents

Exception Authority:

• This position is not authorized to make exceptions to Head Start Program Policy or Procedure;

Financial Responsibility:

This position is accountable for the following company money, funds, budgets:

• Handles cash or checks
• Develops budget requests.
• Solicits grants/gifts/donations.

This position is authorized to sign the following documents and forms: 

• N/A

Personal Contacts:

The incumbent is responsible for the following personal contacts (either in oral or written form) when performing the duties and responsibilities of the position:

• Daily contact and interaction with co-workers, persons supervised, children and families.
• Interacts with program managers, executives, and/or other committees several times a year.
• Interacts with representatives of other service providers several times a year.
• Interacts with funding agencies to provide information or exchange facts.
• Interacts with governmental compliance or auditors to provide information or exchange facts.

Confidentiality:

• The incumbent has full and complete access to Head Start Program reports, records, and client files where utmost judgment is required.

Working Conditions:

The incumbent is exposed to the following unusual, potentially hazardous, or unpleasant working conditions:

• Works in temperature controlled office environment
• Weekly or more frequent operation of a motor vehicle under all weather conditions
• Must be able to travel out of town to a variety of work sites as needed
• Must be able to work evenings and weekends as needed
• Weekly or less frequent exposure to occupational illness or diseases
• Weekly or less frequent exposure to unpleasant substances, odors or noises
• Travel throughout service area and attend training both locally and regionally
• Monthly or less frequent exposure to angry or violent clients or volunteers
• Monthly or less frequent exposure to risk of cuts, burns, shock or other minor injuries (not requiring hospitalization)
• Monthly or less frequent exposure to animal bites or injuries caused by animals