Early Childhood Specialist en EASTER SEALS NORTH GEORGIA

Description

SUMMARY:
The Early Childhood Specialist participates actively in the life of the center(s) forwarding best
practices and innovations to support student learning and staff professional development.

PURPOSE OF POSITION:
Children grow and learn more quickly during these first five years than at any other time in life.
This is why our work, to support each child’s learning when they are at home and once they have
transitioned to Kindergarten is so important. It takes all of us working together to lay the
foundation for children’s future success.
Under the supervision of the Director of Quality Implementation and in collaboration with the
Center Managers, the Early Childhood Specialist (ECS) supports assigned center(s), ensuring that services are developmentally appropriate and individualized according to the needs of each child and assists in ensuring compliance with agency, state, and national standards. The ECS acts as a role model with regards to teaching techniques, discipline, and working with families; identifies and provides resources; and supports the professional development of classroom staff. The ECS serves as a liaison between teaching staff and center leadership and frequently interacts with public schools, parents, and groups in other agencies, as well as the community at large.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (include, but are not limited to):

Program Implementation

* Provides on-site consultation and support to Center Manager (CM), Family Support
   Advocates (FSA), parents, and teaching staff as it relates to early education services for
   all children in the ESNG Early Education and Care Program.
* Works with individuals and teams to improve the quality of effective teaching practices
   and capacity to work with parents.
* Understands and has strong working knowledge of Creative Curriculum, CLASS,
   Teaching Strategies Gold, ASQ/ASQ; SE, Second Step, and The Pyramid Model.
* Conducts classroom observations routinely to support and ensure curriculum
   implementation and developmentally appropriate practice; models for and coaches
   staff on best practices, regularly encouraging staff to improve the quality of their work
   through day-to-day interactions.
* Helps source, track, and maintain educational toolbox (resources, information, etc.)
   for curriculum integration and execution.
* Reviews and monitors lesson plans and provides appropriate feedback, effectively
   articulating to teachers the direct link between planning, individualization, observation,
   and assessment.
* Reviews and monitors education folders; follows up with appropriate staff when
   incomplete.
* Creates Teaching Strategies Gold accounts; reviews documentation.
* Adds children to ASQ online; ensures the timely completion of screening and referral,
   of children; follows up on evaluation and treatment of children with disabilities and/or
   mental health needs.
* Solicits parental input/observation of their children and shares staff observations of
   children with parents; discusses children's development and any suggestions/concerns
   related to children's developmental needs.
* Collaborates with community organizations including but not limited to the Local
   Education Agency (LEA) to ensure that recruitment efforts include children with
   disabilities and other special needs.
* Participates in LEA eligibility and tracking meetings to ensure the smooth delivery of
   services.
* Communicates with Babies Can’t Wait (BCW); monitors and tracks referral process and
   status.
* Checks classroom inventories and assists Center Director in ordering appropriate
   materials.
* Seeks out community resources that enhance services for children.
* Provides support to assure consistency between sites.

Staff Engagement & Development
* Promotes a learning culture and reflective practice with teaching staff.
* Collaborates with teaching staff to define goals, measure success, and provide feedback
   for improvement, providing transparent communication to staff with a culture of open
   communication; implements Practice-Based Coaching to support teachers’ use of
   effective teaching practices that lead to positive outcomes for children.
* Participates in the planning and implementation of annual and ongoing training, including
   but not limited to: pre-service, PD days, and New Teacher Institute (NTI).
* Participates in the planning and implementation of annual and ongoing parent and foster
   grandparent training.
* Participates in training and professional development opportunities as directed to
   enhance content area resourcefulness and service delivery.

Operational Management
* Schedules, co-facilitates, and/or participates in a variety of meetings, including but not
   limited to: Agency meetings, Center team meetings, Early Childhood Specialist team
   meetings, FSA meetings, IST meetings, IFSP/IEP meetings, EHS transition meetings,
   Nap Chats, and Parent meetings.
* Completes monthly center visit reports; shares with Center Manager and DQI.
* Using Child Plus, enters, analyzes, and utilizes data to make decisions and support
   program outcomes; generates monthly report to DQI communicating progress on
   established goals and objectives.
* Oversees Teaching Strategies Gold teacher inter-rater reliability.
* Conducts CLASS observations; maintains reliability in the tool.
* Communicates, both vertically and horizontally, in a timely matter on important and
   relevant matters.
* Coordinates projects with other Early Childhood Specialists, FSAs, and Center
   Managers; collaborate with Early Childhood Mental Health Specialists.
* Contributes to updates of content area policies and procedures.
* Maintains professionalism and confidentiality.

OTHER DUTIES:
Performs other duties as assigned by management.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
A Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education and/or Special Education or related area, and
three (3) years of experience in inclusive early education settings.   A Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education is preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
* Must possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the assigned functions
   responsibly.
* Must possess effective verbal and written communications skills.
* Must possess ability to manage time effectively.
* Must possess the ability to establish working relationships within the community.
* Must possess the knowledge of the fundamentals of early childhood development, curriculum
   development and implementation, and classroom management.
* Must possess the ability to operate a business computer.
* Must possess the ability to travel to all Easter Seals Child Development Centers

PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS
* The ability to stand for sustained periods of time.
* The ability to sit for sustained periods of time.
* The ability to walk for sustained periods of time including responding quickly to safety concerns.                                                       
* The ability to use hands and fingers to feel, operate a computer, and perform picking, pinching
   and whole hand or arm handling tasks.
* The ability to climb stairs.
* The ability to stoop, kneel, crouch, sit on the floor, or crawl as needed when working with
   small children on their level.
* The ability to reach, extending arms in any direction.
* The ability to push or pull objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
* The ability to lift and carry a child up to age 5
* The ability to talk in order to accurately exchange information.
* The ability to hear in order to accurately exchange information.
* The ability to see clearly in order to maintain child safety and supervision, use a computer, and
   for extensive reading and writing.
* The ability to work in both indoor conditions and outdoor conditions.

ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Strategic, forward-thinking, accountable, organized, steeped in early education and care best-
practices, customer-oriented, good listener, constant learner, professional, diligent, dedicated.