Assistant Teacher - Palm Beach Preschool : Job Details

Summary/ObjectiveThe objective of an Assistant Teacher/ Floater is to assist the lead teacher with providing each child with a developmentally and academically enriching learning experience in a safe, nurturing environment while striving to meet the company's vision, and mission. The Assistant Teacher/ Floater models technical excellence by providing high quality childcare and learning, while facilitating positive social and intellectual experiences.Essential FunctionsReasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Educational

Be familiar with and assist the lead teacher with following written meaningful lesson plans according to the center's curriculum

Plans for, prepares for (by gathering materials, books, toys, charts, etc), and implements lesson plans

Teaches Language/ Communication skills, Social/Emotional skills, Cognitive Skills and Fine/Gross Motor skills per curriculum guidelines

Understands the developmental guidelines of the age of the children with which they work

Provides all lessons from the lesson plan in a fun, & child inviting manner

Observes and documents children's behavior and curricular achievements

Assists with assessments on the children, according to curriculum guide

Demonstrates an understanding of the developmental guidelines for the age of the children taught

Keeps a clean, neat and attractive classroom, having themes/seasonal artwork hanging

Effectively use the center's behavior management philosophy and discipline policy

Parents/Families

Greets parents in a friendly and upbeat manner upon arrival and departure

Assists lead teacher with writing daily notes for children to take home regarding the child's day, focusing on the positive things the child did for the day

Informs families of upcoming events, participates in parent conferences, keeps parents updated on their children's progress

Maintains confidentiality

Accepts and defends diversity among children, parents, and staff

Licensing

Becoming aware of and following ALL licensing rules and regulations

Meals/Nutrition/Food Safety

Serving children meals at designated mealtimes per USDA Child Care Food Program guidelines

Assuring all children have washed their hands appropriately prior to meals

Follow sanitary procedures, being aware of food allergies for the children whom you are serving food to and restricting the foods for the children with the allergies,

Encouraging children to eat healthy and to try a variety of foods that have been offered to them

Encouraging developmental self-help skills related to feeding

Respecting the rate of which a child eats

Encouraging parents to bring in healthy foods for their child if they choose not to eat food provided by our center

Playground

Keep children in your line of sight and hearing at all times

Continuously rotate on playground looking in hard to see areas to ensure child safety

Keep away from other staff members on the playground to ensure wide range supervision

Continuously teach children how to use equipment properly and review playground rules

Permit only one child at the water fountain at a time

Participate in gross motor activities for the children to do on the playground

Correct the children's inappropriate and unsafe behavior and teach them the correct safe way

Guard the gate (one person only) to ensure the safety of the children

Greeting parents at pick up and documenting the child's departure time.

Health/Safety

Supervising children indoors and outdoors, ensuring they are always within you line of site and hearing.

Supervising children in potty area

Changing diapers per the diaper changing procedure

Sanitizing diaper changing table and toilets after each use

Using Universal Precautions to deal with all bodily fluids

Teaching children the correct way to use toys and equipment for their safety and purpose of learning

Making sure basic needs of the children have been met (clean face/hands/clothes, tied shoes, wipe noses, appropriate dress for weather conditions, providing water for drinking throughout the day in addition to mealtimes, etc.)

Informing administration of hazards, correcting/removing any hazards that you are capable of removing

Following all Health Department Rules and Regulations and Office of Early Learning Health and Safety rules

Quickly attending to a hurt child, writing accident/incident/observation notes on children per our policy guidelines, informing administration immediately of any accident/incident/observation

Inform administration of suspicious abuse, inform administration of sick children

Completing attendance per center's policy

Complete diaper logs per center's policy

Knowing how many children you have at all times

Keeping all children in your line of sight and hearing

Exposures: Moderate hazards: Childhood illness, Heat/cold, Noise

Janitorial/Maintenance

Responsible for keeping any classroom used by jobholder clean and neat

Cleans and sanitizes bathroom sinks, floors and toilet according to our cleaning procedures or when soiled

Mops/sweeps/vacuums at least daily or when soiled

Dusts shelves, windowsills, chairs rails, fans, air vents at least weekly

Keeps children's cubbies neat with folded sheets, blankets and clothing.

Keeps all toys with organized with a label attached to the shelf and bin (see labeling procedure)

Follows the classroom cleaning log and initial when you complete the task.

Assists with the facility's clean-up and maintenance as assigned, both interior and exterior

Other

Responsible for following the lead teacher's directions on daily duties and curriculum implementation, providing the directions are within the company's policies

Primarily there to support the Lead teacher and are the first responders to diapering, toileting, and clean-up.

Assistant teacher/floater may be asked to take part in food serving, answering phones, and other duties as assigned.

Interpersonal Skills

Assistant teachers are required to maintain professional, courteous relationships with parents, co-workers, and children based around our school wide core values. Outside personal contact with families is prohibited as is social media contact, babysitting for families, and exchange of personal phone number. If a personal relationship existed with a family member prior to employment or enrollment, staff must immediately inform administration of the relationship

Work EnvironmentThis job operates in an indoor and outdoor childcare facility environment. The position will interact with children, daily. The jobholder will be exposed to such hazards as childhood illnesses, heat/cold, noise, physical harm from young children and bodily fluids. Physical DemandsThe jobholder is regularly required to:

Lift and hold children weighing 50 pounds or less several times a day and within the same hour

Stand and walk for periods of at least 30 minutes

Move quickly, engaging the whole body through sitting to play with children, reaching, kneeling, squatting, pulling and repetitive motions

Visually and Auditorily scanning the environment to continuously supervise the children appropriately

Push and pull things such as a vacuum cleaner or children on a swing,

Using fingers for small tasks such as tying shoes, zippering, snapping, folding, twisting items like bottle caps, and scooping.

Clearly see and hear children. Children must always be in a teacher's line of sight and hearing.

Tolerate loud higher pitched noises, such as crying children, for several hours per day

Tolerate working indoors with air conditioning, and outdoors in the Florida heat/sun.

Mental DemandsThe jobholder is regularly required to:

Be alert to persons, places, times, and events.

Make logical decisions using good judgement.

Must be willing and able to learn and implement new techniques that are adopted by the company.

Be able to follow verbal and written directions given by the lead teacher or administrator and also read and carry out the lead teacher's lesson plan in her absence

Follow the classroom schedule

Supervise children

Multitask, make quick decisions, and problem solve.

Communicate appropriately and professionally with parents, children, and staff.

Interpret children's feeling as well as respond to them sympathetically in a quick time frame, judge dangerous and safe situations.

Must be able to be calm and remain calm in high stress situations, including but not limited to children misbehaving, and emergencies.

Professional DemandsThe jobholder is regularly required to:

Judge and professionally use nonverbal/verbal language skills when speaking with parents and children

Continue their education and maintain current certifications,

Follow guidelines of the school

Refrain from personal contact with families including but not limited to social media, personal phone numbers, emails, and personal socialization

Interpersonal DemandsThe jobholder is regularly required to:

Show warmth, compassion, empathy, and love to the children,

Use comforting techniques to calm the children such as rubbing backs, hugs, etc.

Communicate professionally effectively, both verbally and written, with parents, children, staff, and administration using correct grammar and spelling

Discipline children in a non-punitive way following the center's discipline guidelines

Comfort all crying children

Be a team player with all staff

Interact and work cooperatively with children, parents, and staff

Position Type/Expected Hours of WorkThis is a full-time, non-exempt status position. The hours of work and days are generally Monday through Friday, between the hours of 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Overtime hours or different hours or days of work may be required at management's discretion. Required Education and Experience

High School Diploma/GED

Completion of the DCF 45 hours

A valid Florida Staff Credential or Exemption(preferred)

VPK Teachers are required to have additional VPK trainings

Additional Eligibility QualificationsTraining requirements are subject to revisions based upon revised policies of our ECE partners. Below is an outline of expectations, however each entity may make unannounced revisions to their requirements. Additionally, our school is affiliated with several system partners, and may join into pilot programs which may require additional professional development. Staff are expected to partake in the required trainings set forth by our system partners. Most training are paid for via the SEEK scholarship.

• First Aid/CPR: All staff is required to maintain current certification
• County/State: 10 approved in-service hours/1.0CEUs between July 1st-June 30th
• APPLE: 24 in-service or equivalent by June 30: Confirm with director annually
• VPK: subject to yearly revisions on training requirements; confirm with director annually
• Gold trainings
• Conscious Discipline
• CLASS Training
• Review Purposes: See Annual Review-Subject to change yearly
• Total Hours of Annual Training: Varies upon previous professional development achievements.

Work Authorization/Security ClearanceMust be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.EEO StatementPalm Beach Preschool provides equal employment opportunities and does not make employment decisions on the basis of any protected characteristic, including, veteran or active military status, genetic information, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, or marital status. Other DutiesPlease note this job description is intended to describe the general nature and work performed by employees, but is not a complete list of activities, duties or responsibilities required of personnel. Furthermore, other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at the discretion of the employer. Changes to essential job functions will be communicated with the jobholder, typically through a revised job description. Employment RelationshipPlease note that this job description is not a contract and does not create any obligations on the part of the company. Employment with PB Schools is and shall remain at-will.