Early Childhood Specialist

Position: Full time
Deadline: September 26, 2024

Certificate Number: C20HE6339/ Job Order: 2024-372/ 1 Position (On-Site)

MISSION:

Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA) is a nationally recognized non-profit leader in childcare and early education. RCMA operates more than 65 centers and 3 charter schools, with a staff of 1,600 employees, in 21 Florida counties. We have grown over the years through our policy of hiring from the communities served, forging a strong bond between parents and RCMA caregivers, teachers, and staff.

WHY WORK FOR US?

Would you rather have a fulfilling career than just a “job”? At RCMA, we feel lucky to work in fulfilling roles every day. Like one big family, we work hand in hand with families who need allies on their journey toward big dreams. Through empathy and compassion, we help cultivate a sense of dignity and pride in these valuable members of society and provide them with resources for growth. If this sounds like a family you’d like to become a member of, we’d love to hear from you!

BENEFITS:

In addition, RCMA offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees. This includes a $40,000 Basic Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability Insurance covered 100% by RCMA. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, voluntary life insurance, short-term disability insurance, and a retirement plan. Eligible employees receive holiday pay, personal time off, and tuition assistance.

PURPOSE OF POSITION: The Early Childhood Specialist has knowledge and experience in early childhood child development, curriculum, and program assessments. The skills and knowledge of the Early Childhood Specialist are a part of the leadership team to develop and manage the early childhood services for children and their families to fulfill the mission of RCMA. The ECS focus is on staff development, ensuring compliance with funding sources for education and staff qualifications. The ECS has the expertise to offer support and guidance to teachers in the implementation of curricula to ensure developmentally appropriate practices are followed for all children.

NOTE: In VPK classrooms and other programs that require a BS/BA degree in the classroom, the ECS may be assigned to a class. The duties below will be direct to the children assigned to that classroom. The ECS assigned to a class may have other duties outside the part-time VPK or other program day that include center-wide ECS duties.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following; however, other duties may be assigned:

Work as a part of a center team or classroom teaching team to:

1. Be a part of the coordinated approach to professional development for RCMA. Organize and facilitate the annual professional planning day.
2. In collaboration with the ECE coach, use data to determine which teachers would need intensive coaching. ECS will provide coaching to the remaining teachers that have been identified for standard coaching.  Review and evaluate goals set 2-3 times a year.  If goals have been met, new goals should be set.
3. Monitor early education services and professional development as part of an ongoing monitoring system. Analyze monitoring results, collaborate with the ECE Coach, CC, and AC and determine actions for continuous improvements.  Maintain records and reports.
4. ECS in collaboration with the teaching staff monitor, aggregate, and analyze child outcomes to determine trends, strengths, and areas of opportunities. Note:  Data to be analyzed:  PQA, CLASS, COR, CO2, VPK assessments, ASQ3, ASQ-SE, MyHeadStart.
5. ECS will conduct monthly observations formal, informal, and focus observations and provide reflective feedback to teachers. These observations are documented through CLASS, PQA, and HR10.
6. Provide leadership and support for the professional development of staff. Work directly with all teaching staff to develop their annual professional development plan (PDP) and provide support to them in meeting their professional goals. Plan, implement, track and monitor professional development goals to meet minimum required qualifications using MyHeadStart, DCF, and the Professional Development Tracking Report for all education staff. Ensure that volunteers meet the minimum requirements to work in a classroom.
7. Provide professional development activities for teachers to conduct developmental screenings for children. Ensure that children with disabilities are receiving services stated in the IFSP/IEP/ILP.
8. Ensure that staff has obtained COR Reliability and provide professional development training for teachers to assure ongoing child assessments, using the Child Observation Records (COR) are accurate and complete within timelines.
9. Plan professional development activities using the HighScope infant/toddler and preschool curriculum, CLASS, PQA trainings in order to implement and provide a high-quality service education program.
10. Provide professional development opportunities for teachers to provide an environment that protects children’s health, mental health, and safety at all times following the guidelines of Active Supervision.
11. Assess in-service training needs with the CC, AC, and ECE Coach. Collaborate to develop an annual area training plan to meet the needs of staff in the area to include Building Great Teachers for new staff.  Finalize annual area’s training plan. Assure that centers and programs implement their annual training plan.
12. Review college transcripts and confirm the credits in Early Childhood Education.
13. Completes the disability report in our RCMA’s data system.
14. Commit to professionalism and RCMA.
15.  Adhere to all RCMA funding and DCF requirements.

MANDATORY QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS/EDUCATION: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty element satisfactorily while exercising independent judgment and discretion. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. The individual must meet age, medical, moral character, and any other requirements as defined by Florida Statutes.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

After initial hire, the employee must complete mandatory child care training (DCF 45 hours) as specified in the DCF Training Addendum and in accordance with Florida Statutes and funding source requirements to retain eligibility to be employed in this position. 

After iitial hire, ECS are to follow Professional Development Plan to obtain and keep current CLASS Observer Certification, PQA Reliability Certification, and High Scope Curriculum Certifications.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: College transcripts must be reviewed by Area’s recruiting team prior to scheduling an interview. If a college degree is earned outside of the U.S., it must be evaluated course by course to be the equivalent of a U.S. degree by an approved credential evaluation agency approved by the Bureau of Educators Certification such as Josef Silney & Associates or World Education Services or an accredited college/university.

• Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education or, Child Development, with 3 months experience (480 hours) in teaching children birth through 5.

OR

• Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science or advanced degree and coursework equivalent* to early childhood education, with 2 years of experience in child care or early education of children birth through 5. Coursework equivalent * to a major relating to early childhood education are degrees in elementary education or exceptional student education.

*Coursework equivalent to a major relating to early childhood education includes but is not limited to courses that focus on child development, early childhood education and curriculum, early childhood teaching and assessment, psychology, family development, health and physical development, mathematics, science, and children’s literature. Such courses may be offered in various departments, such as education, home economics, music, art, library sciences, physical education and recreation, psychology, family studies, and others. It is expected that each employee will provide RCMA with information on the college credit courses taken and to demonstrate that the courses address early childhood education or child development with a focus on children ages 0 to 5. RCMA will examine the college transcripts and review course descriptions or syllabi to determine the relevance of the courses to the early childhood program.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to work flexible hours, occasional evenings, and varying daytime shifts.
• Must be age 21 or older and ability to obtain a Florida Driver’s License.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work with degreed and non-degreed professional staff and families.

RCMA is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and a drug‑free workplace.