ECEAP Assistant Teacher

BENEFITS OF BEING A YWCA SPOKANE TEAM MEMBER -

Compensation for this role:

Pay Range: $19.25-$23.10 per hour, depending upon experience

Additional Pay Opportunity:

• Bilingual Pay Differential – additional $3 per hour pay premium for employees who utilize a qualifying second language in the workplace, applicable to all hours worked.

Classroom location: Airway Heights

Position Status: Full-time, hourly, non-exempt

Schedule: 40 hours per week, 41 weeks per year, evenings, weekends, and extended hours may be required.

YWCA Spokane offers a competitive benefit* package including;

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Employer Paid Life Insurance
• 11 Paid Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Time Off (accessible at time of hire)
• Employer funded retirement plan & 401K options
• Ongoing training and development
• 50% off YMCA Membership
• Flexible Spending & Dependent Care Account Options

• Benefit eligibility dependent upon employment status

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR –

Under the general direction of the Lead Teacher, the Assistant Teacher is responsible for supporting and implementing quality program activities. The Assistant Teacher assists with the implementation of the educational curriculum that meets the ECEAP Performance Standards and the requirements of daily operations of a preschool classroom in ECEAP. The Assistant Teacher may guide children for specified periods of time in the absence of the Lead Teacher. The Assistant Teacher participates as a team member of the direct service team, in partnership with parents to provide integrated services to children and their families.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING –

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The essential functions of the position include but are not limited to the following:

Classroom and Administrative Support

• Assisting the Lead Teacher in the planning of developmentally appropriate curriculum for preschool aged children including; the preparation of lesson plans for classroom activities, ongoing evaluation, and documentation of progress made by the children in the classroom.
• Assisting with storage and maintenance of educational equipment, supplies, materials, classroom safety, and maintenance.
• Assisting in maintaining required documentation for individual child files and electronic databases, including ongoing documentation of communication with families, referrals, and referral follow-ups.
• Participating in the development of annual and/or monthly required reports designed to monitor attendance, meal count, minor incident/accident reports, medical emergency reports, etc.
• Performing any other related duties as required.

Child Engagement and Development

• Actively participating in age-appropriate interactions and classroom activities such as free play, mealtime, floor time, and classroom activities.
• Assisting in ongoing individualized educational goals for all enrolled children.
• Enhancing physical and intellectual competencies in children by promoting physical, cognitive, language, and creative skills, including those children who require special services.
• Assisting in administering educational screenings to identify and refer children with potentially high risks of health, disability, or behavioral concerns.

Emotional and Trauma-Informed Support

• Providing emotional support that is trauma-informed, engaging, responsive, attentive, consistent, nurturing, supportive, and culturally sensitive to all children.

Program Coordination and Compliance

• Supporting communication with parents and actively involve them in all aspects of program activities, through home visit conferences, orientation, field trips, classroom involvement, and maintaining a minimum of three hours of parent contact.
• Attending and supporting home visit conferences; co-facilitating case management with the assigned direct service team.
• Working with a direct service team and local home schools for children during special needs services and transitions to kindergarten.
• Supporting a safe and healthy learning environment for children by understanding and following the Department of Early Learning (DEL) Performance Standards regarding instruction practice, health and safety, classroom requirements, and hours of service.
• Maintaining confidentiality of program and client-related information at all times.
• Maintaining a commitment to professionalism and continue your own professional development based on early childhood theories and practices.
• Modeling professional decorum and mutual respect in all interactions.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE POSITION -

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education/Experience:

• An Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE) or an Associate’s Degree with 30 ECE is required.
• Experience teaching preschool-age children (3-5 years of age); experience in ECEAP, Head Start preferred and/ or working with a low-income or high-risk population preferred.
• Extensive knowledge and understanding of child development theories and practices including child development, developmentally appropriate practices, observations, and ongoing assessment, individually planning, special services, referral, developing and maintaining a classroom environment and routines and child management.

Other Requirements:

• Must maintain 15 hours of ongoing training annually; 10 hours must be STARS hours training.
• Ability to pass a tuberculosis (TB) test and background check.
• Ability to manage time efficiently and demonstrate reliability.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends during the school year.

Competencies:

• Cultural Humility - Demonstrate a commitment to self-reflection, ongoing learning and respectful engagement with diverse cultural perspectives, emphasizing an awareness of the impact of power dynamics and a willingness to learn from and address them.
• Commitment to Equity and Inclusion - Strive to create fair and just conditions for all, while recognizing systemic inequities. Foster a sense of belonging that promotes diversity, work to address barriers, and ensure that everyone has access to the same opportunities and resources regardless of their background or identity.
• Trauma-Informed Practice - Create environments and approaches that acknowledge the prevalence and impact of trauma, prioritize safety, and foster healing and resilience. Understand, recognize, and respond to the effects of trauma while actively working to avoid re-traumatization.
• Fostering an Empowering Environment - Encourage an atmosphere where individuals feel valued, supported, capable, and resourceful.
• Professional Conduct -Consistently act in a manner that is honest, fair, and respectful while taking responsibility for one’s actions and decisions. Maintain integrity and build trust while adhering to the agency's code of ethics and professional guidelines.
• Adaptability and Resilience - Demonstrate openness and flexibility to work with changing circumstances and unexpected challenges. Adapt to the situation at hand by contributing solution-oriented ideas while advocating for the support needed to reset and achieve set goals.
• Effective Communication - Communicate clearly, accurately, and in ways that are understood by the intended audience. Actively listen and respond in a constructive, open-minded, and empathetic manner that ensures mutual understanding and respect.
• Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking - Help identify potential solutions to challenges proactively. Contribute ideas, perspectives, and strategies that contribute toward informed decisions that align with the agency’s mission and values while helping to achieve set goals.
• Human-Centered Approach - Prioritize providing compassionate, respectful service that aims to create solutions that are not only functional and effective but also meaningful and engaging for clients, staff, and our community.
• Effective Interpersonal Skills - Be supportive, kind, empathetic, and patient with colleagues, administrators, clients, and community partners. Contribute toward a climate of mutual respect and appreciation.
• Independent Work Efficiency - Able to work independently in an efficient and productive manner.
• Reliability and Continuous Improvement - Demonstrate reliability and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Demonstrates Understanding and Acceptance of Mission, Values, Goals, and Objectives - Clearly understand and actively support the mission, values, goals, and objectives of YWCA and its programs.

YWCA Spokane values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages communities of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, foreign-born residents, veterans, survivors of domestic violence, and people with lived experience to apply.