Essential Job Responsibilities and Performance Indicators:

• Creates a nurturing, responsive environment that promotes positive development of social and emotional competencies.
• Observes closely and understands patterns to determine possible causes of challenging behavior and implement preventive measures to address it.
• Teach children new social and communication skills in partnership with families.
• Works with a classroom partner and families to develop individual goals for all children.
• Use observations of children and anecdotal notes to document children’s progress and individualize the curriculum.
• Visually observe and hear children from all areas of the classroom and playground at all times.
• Develop and implement lesson plans.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding staff and family information.
• Maintain a safe, healthy classroom environment appropriate for infants/toddlers.
• Participate in assigned meetings, events, and training as required.
• Other related duties as assigned.

 Qualifications / Skills and Experience: 

• Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education or an Infant and Toddler CDA preferred. 
•  Two years' experience in a preschool (infant/toddler) classroom preferred.
•  Excellent reading, writing, and typing/computer/data entry skills.
•  Ability to pass background checks and health screening.

 Professional and Ethical Standards:

•  Maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality.
• Make decisions based on support principles, theories, practices, and codes of ethics.
• Contributes positively and articulates the success and needs of the program.
• Be knowledgeable about and sensitive to an individual’s values, beliefs, traditions, cultural influences, make-up, and circumstances.
• Be open and honest in expressing concerns, ideas, and information with staff and families.
• Possess organizational and planning skills.
• Demonstrate familiarity with employment policies, performance standards, work plans, and agency goals and objectives.
• Demonstrate commitment to mission, values, and policies in performing daily duties.
• Fulfill role as mandated reporter as stated in the Child Abuse & Neglect Policy.
• Attend professional development classes and training (local, state, regional, and national conferences).

 Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here represent those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk to or hear individuals in person and over the phone.
• The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.
• Perform a physical inventory of equipment and/or supplies.
• Lift and move heavy and/or bulky objects and/or children weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Maintain a clean classroom area, which may require the use of a broom, mop, vacuum, cleaning fluids, etc.
• Ability to physically interact with children (walk and run quickly, kneel, or sit on the floor, bend, lift, walk over rough or uneven grounds, and exposure to diverse weather conditions).
• Ability to assist in setting up classrooms/office areas which require but are not limited to moving tables, chairs, shelves, etc.)
• Assist with the safety of children through the seeing, hearing, touching, and smelling senses.

·         Assist in maintaining the daily operational needs of the center. (e.g., classroom assistance and bus monitoring).

·         Assist in the direction of student arrivals and departures.

·         Provide classroom support as needed

·         Maintain accurate and current documentation of records (e.g., meal count, time and attendance, child sign-in/out sheets, in-kind, etc.)

·         Assist in maintaining the center licensing files.

·         Operate office equipment (e.g., telephone, copier, fax, laminator, etc.)

·         Communicate with staff, parents, children, volunteers, and vendors.

·         Assist in the development of the program’s written goals and objectives.

·         Other related duties as assigned.

 Qualifications / Skills and Experience:

·         Associate degree in human relations or related field preferred.

·         A minimum of three years of experience in an administrative setting, which includes working with children and families, is preferred.

·         Ability to pass background checks and health screening.

·         Possess a valid South Carolina driver’s license.

·         Working knowledge of Microsoft Office

·         Must be able to adapt quickly and positively to changing demands, stressful situations, and multiple priorities

·         Strong written and verbal communication skills.

·         Excellent critical thinking, organization, and analytical skills.

Professional and Ethical Standards:

• Maintain confidentiality following agency policy and legal requirements.
• Maintain a system to ensure that all children’s and families’ records and information are secured and kept confidential at all times.
• Attend mandatory training and meetings and seek out staff development opportunities.
• Work as a team member with all staff and maintain a positive work ethic.
• Be honest, reliable, and dependable.
• Be knowledgeable about and sensitive to an individual’s values, beliefs, traditions, cultural influences, makeup, and circumstances.
• Demonstrate familiarity with employment policies, performance standards, work plans, and agency goals and objectives.
• Demonstrate commitment to mission, values, and policies in the performance of daily duties.
• Fulfill the role as a mandated reporter as stated in the Child Abuse & Neglect Policy.
• Assist in the development of the program’s annual written goals and objectives.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear individuals in person and over the phone.
• The employee frequently must stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel, and reach with hands and arms. 
•  Lift and move heavy and/or bulky objects and/or children weighing up to 50 lbs. 
• Maintain a clean office area, which may require the use of a broom, mop, and vacuum, cleaning fluids, etc.
• Ability to physically interact with children (walk and run quickly, kneel, or sit on the floor, bend, lift, walk over rough or uneven grounds, and exposure to diverse weather conditions)
• Ability to assist in setting up classrooms/office areas, which may include, but are not limited to, moving tables, chairs, shelves, etc.)
• Assist with the safety of children through the seeing, hearing, touching, and smelling senses.