Education Specialist

Job title  

Education Specialist

Program 

Head Start/Early Head Start Program

Reports to  

Education Manager

General Description 

The Education Specialist will assist the Education Manager with administration of child development activities to achieve the levels of quality as described by the Head Start Performance Standards, the NC Child Day Care Licensing Laws, and regulations, and the NAEYC Accreditation Criteria as applicable. The Education Specialist will offer consultation, training, and technical assistance in a variety of settings.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

·        Assist the Education Manager with the following responsibilities by completing specific, assigned tasks, or assisting with tasks:

·        Provide or arrange consultation, training, and technical assistance in specialization to assist staff in providing services and programs in one or more of the following subject areas:

§  Services to Infants and Toddlers / Early Head Start

§  Multi-Age Classroom Activities

§  Room Arrangement and environment

§  Classroom Management

§  Assessment

§  Outcomes

§  Transition Times

§  Activity Planning

§  Coaching/ Mentoring to individual staff

·        Observe Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms ITERS or ECERS assessment tools to ensure that Head Start classes and services meet the Head Start Performance Standards and that all comply with the NC Division of Child-Development Child-Care Regulations and any other applicable standards and NAEYC accreditation.

·        Follow up with coaching/mentoring of classroom teachers to insure positive, appropriate environments and interactions.

·        Ensure that classroom staffers fully understand and utilize the gold assessment tool by providing training, monitoring, and follow-up.

·        Provide cross consultation, training, and technical assistance to classroom staff, including extended day staff, in designated area of specialization or subject area.

·        Be a part of the agency monitoring team and use educational classroom checklist for required documentation as identified in the Child Development Program Education Procedures.

·        Use conflict resolution techniques with staff which are appropriate for the developmental level of the child.

·        Assist teachers with children in self-care activities.

·        Design and implement training events for staff that meet specific content area requirements.

·        Educate center-based staff on the career path, as well as related resources and opportunities.

·        Report educational attainment levels as required through the HS/EHS PIR (Program    Information Report), BK licensure, NCPK and any other funding source or regulatory authority.

·        Provide additional information regarding appropriate conferences, workshops and professional organizations.

·        When implementing the strategies for meeting the goals of the program, make decisions based on professional expertise and knowledge of specialized theories and appropriate practices.

§  Abide by the NAEYC Code of Ethics.

§  Identify areas for professional growth and actively pursue opportunities for addressing these areas.  Some options for increasing knowledge and skills are actively participating in in-service staff development programs; taking college courses; reading articles in professional journals and/or books; and, attending local, state, regional and national conferences, and seminars.

§  Develop relationships with appropriate persons and agencies to collaborate on service delivery, training, needs assessment and other activities. 

§  Seek opportunities to give presentations at conferences and/or write articles for professional magazines and journals.

§  Participate in activities which inform the community of the services and goals of the agency.

§  Maintain memberships in appropriate professional organizations.

§  Provide training for staff in Educational Policies & Procedures, Gold, ITERS, ECERS, and other educational pertinent information                

§  Perform any other job-related tasks as assigned.

Essential Qualifications 

·        Successful applicants are required to meet COVID vaccination requirements or receive a recognized exemption.

·        A BS in Early Childhood Education, Special Education, Child Development, with at least five years’ experience in administrative or supervisory positions of which two or more years must have been in a Head Start, Public Schools, or equivalent early childhood setting.

·        An AA Degree in Early Childhood Education with greater than minimum experience required may be accepted.

·         BK in Child Development

·        Demonstrated ability to perform effectively the duties required for the job including verbal ability to communicate, auditory capacity to respond to children and adults, visual ability complete written assignments and physical ability to complete assignments given         accommodation as required by law.

·        Availability of automobile during working hours and a valid driver's license

Americans with Disability and Workers’ Compensation Specifications 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk sit, use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, reach with hands and arms, climb stairs, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, talk hear, taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close, distance, color, peripheral depth and the ability to adjust focus.  

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time.  
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. 

I have read and understand this explanation and job description. 

Employee Signature: _____________________________ Date: ____________ 

                   Print Name:  ____________________________________ Date: ____________