Teacher Assistant - Ionia 3

Eightcap, Inc.; Ionia (MI); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

EightCAP, Inc. is seeking a Teacher Assistant to support the lead Teacher in creating a safe, organized Head Start classroom for young learners in Michigan.

This role emphasizes collaboration with families, adherence to Head Start requirements, and ongoing professional development to ensure high-quality early childhood education.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in early childhood education or related field with 12 semester hours in ECE.
• Ability to communicate effectively and positively with children and families.
• Ability to pass state background clearances.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and maintain a safe, healthy classroom environment and complete required checklists.
• Maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries with children and families.
• Follow Head Start, LARA, and CACFP regulations and requirements.
• Maintain accurate attendance, meal documentation, in-kind records, and plan home visits and conferences.
• Communicate positively with children, families, staff, and community partners.
• Collaborate with staff, parents, volunteers, and service providers to ensure smooth operations.
• Be familiar with emergency procedures and respond effectively to emergencies.
• Participate in professional development to ensure compliance with Head Start standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Effective communication

Team collaboration

Observation skills

Education

Associate degree in ECE

Job description

JobTitle:Teacher Assistant

Classification:Full-time, non-exempt, hourly

Salary Range:HS01-04 ($17.96 - $19.16 - $20.27 - $21.52*)*To be eligible for HS 04 an employee must have a bachelor's degree in a field related to the position.

Hours: 40/week

Work Weeks: 41-44/year(school year)

Program: Head Start

Reports To: Teacher

Positions Supervised: None

Mission Statement

EightCAP, Inc., improves our community by collaborating with private, government, and community organizations to deliver programs that alleviate the causes of poverty and its effects, allowing individuals to become self-sufficient.

Role Overview

As a Teacher Assistant, you are responsible for assisting the Teacher in ensuring that a safe, healthy and organized environment is created for both children and adults through planning and implementing learning experiences through effective curriculum implementation and assessment. This position involves regular communication with children, families and staff, ensuring requirements and outcomes are met. You will support the social and emotional development of children by encouraging families to be actively involved in their children’s education and recognize a child’s parents/guardians are their first and most important teachers.

Key Responsibilities

1. Monitoring: Provide a safe, healthy, organized environment for children through daily monitoring of activities, maintenance of the classroom, and completion of required checklists.
2. Professionalism: Comply with program confidentiality policies concerning personally identifiable information about children, families, and other staff members and must maintain professional boundaries with enrolled children and families at all times.
3. Compliance: Follow regulations and requirements of the Office of Head Start, Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
4. Reporting: Assist in maintaining accurate records including but not limited to attendance, CACFP mealtime documentation, in-Kind, communicable disease reports, participate in planning, conducting and documenting home visits and parent teacher conferences, share child outcomes, and evaluate progress towards individual child and family goals, reporting and suspected child abuse or neglect.
5. Communication: Communicate positively with children, parents/guardians, teaching team, support staff, community partners, and supervisor.
6. Collaboration: Work professionally and cooperatively with staff, parents/guardians, volunteers, service providers and community partners to ensure smooth operations and address any concerns.
7. Emergency Preparedness: Be familiar with emergency procedures in order to respond effectively in the case of an emergency.
8. Professional Development: Actively participate in professional development and training opportunities that ensure compliance with Head Start Performance Standards and Child Day Care Licensing Regulations.
9. Perform Other Duties as Assigned.

Our CORE Values at Work

1. Accountability: The Teacher Assistant demonstrates accountability by following the classroom schedule and ensuring that transitions between activities happen smoothly. This helps maintain a structured and predictable environment, which is crucial for young children’s sense of security and learning.
2. Communication: The Teacher Assistant utilizes open, clear, and respectful communication with children, families, staff, and community partners.
3. Compassion: When challenges arise, the Teacher Assistant will approach these situations with empathy, seeking to understand the root causes and working collaboratively to find solutions.
4. Empowerment: The Teacher Assistant will empower families in their role as the first and most important teachers in their children’s life.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in early childhood education or child development, a Preschool or Birth to 5 Child Development Associate (CDA) or an associate degree in related field with 12 semester hours in early childhood education or child development.
• Ability to communicate effectively and positively and work collaboratively with staff, families, agency representatives, service providers, and community organizations in a respectful, professional, and non-judgmental manner.
• Understanding of mandated reporting requirements, including the ability to recognize, document, and report suspected child abuse or neglect in accordance with state law and program procedures.
• Must successfully complete all required state and federal background clearances.

Work Environment

This position operates primarily within Head Start and Early Head Start classroom settings. This role requires regular interaction with children, families, staff, and community partners in a fast-paced early childhood