Head Start Family Associate - Edna Travis

Tacoma Public Schools (WA); Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Tacoma Public Schools is hiring an Early Learning classroom associate instructor to support the overall needs of children in the classroom. You will promote physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth in a child-centered environment.

The position emphasizes collaboration with the Early Learning administrator, involvement of families, and adherence to performance standards. AA in ECE and 1 year preschool experience are preferred, with required First Aid/CPR and TB testing.

Qualifications

• Be at least eighteen years of age and hold a high school diploma or its equivalent.
• AA degree with 40 credits in Early Childhood Education from an accredited school.
• One year experience in a preschool or child care setting or a combination of experience and training.

Responsibilities

• Establishes and maintains a safe, healthy, and creative learning environment.
• Provides language, literacy, math, and social-emotional development activities.
• Prepares daily activity plans and tracks developmental progress.
• Models and teaches appropriate behavior; supervises students as needed.

Skills

Child development knowledge

Parent involvement

Team collaboration

Education

AA degree in Early Childhood Education (40 credits)

Job description

Tacoma Public Schools

Expected Start Date:November, 2026

FTE: .9375

Hours per day: 7.5

Salary Level:

PA7A01 $36.03/hour- Base

PA7E01 $36.78/hour - Base + AA

PA7F01 $37.03/hour - Base + BA/BS

Union/Days per year:

Paraeducator, 183 work days, 10 month

Benefits: This job has the full range of benefits offered by Tacoma Public Schools

This position serves as the Early Learning classroom associate instructor with primary responsibility for meeting the overall needs of children in the classroom; promotes each child’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth; establishes and maintains a positive child-oriented environment; may provide direction to other classroom staff; implements the child development, parent involvement, and parent education services in accordance with Early Learning performance standards; and collaborates with and supports the Early Learning administrator in providing health and family services.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

1. Establishes and maintains a safe, healthy, and creative learning environment in collaboration with the Early Learning administrator; selects and arranges appropriate learning materials.

2. Selects and uses a variety of activities in a well-balanced curriculum to provide positive learning experiences to advance the students’ language, literacy, math skills, creativity, physical health, social, and emotional development.

3. Prepares and implements daily activity plans that enable students to function as individuals and group members among peers and adults; selects individualized and group activities based on information gathered through assessments, observation, interviewing, and screening; establishes learning goals and objectives in collaboration with the parents; tracks and records developmental progress and learning outcomes.

4. Models and monitors behavior in all program activities; redirects and teaches appropriate behavior to students as needed; may supervise students entering or leaving building between classes and boarding buses.

5. Plans and promotes parent/family involvement in classroom and home learning activities; assists individual parents to overcome obstacles to participation; trains volunteers in techniques for positive interaction with children in the classroom and at home through modeling and effective management techniques.

6. Promotes and coordinates active parent involvement in the total Early Learning program; coordinates and implements parent committees and education; establishes and maintains a system of communication with families; may assist parent representatives with reports to the appropriate stakeholders.

7. May make home visits and conduct parent conferences at the school site for each student during the year in collaboration with the Early Learning administrator; discusses students’ progress and development with parents; develops and uses written plans to provide effective home learning activities for the children; uses these opportunities to support parent involvement and education.

8. Collaborates with the Early Learning administrator to assist families in accessing community and agency resources, insuring that families requiring crisis intervention receive appropriate assistance; participates in recruitment and enrollment of children.

9. Collaborates with the Early Learning administrator to establish mutually respectful family partnership goals with each family; assists with efforts and resources to teach the goals and build parent problem solving skills.

10. Maintains and updates documentation of program activities and confidential records of students; submits reports and/or records as requested; prepares for monitoring program self-assessments and federal reviews.

11. Leads classroom team meetings with support of Early Learning administrator; coordinates transition of students to kindergarten; participates in staff support team meetings; coordinates with student services for appropriate planning and implementation of Individualized Education Program (IEPs).

OTHER JOB DUTIES

1. Attends meetings, classes, workshops, and seminars to maintain current developments in early childhood education, developmentally appropriate practices, and compliance with program rules and regulations, as needed or as assigned.

2. Enters data into the appropriate child assessment system, as assigned.

3. Performs related duties as assigned, on a temporary basis.

4. Regular, reliable, predictable attendance or physical presence is an essential job requirement and critical to the performance of the work.

CONDITIONS

May be required to work flexible hours; required to travel within the community to student homes; may be exposed to infectious disease; occasionally deals with difficult and sensitive situations and/or people; experiences high activity level; required to lift and carry up to 40 pounds, bend, squat, stoop, kneel, crouch, walk, twist, climb, be mobile, run, sit, and stand sufficiently to promote curriculum and preserve the safety of the students; required to work outdoors in inclement weather; may be required to attend meetings beyond the work day.

Education and Experience

Be at least eighteen years of age and hold a high school diploma or its equivalent; required to have an AA degree with 40 credits in Early Childhood Education from an accredited school; one year experience working in a preschool or child care setting to demonstrate knowledge and ability to assist in instructing students; or any combination of experience and training which provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and ability required to perform the work.

Licenses/Special Requirements

Current First Aid and CPR certifications and Food Handler’s permit or required to obtain within the first three months of employment.

Annual exam and TB test required within 60 days of employment and periodically thereafter for some early learning programs.

Valid Washington State driver’s license and access to personal transportation.

Fingerprints and successful WSP and FBI background clearance/sexual misconduct clearance; may include Portable Background (DCYF) clearance for some early learning programs.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of applicable Early Learning program and ability to support the philosophy and components of the program.

Knowledge of childhood academic, social, emotional, and physical development

Knowledge of early childhood education and child development.

Knowledge of child assessment and observation methods.

Knowledge of community resources related to family needs.

Skill in problem solving and handling crisis situations.

Skill in obtaining, clarifying, and exchanging information.

Skill in basic computer word processing.

Skill in effective child and group management strategies.

Ability to relate positively with families and small children.

Ability to demonstrate reasonable, reliable and regular attendance.

Ability to plan preschool curriculum to meet individual and group needs.

Ability to support the philosophy and components of the program.

Ability to lift and carry students, sit, stoop, bend, and run.

Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Ability to produce and maintain documentation and records.

Ability to work with special needs students and adapt curriculum.

Ability to organize and promote parent education.

Ability to prioritize, coordinate, and multi-task.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of people in a multi-cultural, diverse socio-economic setting.

Ability to work as a cooperative team member.

Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate activities.

Ability to maintain confidentiality.