Education Supervisor

East Boston, MA, United States

Education Supervisor

Department: Head Start and Children's Services

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: East Boston - Condor Street

Compensation: $43.29 - $45.92 / hour

Description

The Education Supervisor is responsible for the planning, development and management of education services at the local Early Head Start/Head Start center. This position is responsible for promoting the school readiness of ABCD's Head Start children as well as their growth in language, literacy, mathematics, science, social and emotional development, creative arts, physical development and approaches to learning, and for providing technical assistance and supervision to all program teaching staff.

The Education Supervisor is responsible for promoting the mission of ABCD Head Start & Children's Services; building an understanding of the program by communicating this mission to staff, families and the community.

This position must comply with all federal, state and local laws, regulations, standards and policies, including those of the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Massachusetts disability law (Chapter 766), Boston Family Engagement Network (BFEN) and ABCD, Inc. Head Start and Children's Services policies and procedures.

All ABCD Head Start/Early Head Start and Children's Services personnel who are paid to care for, or work with, children are MANDATED BY LAW to report all suspected cases of child abuse and neglect to the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF), pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 119 §§ 51A - 51G. Any staff member who suspects child abuse or neglect of a child must inform his or her supervisor immediately.

The responsibilities of a particular position may support both Early Head Start and Head Start depending on the individual assignment. The specific corresponding funding allocation will be documented on the personnel payroll authorization or change of status form.

All communications are potentially sensitive and are subject to Head Start's policy on confidentiality.

Key Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

Staff Supervision and Support (Up to 50%)

Ensure that education staff gain a comprehensive understanding of the Head Start Performance Standards, and engage staff with regular follow up to ensure that all policies and protocols are being followed;

Supervise and support teaching staff to ensure that ABCD Head Start children experience a joyful, nurturing, safe, healthy, creative, individualized learning environment and the varied experiences which will help them develop socially, intellectually, physically and emotionally in a manner appropriate to their age and stage of development in relationship to the overall goal of social competency;

Ensure the integration of the educational aspects of the various Head Start components by supervising the development of opportunities and activities for children to learn about health, safety, nutrition, health and families;

Provide education staff verbal and written feedback on a regular basis concerning achievement of expectation of responsibilities;

Supervise, monitor and evaluate (with input from program director, and appropriate staff) the performance of lead teachers, teachers, teacher assistants, teacher assistant trainees and classroom volunteers;

Support daily program operations by providing classroom coverage as needed due to staffing issues or to respond to the needs of individual children;

Provide skill development and mentoring to staff progressing in their position;

Facilitate the development, implementation, and coordination of internal support plans (action plans, behavior plans) with parents and staff;

Coordinate the hiring and promotion processes of teaching staff reflective of the community served by the respective Early Head Start/Head Start center.

Technical Support and Planning (Up to 30%) Assist with the development of activities and strategies for training and involving parents in the educational aspects of the program in order to improve their understanding of child development and facilitate their role as the principal influence in their child's education and development;

Supervise the development and implementation of developmentally-appropriate lesson plans and individualized activities;

Work collaboratively with Program Director and staff within each component area to ensure that interdisciplinary program planning, staff training and service delivery of high quality are achieved;

Ensure the implementation of local plans for ongoing training activities for teaching staff, parents and volunteers, professional development activities for staff and the development of all required records and reports;

In collaboration with the Family & Community Engagement Supervisor, facilitate monthly Interdisciplinary Team meetings with other component staff to discuss, plan, and coordinate needed services, referrals, and trainings for children and families;

Responsible for the ordering of classroom supplies, materials and equipment, with input from local education staff;

Conduct regular classroom observations using appropriate tools to monitor teacher-child interactions, curriculum implementation, health and safety, mealtime routines and classroom management;

Promote a collaborative and productive work environment among teaching teams through the clear communication of expectations, outcomes and timelines.

Utilize Information and Technical Systems (Up to 10%) Maintain and monitor a comprehensive record keeping system through documents and through database system;

Maintain statistical data as requested by the ABCD Head Start administration and in accordance with federal and state regulations;

Maintain knowledge of all federal, state, city and program laws, regulations, standards and policies;

Maintain and document on-going contact with staff;

Monitor and provide information relative to Head Start requirements regarding screenings;

Monitor and track follow-up needs, developmental screenings, curriculum system, child outcomes, School Readiness goals and n concerns for all programs;

Document technical assistance and plan of action provided to staff at local programs.

Additional Job Responsibilities (Up to 10%) Assist with administrative needs as requested;

Attend required meetings, trainings on and off site;

Perform any other related duties as assigned from time to time.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

JOB KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES: Demonstrated knowledge of and sensitivity to the educational and socioeconomic needs of the children and families served;

Excellent written and verbal communication as well as interpersonal skills;

Experience in providing support to an ethnically diverse staff;

Demonstrated successful experience in working as a member of an interdisciplinary team;

Ability to deal with sensitive family situations in a non-threatening and professional manner;

Keyboarding skills, computer literacy and familiarity with various applications such as database, word processing, e-mail and internet;

Engage in ongoing staff development to expand professional skills;

Demonstrated knowledge of neighborhoods served by programs and city-wide services relevant to the programs population;

Proven ability to keep accurate written records and documentation;

Possess the ability to work with culturally diverse low-income population;

Attend and participate in community activities, training, and night meetings as needed;

Possess bilingual ability where appropriate;

Demonstrated expertise in educational planning, supervision, training and evaluation;

Thorough knowledge of early childhood development, screenings, assessments and curriculum;

Knowledge of the CDA application and renewal process, preferred.

Professionalism & Leadership Ability to lead teams through demonstrated competence, reliability and professional conduct;

Engage in ongoing staff development to expand professional skills;

Maintain professional boundaries in relationships with staff and families;

Maintain confidentiality of child and family information at all times;

Maintain external professional relationships by participating as a member of community, State, and/or national professional organizations.

Physical Environmental Demands & Conditions Frequent significant decisions and problem solving abilities;

Ability to work as a team member collaborating with coworkers, parents and community resources;

Frequent traveling for home visits and off site trainings;

Regular kneeling, bending and sitting on the floor to attend to child's needs;

Lift and move infant to preschool age children;

Respond to children in case of an emergency in order to ensure safety;

Lift and move equipment and furniture based on program administration needs as well as those of the classrooms;

Must be able to work independently without intensive supervision;

Must be able to balance and prioritize work load and have strong time management skills.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

Education Supervisor I: Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field and 1+ years of experience teaching infants/toddlers and/or preschool children. EEC Director I or II, and EEC Lead Infant/Toddler Teacher, qualified (based on program's licensed capacity and age groups served).

Education Supervisor II: Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education and 1+ years of experience teaching preschool children and infants/toddlers. EEC Director I or ll and EEC Lead Infant/Toddler Teacher qualified (based on program's licensed capacity and age groups served).