Classroom Aide - 32 Hours

Job Summary

The Classroom Support position assists classroom staff to promote the educational and social development of children enrolled in the program.  We have six Early Learning Centers in the Cleveland area (including Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Maple Heights, and Lakewood). Positions are available at multiple locations.

Job Qualifications

• High School Diploma required, Childhood Development Associate (CDA) preferred (Infant/Toddler or Pre-School).
• CPR/First Aid, Communicable Disease, Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention within 30 days of hire (training provided by The Centers).
• Some entry-level experience in a classroom setting preferred; early childhood focus preferred.
• Occasional evening hours may be required.
• No record of child abuse or moral turpitude as determined by background check based on fingerprints.

Essential Job Duties & Responsibilities:

Supervision of and Interaction with Children

• Assumes responsibility for the assigned children in the Teacher’s classroom; meets the social, emotional, physical and cognitive developmental needs of children in routine areas of their care and throughout their planned daily schedule of activities.
• Cultivates optimal growth and development through activities while working with children during indoor and outdoor settings daily, year-round activities.
• Initiates and nurtures personalized individual relationships with each child that promote self-esteem.
• Will always supervise children while in care custody and control.
• Delivers materials, and equipment to classroom, as needed.
• Provide coverage for classroom groups or other classrooms during absence of teachers inside or outside of your site, as requested by supervisor.
• Supports in completing accurate and timely paperwork related to children in classroom when needed. May assist with daily lesson plans, attendance records, meal counts, and classroom observational notes.
• Supervise children to and from bus pick-up and drop-off to the early learning center, as needed.

Curriculum and Instruction

• Supports teachers in the creation of an exciting and fun learning environment based on program requirements using the High Scope Curriculum.
• Models, engages and promotes flexible and cooperative team teaching with co-workers, volunteers, parents, and student teachers.
• Supports teachers for optimal growth and development of children, through activities in both the indoor and outdoor environment.
• Implements the Conscious Discipline approach in classroom settings with all children.
• Participates in the implementation of all activities in all content areas over the course of a year.

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

• Maximizes contribution of nutritional services to children’s development and socialization by ensuring food is not used as punishment or reward, and that each child is encouraged, but not forced, to eat or taste food.
• Takes point of service meal counts at all meals/snacks; assists with the serving and clean-up of meal service.
• Takes steps to ensure children have adequate time to eat.
• Holds any child who is still receiving a bottle at any mealtime.
• Enters meal counts into the electronic records system daily.
• Ensures children who continue to eat, while the classroom moves on to different parts of the routine, are always within vision of staff in the classroom.

Parent and Community Collaboration

• Develops caring, meaningful, and professional relationships with parents while discouraging personal involvement.
• Gives and receives daily information about the children including the daily schedule, activities, and procedures.
• All child related concerns and/or questions will be directed to appropriate staff.
• Address serious concerns immediately with their supervisor prior to speaking with the parent.

Administrative

• May assist in timely and accurate classroom records including attendance, food service tallies, lesson planning and classroom observational notes.
• Ensures the classroom is following all policies and procedures from all regulatory bodies, including internal policies and procedures.
• Ensures outdoor equipment is safe and kept in good condition.
• Inventories classroom supplies and requests new supplies as needed.

Professional Development

• Participates in in-service training, seminars, training sessions, practice based coaching sessions, formal college course work, and meetings outside the agency as a method of gaining more experience and knowledge.
• Maintains awareness of professional ethics and related issues.
• Keeps abreast of research and best practices.
• Implements and follows through on a Personal Professional Development Plan for continuing education; follows all current annual training requirements put forth by program funders.
• Completes10 hours of service trainings annually per fiscal year.

Other Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Maintains cleanliness and sanitation of the assigned classroom area, other areas in the center, toys and equipment regularly throughout the day.
• May assist in preparing and delivering daily meals and formula, retrieving lunch carts.
• Responsible for laundry within the assigned classroom – washing, drying, and folding, as needed.
• Maintains playground area by cleaning and sanitizing high touch areas after each classroom outside play.

The Centers is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.