Substitute Family Educator

The-Center-Resources-For-Teaching-; Arlington Heights (IL); On-site; USD 36,000 - 47,000; Part time

Job summary

The Center: Resources for Teaching and Learning – We Teach. They Soar is seeking a Long Term Substitute Family Educator to support parent engagement and early learning initiatives. You will work with schools to strengthen home-school connections and coordinate family education activities.

On-site roles with occasional travel to community sites and evenings/weekends may be required; bilingual candidates are preferred to serve diverse communities.

Qualifications

• Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of social services, family dynamics, and child development.
• Patience and ability to build rapport with families.
• Ability to navigate technology communication, reporting, and program implementation.
• Strong culture competency and understanding of diverse communities.

Responsibilities

• Parent Engagement & Education
• Collaborate with teachers and instructional leaders to engage parents in classrooms and school sites.
• Develop and implement parent educational opportunities, incorporating feedback from families.
• Facilitate activities to strengthen home-school connections, including take-home learning activities.
• Eligibility: assist in identifying and recruiting at-risk children in the community.
• Educate parents about early learning programs and support enrollment processes.
• Build partnerships with community organizations serving priority populations.
• Coordinate parent workshops on child health, mental health, and development, and support families needing consistent medical, mental or dental care.

Skills

Communication

Organizational skills

Problem solving

Social services knowledge

Family dynamics knowledge

Child development knowledge

Cultural competency

Technology navigation

Education

Degree in early childhood, social work or related fields

Job description

Job Title: Long Term Substitute Family Educator

Department: ECDEC

Reports to: Executive Assistant

Job Type: Part-Time, Hourly (Non-Exempt)

Job Location: Varies depending on school location

Salary Range: $225/day

The Center: Resources for Teaching and Learning – We Teach. They Soar: Who We Are:

The Center: Resources for Teaching and Learning, is a nationally recognized, nonprofit professional development and educational services organization dedicated to better teaching and learning in early childhood, elementary, secondary and adult education. The Center also provides statewide communications support for schools and districts, assisting leaders with internal and external communication needs. At The Center, we oversee programs supporting high-quality education for at-risk students, including English Learners, young children facing challenges, and immigrant populations. Initiatives include adult education (Adult Learning Resource Center), early childhood services (Early Childhood Developmental Enrichment Center) including the Early Childhood Professional Development program, special needs support (Star Net Region II), professional development for diverse learners (Illinois Resource Center), and tech-based instructional assessments (Technology Center for Teaching and Learning).

Position Description – What the Role Entails:

• The Substitute Family Educator is responsible for parent engagement and education, eligibility and recruitment, attendance support, comprehensive services, etc.
• This role reports to the Lead Family Educator.

Company Culture - Do Our Values Speak to You?

At The Center, our work is guided by the following core values:

• Dedication – Demonstrating effective and transparent leadership while providing high quality services and support to children, families, educators, educational leaders, and adult learners.
• Education – Delivering evidence-based professional learning, technical assistance, direct services, and educational programs grounded in industry standards and best practices.
• Accountability – Ensuring consistent service delivery, measurable outcomes, continuous improvement, and responsible stewardship of resources.
• Advocacy – Promoting equitable access to high-quality education, empowering learners and educators, and building strong partnerships that support children, families, and communities.
• Compassion – Embracing culturally and linguistically diverse communities and responding with sensitivity and respect to the unique strengths and needs of all individuals.

These values guide our work in early childhood education, adult education, special education, multilingual teaching and learning, educational technology, and professional development for teachers and educational leaders.

Areas of Accountability - What you will be doing:

• Parent Engagement & Education
• Collaborate with teachers and instructional leaders to engage parents in classrooms and school sites.
• Develop and implement parent educational opportunities, incorporating feedback from families.
• Facilitate activities to strengthen home-school connections, including take-home learning activities.
• Eligibility
• Assist in identifying and recruiting at-risk children in the community
• Educate parents about early learning programs and support enrollment processes.
• Build partnerships with community organizations serving priority populations.
• Comprehensive Services
• Monitor health and dental records to ensure children receive screenings and follow-up care.
• Coordinate parent workshops on child health, mental health, and development, and support families needing consistent medical, mental, or dental care for these children.
• Support parents regarding child’s absences.
• Participate in professional development and program meetings.
• Maintain Mandated Reporter certification yearly through DCFS
• All other duties as assigned.

The Center’s Work Environment – What to expect:

• On site at schools and program locations. Travel to community sites may be required.
• Schedule: Monday through Friday during standard business hours, occasional evenings or weekends as needed.
• Bilingual applicants preferred.

THE CENTER IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Requirements

The Knowledge and Expertise that Matters Most - What you bring to the Role:

• Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of social services, family dynamics, and child development.
• Patience and ability to build rapport with families.
• Ability to navigate technology communication, reporting, and program implementation.
• Strong culture competency and understanding of diverse communities.

Position Qualifications – What is required to Perform the Role:

• Degree in early childhood, social work or related fields OR Gateways to Opportunity Family Engagement Specialist certification Levels 1-5.
• Experience in family engagement, early childhood education, or community resources.
• Knowledge of child development, family systems, and community resources.
• Ability to manage a caseload of up to 100 families.
• Bilingual (Spanish preferred) and culturally responsive.
• Commitment to working with at-risk populations and diverse communities.
• FAN, NAMI Sharing Hope, DCFS, CPI, Mental Health First Aide, Pyramid, WINGS, Domestic Violence Training Beneficial