Teacher Assistant

General Responsibilities:

• Attend regularly scheduled center staff meetings, CEDA meetings and trainings
• Help teacher maintain a safe and healthy environment that follows the Head Start Performance Standards and the Teacher Assistant job targets
• Help teacher arrange physical space to encourage independence
• Help teacher arrange physical space into learning centers
• Direct specific activities in the classroom and outside as assigned by the teacher
• Help the teacher to prepare materials to be used in the daily program
• Help the teacher to provide smooth routines such as:  hand washing, toileting, greeting, tooth brushing, etc.
• Eat with the children and provide appropriate discussion for meal times
• Help ensure that all documentation and individualization takes place in a timely manner
• Complete observation, individual child assessments, and child development plans
• Help to prepare classroom lesson plans in advance
• Help to maintain accurate daily attendance and food count
• Help provide a balance curriculum that encourages social and cultural awareness, exploration, predicting and testing behaviors, choices of learning center activities, large and small group activities and individual activities, language development, cognitive development, and fine and gross motor activities 
• Work as a member of the classroom team
• Use written systems to share responsibilities
• Attend daily team meetings
• Share information
• Accept responsibility for managing the classroom when the teacher is absent from the room
• Interact with children and adults in a positive manner
• Help plan activities and methods for keeping parents interested and involved in their child's development
• Participate in home visits and parent/teacher conferences
• Evaluate the daily program with the teacher as it relates to the needs of the child
• Help with the clean up and care of room and classroom equipment
• Work cooperatively with teacher and family support team to maintain good parent involvement

Qualifications:

• 30 college credit hours, with 6 credit hours being in early childhood
• State of Illinois Paraprofessional Letter of Approval or State of Illinois teaching certificate
• Early childhood classroom experience
• A general knowledge of growth patterns and a sensitivity to the needs of young children and their parents
• Appropriate judgment in the areas of child supervision and safety, and parent relations
• Accuracy in the assessment of children's development and children's needs
• Ability to communicate with children, parents, and local administrative staff, grantee staff, and especially the assistant teacher, with a special sensitivity to the issues affecting high-risk population
• Good communication (verbal and written) skills
  

Compensation and Benefits:
Based upon Child Care Professional Collective Bargaining Agreement

8 hours/day

182 work days/year

Benefits include:

• Medical and dental insurance
• Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund pension plan
• Life Insurance
• Long term disability
• Flexible benefits plan
• Sick days
• Personal days
• Direct deposit
• Employee assistance program 

Application Procedure:
Apply online at www.district65.net

Selection Procedure:
Qualified selected candidates will be notified to schedule an interview