Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, Inc. (HACAP) is a diverse, community-focused nonprofit dedicated to empowering and improving the lives of families living with the everyday barriers of poverty.

What we are proud to offer you:

• Retirement Savings (IPERS and/or 403(b))
• Employee Assistance Program

POSITION GOAL

The Assistant Teacher II supports the Teacher in planning, implementing, and maintaining a nurturing and supportive educational program for participating children. The Assistant Teacher II is the designated lead Head Start staff person at times during the day when the teacher is not present in the classroom.  

SCHEDULE AND WAGE

Monday-Friday 11:00 am-3:00 pm; Part Day/Part Year; $13.78- $16.23 hourly

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

1. Ensure compliance, program records, and documentation required for HACAP programs, child-care licensing regulations, CACFP, Head Start Performance Standards, Head Start Act, and funding requirements. 
2. Assist and follow site procedures for maintenance of a safe, positive, and nurturing physical and emotional environment in the center and classroom.
3. Provide for the educational developmental needs of the individual child, and the classroom as a whole, according to mandated performance standards and established service plans and curriculum. 
4. Assist in carrying out daily lesson plans in keeping with HACAP program requirements and Head Start Performance Standards, Head Start Act, CLASS dimensions, developmentally appropriate practices, component plans, promote children's interests, individual goals, and strategies.
5. Follow daily plans and classroom routines. 
6. Assist with lesson planning in keeping with program performance standards; developmentally appropriate practices; component plans; and children’s interests and skill levels that are conducive to learning.
7. Facilitate center operations during times when the Teacher is not present. 
8. Follow the program, center, and classroom procedures for health and safety.
9. Advocate for families in the program and encourage their participation.
10. Maintain a cooperative working relationship with each family.
11. Communicate with parents concerning the needs of the children.
12. Inform the Teacher and Site Supervisor of center issues, which may affect program or agency compliance or image.
13. Clean classroom, kitchen, bathrooms, changing areas, entryway area utilized by children and their families, and the outdoor play area before, during, and after class, as needed. Follow established maintenance requirements of Head Start/Early Head Start Site.
14. Provide a learning environment that will support children in their cognitive, social, physical, and emotional development.
15. Work cooperatively with the center/classroom staff in program implementation.
16. Participate in program assessments.
17. Perform any or all other classroom duties as required by program, funding, and CACFP regulations as needed. 

EXPECTATIONS

1. Support the organization's mission, vision, values, policy, and procedure by exhibiting the following behaviors: excellence and competence, collaboration, innovation, respect personalization, commitment to our community, and accountability and ownership.
2. Demonstrates personal commitment to HACAP through quality job performance, a sense of responsibility for high achievement, professional appearance, awareness of current events throughout HACAP, and positive promotion of HACAP.
3. Consistently work positively and cooperatively with fellow Team Members
4. Consistently demonstrate the ability to respond to flexibly changing situations to meet current needs, such as reprioritizing work as necessary
5. Consistently come to work on time, working as scheduled, and leaving at the scheduled time
6. Maintain appropriate attire and good grooming habits to support HACAP’s desire for safe and efficient operations, providing greater service and better customer relations. 
7. Must possess high integrity and ensure confidentiality of any information concerning an employee, client, family, financial condition, or personal peculiarities is strictly maintained
8. Ensure that personal health information is protected during its collection, use, disclosure, storage, and destruction within HACAP as required by HIPAA.

QUALIFICATIONS 

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 and/or Experience

Associates degree in early childhood 

OR

Two (2) years experience in a licensed (or school district based) child care program

AND

One of the following:

1. Pre-school Child Development Associate credential (CDA)
2. One (1) year early childhood diploma from an accredited community college 
3. Other related associates degree with nine (9) credit hours of course work in early childhood education

Skills

1. Ability to read, comprehend, and implement procedures.
2. Ability to use good judgment
3. Ability to work independently as well as part of a team
4. Ability to work with a diverse population
5. Ability to relate to low-income people
6. Strong organizational skills
7. Ability to work effectively with age-appropriate activities in the classroom and relate with children in a positive way
8. Detail orientated

PHYSICAL DEMANDS  

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, feel, and grasp; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally use the repetitive wrist, hand, and finger movements to operate a computer keyboard. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, stoop, bend, kneel, squat, twist, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally climb stairs or steps. The employee is occasionally required to sit and taste or smell. The employee must be able to work/play with children on their level, specifically on floor level. The employee must regularly lift, move, push, or pull up to 10 pounds; frequently lift, move, push, or pull up to 25 pounds; and occasionally lift, move, push or pull up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT  

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

1. Receive clearance by the Iowa Department of Human Services on child abuse and criminal checks before hire and resubmit every two (2) years.
2. Receive clearance through National FBI fingerprint checks. Fingerprints must be submitted for a national check before hire or start date at the center. Resubmit every four (4) years.
3. Pass a pre-employment health examination and subsequent health examinations every two (2) years thereafter.
4. Provide TB screening clearance upon hire and every two (2) years thereafter.
5. Complete Bloodborne Pathogen (Universal Precautions) within ten (10) days of employment and update annually.
6. Complete Child Abuse Mandatory Reporting Training within three (3) months of employment and update every three (3) years.
7. Complete Administration of Medication within three (3) months of employment and update annually.
8. Obtain first aid training within three (3) months of employment and update every two (2) years.
9. Obtain CPR training within three (3) months of employment and update every two (2) years.
10. Complete CCDBG Essentials training within ninety (90) days of employment.   
11. Be enrolled in the Preschool CDA program or AA Early Education program and achieve credential/degree within one year of hire.
12. Attend a minimum of fifteen (15) hours of in-service training annually.
13. Training activities must be accomplished within work hours scheduled or training hours approved by HACAP.
14. Paid time and mileage calculated from the nearest HACAP service site to the population cluster to be served by the employee or from the employee’s residence whichever is nearer.