Center Aide - Head Start, full-time

The Opportunity Alliance; South Portland (ME); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO

Holidays

Medical benefits

Dental/ Vision

Life Insurance

401(k) match

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

The Opportunity Alliance is seeking a Center Aide to join the Head Start team in Portland, ME or South Portland, ME. The role focuses on providing a safe, nurturing learning environment for children ages 3-5 and supporting teachers with classroom activities and healthy nutrition.

Responsibilities include assisting with meals, supporting transitions and routines, and contributing to a strong focus on social-emotional development.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required or in a CDA program to be completed within 2 years.
• After completing high school, enroll in a CDA program to be completed within two years or equivalent coursework focused on child development.
• 1 year of center-based teaching, early intervention, home visiting or community-based work related to early childhood education preferred.
• 1 year of food preparation & service experience preferred.
• Knowledge of the important role that culture plays in child & family development.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with teams.
• Commitment to social justice and the mission of Head Start.
• Must pass criminal background, child protective service check and sex offender checks and not be on suspension/disbarment lists.
• Need to pass pre-employment physical and TB screen and be current on MMR and TDAP immunizations.
• Ability to exert physical effort with frequent standing, walking, lifting and carrying up to 25 pounds.

Responsibilities

• The Center Aide works collaboratively with the teaching team to provide a safe, nurturing, and stimulating learning environment for children ages 3-5 years.
• Prepare and serve nutritious meals and assist in kitchen operations.
• Support teaching staff in educating children about healthy foods and nutrition.

Education

High School Diploma or GED

CDA Credential program (within 2 years)

Job description

Center Aide - Head Start, full-time page is loaded

Center Aide - Head Start, full-time

Apply locations South Portland, ME time type Full time posted on Posted 30+ Days Ago job requisition id JR100124

Head Start Classrooms are hiring!

Center Aides

The Opportunity Alliance is seeking aCenter Aidein Portland. Join the Head Start team and make a difference in the lives of children and families in your community.

Head Start promotes the school readiness of young children from low-income families through high quality, culturallyappropriate earlycareand education experiences. Classrooms implement a responsive curriculum with a strong focus on social-emotional well-being with a low teacher to child ratio to support growth and learning in all domains. Head Start centers families in their children’s educationand carethrough meaningful engagement.All staff are supported to identify and work towards their professional goals through a combination of ongoing supervision, coaching and training.

TheCenter Aideworks collaboratively with the teaching team toprovidea safe, nurturing, and stimulating learning environment for children ages 3-5 years. Classroom responsibilities include developing andmaintainingrespectfulandtrusting relationships with children,facilitatingchildren’s involvementinlearning activities,supportingchildren during important transitionsandroutines,and learning about and practicing effective behavior management techniques.

TheCenter Aideis also responsible for the preparation and service of nutritious meals as well as the operations of the Center’s kitchen.Meal preparation includeschopping vegetables and fruits, portioning food, and following recipesto ensure balanced nutrition according to applicable program standards. TheCenter Aide supportsteaching staff in educating children about the foods that they are eating and the importance ofhealthy nutrition.

Schedule : Full-time options; 32 hours per week, and 40 hours per week. These are seasonal positions (44 weeks per year)

Location : Portland, ME (40 hours per week), or South Portland, ME (32 hours)

Qualifications:

• A high school diploma or equivalent or be attending high school or be enrolled in a GED preparation program or be enrolled in a CDA credential program (any one of these must be completed within 2 years of hire) required.
• After completion of high school diploma/GED program, must enroll in a CDA program that will be completed within two years or equivalent coursework focused on child development required.
• 1 year of center-based teaching, early intervention, home visiting or community-based work related to early childhood education, preferred.
• 1 year of food preparation & service experience, preferred.
• Knowledge of the important role that culture plays in child & family development.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with teams.
• Commitment to social justice and the mission of Head Start.
• Must be able to able to successfully pass a criminal background, child protective service check & sex offender check and must not be on the state or federal suspension and disbarment list.
• Must be able to pass pre-employment physical and TB screen and must be current on MMR and TDAP immunizations.
• Must be able to exert significant physical effort with frequent standing, walking, reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, crouching, typing and frequently lift and carry small children or material weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Driving or accessing other means of transportation may be necessary to attend meetings and trainings.

Benefits : Our benefits include but are not limited to:

(offered to full-time and part-time employees)

• Generous paid time off accrual
• 9paid holidays per calendar year and up to 3 floating holidays per calendar year
• Excellent medical benefits at very reasonable cost
• Dental and Vision insurance options
• Agency paid basic life insurance and STD & LTD disability insurances
• 403(b) retirement with a generous agency match (all employees are eligible)
• Tuition Reimbursement –offered once per year through an application process
• The Opportunity Alliance (TOA) is a qualified employer under thePublic Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)program.

To learn more about our benefits please visit, https://www.opportunityalliance.org/explore-our-benefits

Who we are…

The Opportunity Alliance is “Helping People Reach for a Brighter Future”.

Mission: The Opportunity Alliance works with people to build better lives and stronger communities. We provide advocacy, leadership, and support to identify the goals and address the needs of individuals, families, and communities.

The Opportunity Alliance (TOA) is a dynamic, results-focused Community Action Agency providing approximately 50 integrated community-based and clinical programs serving more than 20,000 people annually throughout the state of Maine. With over 50 years of experience, TOA draws from a comprehensive set of programs which address issues such as mental health, substance use, homelessness, lack of basic needs, and access to community supports.Through an extensive array of services, TOA provides opportunities for individuals to stabilize fragile situations and then works with them to achieve self-sufficiency.TOA is client-focused with extensive experience working with diverse client populations. TOA programming includes four key sectors of service:

• Mental Health & Wellness
• Community Building
• Family & Early Childhood Education
• Economic Resources

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Please submit a cover letter and resume along with your application.

Thank you!

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