Preschool Teacher (Ages 3-5, 9 Month Employee)

Preschool Teacher (3-5 years)

Classroom:  Butterfly

Designed for Preschoolers ages 3-5 years)

Supervised by: Education Supervisor

Program Service Type: Mid Aug-early June (9 month Employee), 40 Hours/Week

FLSA: Non-Exempt

Supervises: N/A

Updated/Revised Date: August 2025

Position Purpose: To plan, coordinate and implement a Preschool (ages 3 to 5 years) classroom that will provide children and families with comprehensive quality services that meet the needs of families. To provide a setting for children that is successful, safe and supervised educational, while they are at TCLC (classroom, outdoor play area, and field trips). Promote the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of all children. Encourage parent involvement in all aspects, develop individual goals for children, provide on-going assessment of progress and facilitate transitions.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Classroom Activity (Designed for Preschoolers aged 3-5 years old)

• Develop and utilize creative curriculum, which reflect mandated elements and components, parental and cultural influences, and promote the social, emotional, physical and cognitive development of children.
• Establish weekly lesson plans that promote individual and group educational plans and include other Head start components.
• Ensure that classroom activities are developmentally appropriate and carried out according to Head Start and The Children's Learning Center program philosophy, policies and procedures.
• Demonstrate realistic expectations for behavior based on the age, abilities, and needs of the children.
• Prepare classroom materials to support developmentally appropriate curriculum plans; create and change learning centers as needed.
• Follow a consistent schedule, which includes small and large group experiences, choice time, music and movement, large and small motor activities, skill development, meals, and effective transitions between activities. Ensure that all classroom activities are carried out daily.
• Encourage experimentation, exploration, problem solving, cooperation, socialization, and choice making; ask open-ended questions and listen respectfully to the answers.
• Observe, record, and evaluate student’s activities, growth, and behaviors to individualize curriculum goals, or add extra service to meet the needs of the students and families. Ensure the observations are quality and without judgment.
• Always supervise and monitor children.
• Participate in regularly scheduled team meetings to plan for and deliver collaborative services across all components.
• Provide a program that meets the individual needs of children and families according to their interests, abilities, individual traits and development.
• Coordinate with special needs staff in the classroom when indicated, developing a collaborative approach that benefits all children in the classroom.
• Transmit information and make referrals to staff members as appropriate.
• Maintain an approach to guidance within the framework of Head Start and TCLC policy to ensure that children are taught, disciplined, and supervised in a consistent manner.

Individualization (Designed for Preschoolers aged 3-5 years old)

• Adapt curriculum to address and meet individual goals for children as identified in their individualized education plans.
• Assess individual and group needs, attending to special needs, specific interests, strengths and concerns.
• Provide a program that meets the individual needs of children and families according to their interests, abilities, individual traits and development.
• Establish an environment which will stimulate a desire for learning, independence and self-esteem of the children that will meet the needs of children.
• With parents, assess each child's developmental needs and write goals and related objectives with Comprehensive Staffing Team two times per year.

Parent Involvement & Community Partnerships (Designed for Preschoolers aged 3-5 years old)

• Communicate respectfully and regularly with parents, regarding each child's progress.
• Provide an atmosphere that promotes and reinforces parental involvement in the classroom.
• Conduct the required parent/teacher conferences and home visits for the purpose of assessment and support, and to share information on classroom progress and educational strategies at school and at home.
• Develop, with the parent, individualized plans for each home visit.
• Help plan and conduct regular parent meetings with other staff members.
• Work with appropriate agencies in developing specialized planning for children and families as needed.
• Encourage parents to attend Parent Education and Community Involvement programs available through TCLC and other community agencies.
• Encourage parents to participate in curriculum planning and program development.

Data, Monitoring, Recording and Tracking (Designed for Preschoolers aged 3-5 years old)

• Document all significant classroom issues, parent contacts and home visits in Child Plus and/or child file.
• Support Family Service staff in documentation regarding changes or concerns with families and children at scheduled staffing’s or as need to support the family.
• Observe, compare, and monitor behaviors, records and data to determine compliance with standards.
• Meet all state and school deadlines.

General Staff Responsibilities

• Fulfill role as mandated reporter as stated in Child Abuse and Neglect Mandatory Reporting Policy.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding staff and family information.
• Maintain objectives and professional standards.
• Demonstrate commitment to mission, values, and policies in the performance of daily duties.
• Familiarity with employment policies, performance standards, work plan and objectives of the center.
• Know and comply with certifications rules for Head Start, DELC, and TCLC.
• Maintain congenial and respectful relations with staff, children, families and community. Relate to children with courtesy, respect, acceptance, and patience. Recognize and respect the uniqueness, culture, and potential of all children and families.
• Communicate effectively with staff and volunteers.
• Maintain positive communication with parents.
• Encourage parents to attend monthly parent meetings and activities.
• Attending meetings, training courses and appropriate professional development activities as assigned to improve self-skills and education. Attend/ earn twenty hours of professional development yearly.
• Attend monthly parent meetings and center activities, contributing relevant information to your component area.
• Staff are required to attend open house, winter festival, and at least one parent night. TCLC reserves the right to change this according to the needs of the school.
• Be present at work and have regular attendance to provide consistency of services.
• Be a contributory team member in a positive/productive manner.
• Delegate and assign tasks as described in the job descriptions and center policies.
• Keep current and accurate records.
• Perform any other work-related duties as requested by your supervisor.
• Utilize the teacher, other staff, and resource library for technical assistance.
• Respond appropriately to crisis or emergency situations as designated by policies and procedures.
• Assist team members, parents, and volunteers in maintaining an orderly, safe, and attractive center.
• Assure general maintenance and security of facility and assist with inventory of equipment and supplies.
• Delegate work and train support staff on classroom procedures

Knowledge/Skills/Experience/Documentation Required

Required Qualifications

• Minimum educational requirement of a CDA or Step 7+ on the Oregon Registry Online. Other options that would be considered are an associate or bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or in a related field that includes 6 classes focusing on early childhood education/development. Diploma will be required to validate Early Childhood Education degree or transcripts to validate 6 related classes if related Degree.
• Employment is conditional pending immediate and continued enrollment in Child Care Division - Criminal History Registry.
• Employment is conditional pending current physical examination and TB screening documentation upon hire

Preferred Requirements

• Previous Head Start and/or Early Head Start experience.
• Previous experience (2 years) in classrooms with children aged 3- 5 years.
• Ability to adapt curriculum to meet the needs of all children including at risk, special needs, gifted, and culturally diverse populations.
• Community service experience.
• Home Visit experience.
• Supervisory and case management experience.
• Keyboarding skills, computer literacy and familiarity with various applications such as databases, word processing, e-mail and Internet.
• Bilingual English and knowledge of Spanish.

Other Requirements

• Project a professional work image in both dress and manner.
• Ability to apply Early Childhood Development theory in daily classroom activities and adapt to the individual needs of children.
• Ability to effectively use a positive approach with staff and low-income and/or high-risk families.
• Ability to function effectively in cross-cultural situations.
• Ability to understand and practice warmth, empathy, and genuineness with others.
• Ability to set and maintain professional boundaries with families.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Instructs others in a classroom setting.
• Ability to drive a private or center vehicle; must possess a valid driver's license and personal automobile.
• Reliable transportation.
• Within 30 days of employment Pediatric CPR & First Aid must be certified and have a current Food Handler's Card.
• Comprehend, analyze, and make inferences and references from written material.
• Produce written documentation with clearly organized thoughts using proper sentence construction, punctuation and grammar.
• Staff can be asked at any point to switch rooms, teams, shifts, and programs to accommodate the needs of the school, children, and families.
• Staff can be asked at any point to cover different rooms or shifts at any point to accommodate the needs of the school.

Physical/Mental Abilities and Processes Requirements

• Frequent significant decisions to assure developmental progress of children.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise pre-school children and ensure a safe learning environment including the ability to monitor and respond to events always going on in classroom, outdoor play areas and on field trips. This includes the physical ability to move quickly to respond to children who are very active and may need restraint or redirection to ensure their safety or the safety of others in the environment.
• Sit in a child-sized chair, daily kneeling, stooping, bending, and sitting on the floor to attend to children's needs.
• Work with children requires the ability to walk or run quickly; walk over rough or uneven ground, and exposure to weather etc.
• Lift and move heavy and/or bulky objects or children weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Set up a classroom, which requires moving tables, chairs, shelves etc.
• Maintain the safety of the environment and children through visual, auditory and smelling senses.
• Perform occasional cleaning of classroom, which may require the use of broom, mop, and carpet sweeper, cleaning fluids and sanitizing agents.