Assistant PreK Teacher

Whatcom Family YMCA; Bellingham (WA); On-site; USD 57,021,619 - 59,887,027; Full time

Job summary

The Whatcom Family YMCA is hiring a full-time Assistant Pre-K Teacher in Bellingham, WA. You will support a 4-5 year old classroom, help implement a play-based curriculum, and collaborate with Lead Teachers to promote social-emotional development.

Qualified applicants will have a high school diploma, CPR/First Aid, and childcare trainings, with a willingness to pursue an ECE certificate. Shifts include 7:00–3:30 and 8:30–5:15, Monday–Friday.

Qualifications

• Must be 18+ and a high school graduate.
• Experience with children in group settings preferred.
• Ability to plan, organize and run age-appropriate activities.
• Experience with diverse populations.
• Current CPR, First Aid, AED certifications.
• Complete Praesidium abuse prevention training within 15 days.
• STARS 30 Hour Childcare Basic Training within 3 months.
• Must obtain ECE certificate or equivalent (approx 12 credits).

Responsibilities

• Supervises the children, classroom, and all program activities.
• Follow preschool daily schedule; transitions, meals, and napping.
• Engage children in play-based curriculum with emphasis on social-emotional development.
• Collaborate with Lead Teacher to use ECERS environmental rating.
• Build positive rapport with all youth and families.
• Provide opportunities for youth to lead, problem-solve, and reflect.
• Assist with safety and physical activities including basic swimming/rock climbing.
• Collect documentation for child assessment and portfolios.
• Communicate with parents about child progress and needs.
• Attend family nights, trainings, and staff meetings.
• Maintain daily cleaning, sanitizing, and organization of classroom.

Skills

Team player

Positive classroom rapport

Classroom management

Education

High School Diploma

STARS 30 Hour Childcare Basic Training

Praesidium Child Abuse Prevention Training

ECE certificate pursuit

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Whatcom Family YMCA - Bellingham, WA 98225. Position Type: Full Time. Salary Range: $19.90 - $20.90 Hourly.

The YMCA Early Learning Center at Millworks (on the waterfront, near Trackside) is currently looking for a full time assistant teacher to work with our oldest classroom of children ages 4-5 years of age. Our PreK classroom holds up to 20 children with 2-3 teachers throughout the day. We work hard in this classroom to prepare our children for entering kindergarten ready to learn and be a good friend. Applicants must be a good team player, be ready to learn and take direction from our Lead PreK Teacher, be persistent and have a great work ethic, and have some experience working in a group setting with children ages 3-6 years of age. There are two shifts available, M-Fri 7 am-3:30 pm and Mon-Fri, 8:30 am-5:15 pm (current teachers are headed back to grad school). We have a lot of busy boys this upcoming year, so the ability to bring a positive classroom rapport, redirection, and general classroom management would be a bonus!

POSITION SUMMARY

This position supports the work of the Y, a leading nonprofit, charitable organization committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The Assistant Pre-K Teacher at the Whatcom Family YMCA maintains a supportive, positive atmosphere that welcomes and respects all individuals, promotes the potential of all youth, and provides a quality experience to both youth and their families.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supervises the children, classroom, and all program activities.
• Follows all procedures and standards as established by the law or the Y; makes ADA accommodations where appropriate; maintains the program site, equipment, and required program records.
• Follow the preschool daily schedule of activities, transitions, meals, and napping using best practices in early childhood learning and development.
• Works alongside the Lead Teacher and other classroom teachers to engage children in a play-based curriculum, with an emphasis on social-emotional development; and arrange the environment using the ECERS environmental rating scale.
• Create a positive rapport and shared interest with all youth.
• Provides opportunities for youth to lead, problem-solve, and make decisions and choices within the program and provides daily opportunities for youth to reflect on and respond to their experiences.
• Be comfortable engaging in large motor activities with children such as beginning swimming and rock climbing.
• Assists the Lead Teacher in collecting documentation for use in child assessment and portfolios.
• Provides and welcomes ongoing dialogue with parents and caregivers about their childs needs and progress; connects families to the Y.
• Attends and participates in family nights, program activities, staff meetings, and staff training.
• Completes and records daily cleaning list, consistently cleaning, sanitizing, and organizing classroom materials and surfaces.
• Administers first aid, completes accident forms, and notifies the Lead Teacher, Program Supervisor, or Director.
• Follows organizations policies and procedures regarding protecting youth from abuse; including screening and selection, training and supervision, and responding to allegations. Communicate to all staff and volunteers the organizations commitment to protect youth from abuse.
• Follows mandated reporting requirements.

OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY

Everything we do at the YMCA is based on the ideal that everyone should have the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or identity, diverse abilities, age, religion, socioeconomic status or any other statuses or identities. Our work is focused on eliminating barriers to access, eliminating disparities in health, providing educational support, supporting working families, and growing our next generation of change makers for our country.

YMCA COMPETENCIES (Leader)

• Advancing Our Mission & Cause: Engaging Community, Philanthropy
• Building Relationships: Collaboration, Communication & Influence, Inclusion
• Leading Operations: Critical Thinking & Decision Making, Functional Expertise, Innovation, Program/Project Management
• Developing & Inspiring People: Developing Self & Others, Emotional Maturity

Qualifications

• Must be 18 years of age or older and a high school graduate (or equivalent).
• Previous experience working with children in a developmental setting preferred.
• Ability to plan, organize and implement age-appropriate/developmentally appropriate program activities.
• Previous experience with diverse populations. Ability to develop positive, authentic relationships with people from different backgrounds.
• Current CPR (Adult, Infant & Child) and First Aid, AED certifications.
• Complete Praesidium Child Abuse prevention training within 15 days of hire.
• STARS 30 Hour Childcare Basic Training (Must be completed within 3 months of hire date).
• Must have or be in the process of obtaining the following:
  • Negative TB Test
  • HIV/Bloodborne Pathogen training
  • Safe Sleep
  • MERIT ID account
  • Food Handlers Card
  • Cleared Portable Background Check from MERIT
  • MMR Immunization Record
• Willingness to obtain the ECE initial certificate or equivalent (approximately 12 credits).

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• The employee needs sufficient strength, agility and mobility to perform essential functions and to safely supervise program activities.
• The employee frequently is required to sit and reach, and must be able to move around the work environment.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.