Child Development Specialist

This is an eleven (11) month position.

The Child Development Specialist will primarily work with infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds.

Under general supervision, the position is responsible for the care, development, and instruction of children.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES

• Attends to children's basic needs by feeding them, dressing them, and changing diapers.

• Develop and implement an educational program for young children by setting appropriate goals and objectives for each child and creating curriculum tailored to meet state student learning objectives for their age group.

• Conducts activities for a balanced instruction program, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.

• Determine children's developmental levels, needs, and potential and evaluates children's performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.

• Conducts initial orientations to provide information on center policies and procedures to parents, students, and others.

• Provides mentorship to field practice students of the District's Child Development Program by collaborating with program instructors to schedule visits, ensuring that the students complete the work provided by the instructors, and ensuring the students receive adequate information regarding their practicum experience.

• Organizes center events and fundraisers.

• Files children-related documents, records, reports, and related materials such as, but not limited to, enrollment/admission records.

• Ensures compliance with Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) guidelines by planning and implementing food and nutrition programs.

• Acts as a point of reference for state auditing agencies by providing child records, providing tours of the facility, and assisting agency representatives in obtaining information.

• Teaches proper eating habits and personal hygiene.

• Organizes the work of parents that volunteer in the classroom and the unclassified staff that provide support services to schedule and plan lessons.

• Conducts parent conferences to discuss the performance of individual children.

• Completes Need Assessment Forms to assist families to obtain social services; updates forms as necessary.

• Monitors the inventory of classroom supplies and equipment; requests additional supplies and equipment as needed.

• Determines the appropriate course of action for emergencies occurring in the classroom.

• Performs related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate's degree in Child Development, Education, or a related field

• Regular Children's Center Permit/Child Development Teacher Permit or meets qualification and willing to apply for above permit.

• Three (3) years of experience as a lead teacher in an instructional capacity in a child development program.

• Sixteen (16) semester units of course work in general education, including at least one course in each of the following areas:  humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and science, and English plus six (6) units in administration of ECE programs.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• A Bachelor's degree in Child Development, Education, or a related field.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES - May be representative, but not all-inclusive, of those knowledge, skills and abilities commonly associated with this position.

KNOWLEDGE OF

• Apply early childhood best practices, ages and stages questionnaires, and child development theory in classroom settings with infants, toddlers, and two-year-old children.

• Experience with commonly used American Sign Language within an early childhood setting

• Implement Community Care Licensing Regulations for procedures, staffing, and health/safety measures in classrooms.

• Utilize child assessments and portfolios for parent conferences, curriculum development, and individual goal setting.

• Create daily, weekly, and monthly curriculum using play-based emergent curriculum principles.

• Incorporate NAEYC Accreditation Standards and Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) 2nd Edition to inform classroom procedures, relationships, and environment.

• Establish age-appropriate environments using Infant/Toddler Environmental Rating Scale criteria.

• Utilize general office software as well as other applications and equipment for classroom documentation, learning materials, and communication.

• Maintain CPR and first aid certification to ensure child safety.

• Lead and manage groups effectively while understanding group behavior and meeting children's needs.

• Model appropriate material use and maintain a safe learning environment.

• Foster age-appropriate interactions that promote trust, development, and attachment.

• Maintain organized records for regulatory compliance.

• Demonstrate respect for diversity within the classroom.

• Manage staffing schedules to maintain appropriate ratios and adhere to policies.

• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

• Develop and maintain positive relationships with District staff, students, parents, and children.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES AND WORK ENVIRONMENT - Activities and environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job.   The physical demands and environmental conditions described below 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 essential functions.

PHYSICAL ABILITY

The position will continuously (5.6 hours

• 8 hours) exhibit the physical ability to communicate, use color sight, fine manipulation, repetitive movement of the hand and fingers, use depth perception and the ability to focus to conduct instructional activities, supervise children, evaluate the learning abilities of children and to model fine motors skills.

The position will frequently (2.6 hours

• 5.5 hours) be required to exhibit the ability to stand and walk while conducting activities with the children. The position will frequently (2.6 hours

• 5.5 hours) be required to exhibit the ability to sit, bend over at the waist, crouch, and kneel while sitting on the floor, or on a low chair to engage with the children at their level, while conducting activities, while assisting children dress, and while teaching personal hygiene.  The position will frequently (2.6 hours

• 5.5 hours)  be required to push pull, lift, and carry object weighing up to 75 lbs. while pushing carts with children during walks and when lifting children during nap time. The position will also frequently (2.6 hours

• 5.5 hours) be required to exhibit the ability to grasp items while providing assistance to the children with personal care.

The position will occasionally (31 minutes

• 2.5 hours) be required to reach overhead to assist children retrieve personal items that are out of reach and operate a computer.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The position will continuously (5.6 hours

• 8 hours) working in an inside office environment exposed to moderate temperature, will work in an outside work environment in moderate weather, will be exposed to moderate noise, and will have frequent contact with children, staff, and parents.

The position will frequently (2.6 hours

• 5.5 hours) work around mud and slippery floor/surfaces during mud and water play.  The position will occasionally work around dirty soil such as sand.