Preschool Assistant Teacher (Full-Time/Part-Time)

Early Education Program; Eugene (OR); On-site; USD 20,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Retirement match

Public Service Loan Forgiveness fornon

Job summary

Early Education Program (EEP) seeks kind, caring Preschool Assistant Teachers to join ECSE classrooms in Eugene and Springfield. Part-time and full-time roles involve mornings/afternoons, supporting 7–9 children with a strong emphasis on safety, nurturing instruction, and developmental progress.

Responsibilities include preparing materials, documenting progress, and collaborating with families and teachers.

Qualifications

• Experience in a preschool setting preferred.
• Experience with children with special needs preferred.
• Excellent communication with families and team members required.
• Passionate about teaching, patient, kind, and flexible.
• Willing to be coached and learn new skills.

Responsibilities

• Ensure children are safe and well-cared for with appropriate staff ratios.
• Assist with setup, organization, and materials; help with records and family communication.
• Engage with children in warm, positive ways and show enthusiasm.
• Be flexible and responsive to individual child needs.
• Support development goals per Oregon guidelines and IFSP plans.
• Use strategies to prevent challenging behavior and teach social-emotional skills.
• Lead or assist with daily lesson plans and small groups; support large groups and routines.
• Assess child progress weekly or as directed by teachers.

Skills

Preschool experience

Experience with special needs

Strong communication

Love for children

Calm and mindful temperament

Creative activity planning

Developmentally appropriate practices

Mediator between children

CBR background check

Job description

About the Job:

Looking for kind, caring, and positive people to join our amazing team of professionals serving preschool-aged children in high-quality settings! The Early Education Program (EEP) is looking for qualified full and part-time experienced Preschool Assistant Teachers to join our Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) classroom teams in Eugene and Springfield! EEP classrooms offer 7-9 special-education-eligible preschoolers fun and engaging activities that meet their needs. Assistant teachers are key members of the teaching team and help us provide a safe, organized, nurturing, and highly effective instructional program for all EEP children. Our part-time positions are 8:30-12:30 OR 12:30-4:30 on Monday-Thursday with some AM hours necessary on Friday. Our full-time positions are 8:30-4:30 Monday-Thursday with some AM hours necessary on Friday.

Responsibilities:

• Ensures that all children are safe and well-cared for at all times with an average ratio of four+ staff for 7-9 children.
• Assists in the set-up, organization, and maintenance of the classroom and materials/supplies; assists with record keeping copying, filing, and communication with families as directed by the classroom teacher.
• Interacts with children in warm, fun, and positive ways; is nurturing and shows enthusiasm.
• Is flexible, mindful, and responsive to individual child needs.
• Supports EVERY child in meeting developmental goals outlined in Oregon’s Early Learning and Kindergarten Guidelines (ODE, 2019) and on each child’s Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). Embeds key goals routinely. Capitalizes on opportunities to embed goals. Creates opportunities to embed goals.
• Uses strategies that prevent challenging behavior; deals with child feelings with empathy; treats challenging behavior as communication; helps teach social-emotional skills.
• Lesson plans for & may lead one-on-one and small groups daily; assists in large groups; leads or assists during free play /other routines including transitions.
• Assists in assessing child progress at least weekly/as directed by the teacher/service coordinator/site supervisor.
• Is welcoming to families. Shows respect for all families. Acts to secure the confidentiality of family records/information.
• Acts to maintain required State licensing requirements.
• Attends training requested by EEP's contractor, Director, and/or Site Supervisor.
• Demonstrates an excellent work ethic; is punctual; attendance is exemplary.
• Deals mindfully and flexibly with feedback; gives feedback respectfully.
• Interested in learning new skills; willing to be coached.

Skills and Requirements/Preferences:

• Experience in a preschool setting is preferred.
• Experience with children with special needs is preferred.
• Communicating well with others is required.
• Loves children, passionate about teaching, and making a difference is required.
• Cool-tempered, friendly, mindful, and accepting of feelings is required.
• Creative and practical; excited to develop activities for children that are engaging/fun with a focus on the goals required.
• Understanding the principles of child development & key preschool teaching methods is preferred.
• Can act as a mediator between children is required.
• Enrolled on Oregon’s Child Care Central Background Registry (CBR) required.

Compensation and Benefits for Eligible Employees:

• Hourly rate range: $18.
• Paid holidays.
• Regularly scheduled breaks throughout the year.
• A retirement match.
• Eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through tenure at a non-profit.

About Early Education Program:

The Early Education Program (EEP) is Lane County’s largest specialized preschool. Since 1981, we have successfully served preschoolers with special needs, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, and other developmental delays. In 2016, our organization expanded to also serve preschoolers from income-eligible families in the Eugene and Creswell communities through Oregon's Preschool Promise program. Currently, over 200 children attend our family of classrooms in Creswell, Eugene, Junction City, and Springfield. EEP offers great benefits, for eligible employees, paid time off, paid holidays, work-life balance, and a hands-on, mission-driven work environment.