Curriculum & Early Learning Specialist

The Curriculum & Environments Specialist will need to perform the following the following primary responsibilities to achieve the key outcomes listed above successfully:

Planning:

• Work collaboratively with the Director of Early Childhood Development & Health, Mentor Coaches and Zone Managers to establish and implement the Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers & Two’s, The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, Frog Street Curriculum and Partner for Health Baby EHS Curriculum, including ensuring compliance with OCC, MSDE, state and federal program requirements and the mission of Y Head Start.
• Implement policies and procedures for the education portion of the program with parents, Y associates, governance and leadership supporting the effective implementation of the education content area.
• Collaborate with the Early Intervention Specialist, Mental Health Clinicians, Nutritionist/Registered Dietitian and Special Education Consultants to develop and oversee the curriculum component of classrooms and home learning.
• Provide guidance, to Zone Managers and key staff, in classroom design and early learning environments.
• Plan and coordinate orders and delivery of educational supplies, equipment, field trip transportation and scheduling field trip/field trip logistics.
• Collaborate and plan with Zone Managers to provide leadership and guidance for all teaching associates, including holding ongoing curriculum collaboration meetings to provide consultation and guidance on curriculum implementation in the classroom.
• Participate in Continuous Quality Improvement - Program Planning meetings.
• Work with Teachers and Assistant Teachers to ensures the ongoing curriculum includes:
  • goals for children’s development and learning;
  • the experiences through which children will achieve these goals;
  • what staff and parents can do to help children achieve these goals;
  • the materials needed to support the implementation of the curriculum towards achieving the stated goals.

Program Implementation:

• Work with Mentor Coaches and Zone Managers to supervise curriculum implementation ensuring that associates:
  • Provide developmentally and linguistically appropriate experiences appropriate to age, language and culture of children served
  • Provide experiential learning activities advancing the intellectual and emotional competence of children.
  • Provide a print rich environment in which children develop literacy, numeracy and social skills using increasingly complex language and problem solving abilities.
  • Provide positive guidance and discipline supporting children as they acquire readiness skills for kindergarten and beyond.
  • Provide children with a consistent classroom routine.
  • Along with Early Intervention Specialist, integrate Individual Education Plans (IEPs/IFSPs) for children with disabilities, consult with and refer teachers to Special Education Consultant on specific implementation strategies for individual children.
  • Assess children on an ongoing basis and assist with assessment when needed.
  • Gather and organize anecdotal notes into the required domains and enter into the assessment software.
• Assist teaching associates in understanding and interpreting child observation data and establishing appropriate individual child goals based on knowledge of child development.
• Ensure the completion of developmental screening on each child within 45 days of enrollment.
• Ensure that classrooms, gym and outdoor areas are supplied with developmentally appropriate materials.
• Oversee classroom observations and coaching cycles to ensure target areas are met.

Family Partnerships:

• Ensure parents are integrally involved in developing the program’s curriculum and approach to child development and education through regular attendance at Policy Council, Parent Committee and School Readiness Advisory Committee.
• Work with Parent Engagement Coordinator to ensure home learning alignment with Family goals setting.
• Share assessment results with staff that helps plan home learning activities, family nights, and educational activities and provide opportunities for families to volunteer and attend trainings.
• Coordinate training for parents and community members wanting to volunteer in the classroom.

Communication and Service Coordination:

• Participate in regular team meetings and participate in case conferences, as necessary, to ensure service coordination across Head Start program.
• Attend local, state and regional initiatives to represent Y Head Start and to develop professionally.
• Direct children’s developmental concerns to appropriate specialist.
• Work closely with Disabilities Coordinator, Center Manager, Y associates, parents and consultants to support arrangements for identification, referral, and evaluation of children with suspected disabilities. Upon classification, share responsibility with disabilities specialist to ensure that goals of the IEP are embedded in the classroom lesson plan.
• Communicate effectively in written or verbal format to groups of all sizes and individuals.
• Develop a working knowledge of local community resources related to education and transition.
• Actively participate in Head Start community, including staff meetings, mandated trainings, committee meetings, and other program-wide functions as needed, including some evening activities.
• Collaborate with Master Teachers to ensure high quality curriculum, instruction and print-rich/literacy environments in the classrooms.

Recordkeeping, Reporting & Data Outcomes:

• Maintain filing, tracking and documentation systems for the early childhood education service area and ensure confidentiality of child and family records.
• Maintain a system for managing and coordinating field trips and ordering classroom equipment supplies.
• Ensure that child and classroom data are maintained for individual and program planning.
• Maintain a tracking system for program materials and supplies that is updated annually.
• Ensure teachers understand, generate and document in-kind contributions from parents and others and other allowable costs applied toward the non-federal share requirement
• Understand, generate and document in-kind and other allowable costs applied toward the non-federal share requirement.

Ongoing Monitoring & Continuous Quality Improvement:

• Track child outcomes and program quality assessment results on a center-wide basis, analyze data and make program development recommendations to Early Childhood Development Director.
• Assist in completing annual service plan for area of responsibility, administer and implement system of continuous monitoring and evaluation of activities.
• Collaborate on strategies for ongoing monitoring and annual self-assessment for the health, safety, education and security of children and families and to oversee ongoing implementation of the Performance Standards and other federal regulations.
• Collaborate and plan (ongoing) with Zone Managers, Mentor Coaches and Director of Early Childhood Development to ensure optimal job performance and supervision of all teaching associates

Human Resources:

• Provide input, based on classroom observation documentation, to Zone Managers during quarterly, mid/annual performance reviews, as needed.
• Coordinate with the Mentor Coaches, Mental Health Clinicians, Special Education Consultants to facilitate and organize appropriate Y associate trainings and education.
• Assist the Director of Early Childhood Development in the development and administration of the Training and Technical Assistance Budget.
• Track ongoing coursework and continuing education for all teaching associates, including MSDE credentials.
• Work with Mentor Coaches and Director of Early Childhood Development & Health to develop, conduct or arrange training as needed, including pre-service training, Ongoing training, and additional training for parents, volunteers, and others.
• Assist with the recruitment, hiring, and training of Mentor Coaches and all teaching associates.
• Devise work methods and procedures that support improvements in existing work practices; supporting the Zone Manager, supporting the Mentor Coaches and Teachers and Assistant Teachers.
• Plan and adjust work operations to meet changing or emergent program requirements within available resources and with minimum sacrifice to quantity or quality of work.
• Meet at least once per quarter with associates to monitor and provide ongoing verbal and written feedback, consistent with their individual development plans for performance improvement, and adherence to Head Start performance standards as well as to plan and direct work. In addition to completing 1 mid-year evaluation and 1 annual.

Program Governance and Leadership:

• Work to ensure annual approval of Early Childhood Education Service Area plan by Policy Council, ensuring appropriate Policy Council involvement in curriculum and assessment decisions.
• Lead for the good of the entire organization, understand the big picture and use it as framework to make decisions
• Make decisions that support program quality and maintain program accountability.
• Improve quality and effectiveness of education service area and overall organization by initiating, sponsoring and implementing organizational change and by helping others to successfully manage organizational change.
• Promote consistent exchange of information and a cooperative environment within the leadership of the program.
• Attend parent committees, Policy Council and board of director meetings as needed or requested.
• Ensure teachers and volunteers understand regulations associated with prevention of occupational disease and injury, including the exercise of universal precautions.

GENERAL STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Participate in Y associate meetings, conferences, training sessions and workshops as assigned.
• Maintain confidentiality in regards to Y associate and family information.
• Fulfill role as mandated reporter as stated in Child Abuse and Neglect Policy.
• Perform any other work-related duties as requested by your supervisor.
• Be present at work in order to provide consistency of services.
• Be a contributory team member in a positive/productive manner.
• Demonstrate commitment to the Y mission, Y core values, and Y policies in the performance of daily duties.
• Recognize that your job description is service area specific and that a successful employee upholds the overall employment standards outlined in the Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual and specifically, but not limited to: confidentiality, child abuse reporting, attendance and dependability, appropriate dress, customer service and support to all families, prudent use of program resources, and promoting and maintaining safe work environment.