About Us
At Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency (MWVCAA), we are dedicated to empowering individuals and families to achieve their full potential. Our mission is to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, while providing essential services that foster a positive and supportive environment for all. As a leading provider of early childhood education, we are seeking an experienced Associate Preschool Teacher to join our team of passionate professionals. This is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of young children and their families, while enjoying the flexibility of a remote work environment.
Job Summary
We are seeking a highly skilled and dedicated Associate Preschool Teacher to join our Head Start program. As a key member of our team, you will be responsible for promoting the social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and language development of young children, while supporting parents through regular meetings, tools, and resources. If you are passionate about early childhood education and possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity.
Key Responsibilities
- Classroom (50%):
- Records children's daily attendance, working with site team to determine the cause of absences.
- Provides for the development of children's cognitive, physical, social-emotional, and language skills through implementation of curriculum, lesson planning, and individualization.
- Conducts and records child observations to utilize in setting goals, individualizing, and creating assessments.
- Creates lesson plans utilizing a variety of curriculum to address children's individual goals, taking into account each child's characteristics, strengths, and needs.
- Works with classroom team during pre-service, to set up classroom environment, and maintain the environment by regularly changing/rotating materials, supplies, and props, utilizing the Creative Curriculum, and the Monthly Environment Checklist.
- Prepares materials, activities, and projects for class.
- Participates in family-style meals, taking USDA required meal counts, and leading conversation at the table to enhance the social and emotional growth of children.
- Conducts, in the classroom, monthly emergency drills to prepare children and staff for fires, earthquakes, and lockdown situations.
- Office/Paperwork (35%):
- Effectively uses the ChildPlus and Teaching Strategies Gold databases to enter or obtain information.
- Completes home visits and parent-teacher conferences as required.
- Completes Progress Checkpoints for child assessment, using information obtained from child observations.
- Shares information with program administration and parents.
- Writes an article for parent newsletter each month.
- Uses office time efficiently to make and receive parent phone calls, order supplies, preparing children's work to go home, preparing materials for activities, and other office work as needed.
- Verifies and submits weekly Meal Counts and Attendance forms.
- Staff Development/Meetings (10%):
- Attends a variety of classes, workshops, seminars, pre-service training, and other Head Start Teacher trainings, and keeps current on developments in early childhood education, and developmentally appropriate practices.
- Attends a variety of meetings including individual reflection meetings, region meetings, site team meetings, debriefing after observations, and other meetings as necessary.
- Attends IFSP meetings or Triage meetings when necessary to support children with social-emotional or developmental concerns.
- Parent Involvement (5%):
- Supports parents as children transition to and from the program through a variety of transition activities.
- Provides regular opportunities for parent participation by training parents who volunteer in the classroom.
- Participates in planning for and implementing monthly parent meetings.
Essential Qualifications
To be successful in this role, you will need to possess the following essential qualifications:
- Education:
- High school diploma or General Education Degree (GED)
- Pre-School Certificate or CDA
- Enrollment in an Early Childhood Degree Program
- 30 credits in Early Childhood Education
- Experience:
- Two years of experience in early childhood programs
- Certifications/Licenses:
- The ability to complete an Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education within 3 years of hire
- Successful registration with the Office of Child Care's Central Background Registry
- Candidate must pass pre-employment physical
- First Aid/CPR certification and Food Handler's Card, or ability to obtain
- Skills and Abilities:
- Basic proficiencies in computers, including MS Office (Outlook, Word, Teams, Excel)
- Ability to work efficiently to accomplish tasks, and highly organized for follow-up to meet schedules and deadlines
Preferred Qualifications
We also welcome applicants with the following preferred qualifications:
- Bilingual English-Spanish capabilities
- To qualify as bilingual, staff must possess demonstrated abilities to speak, write, and read fluently in Spanish and English and pass a bilingual test
- *Bilingual staff may receive a pay differential based on HS Program language needs
Career Growth Opportunities and Learning Benefits
At MWVCAA, we are committed to providing our employees with opportunities for growth and development. As an Associate Preschool Teacher, you will have access to:
- Professional Development:
- Regular training and workshops on early childhood education and developmentally appropriate practices
- Opportunities to attend conferences and seminars to stay current on best practices
- Leadership Opportunities:
- Opportunities to take on leadership roles within the program, such as team lead or mentor
- Support for pursuing advanced degrees or certifications in early childhood education
- Collaborative Work Environment:
- Opportunities to work with a diverse team of professionals dedicated to early childhood education
- Regular team meetings and professional development opportunities to support collaboration and growth
Work Environment and Company Culture
As a remote Associate Preschool Teacher, you will have the flexibility to work from anywhere, while still being part of a dynamic and supportive team. Our company culture is built on:
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
- We strive to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees and families we serve
- We celebrate diversity and promote equity in all aspects of our work
- Collaboration and Teamwork:
- We value collaboration and teamwork in all aspects of our work
- We support each other in achieving our goals and objectives
- Professional Development:
- We are committed to providing ongoing professional development opportunities for all employees
- We support our employees in achieving their career goals and aspirations
Compensation, Perks, and Benefits
We offer a competitive salary of $20.88 per hour, as well as a range of benefits and perks, including:
- Health Insurance:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
- Retirement Plan:
- 401(k) plan with employer match
- Paid Time Off:
- Generous paid time off policy, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays
- Professional Development Opportunities:
- Regular training and workshops on early childhood education and developmentally appropriate practices
- Opportunities to attend conferences and seminars to stay current on best practices
How to Apply
If you are a passionate and dedicated early childhood educator, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity. Please submit your application, including your resume and cover letter, to our website at mwvcaa.org/careers/. We look forward to hearing from you!
Equal Opportunity Employer
Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from diverse candidates. We are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees and families we serve.
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