Education Program Support Specialist II/III - Head Start Program

The Program Support Specialist provides a variety of support, training, mentoring, and monitoring to center, home base, and family childcare services. Works on special projects and activities through individual and team assignments. Has strong core competencies in all areas of the Early Head Start and Head Start program.

Our agency provides employees with a positive work environment and the ability to balance work & home along with excellent benefits. Our benefit package includes: medical, dental, vision, life insurance including sick, vacation, and personal leave with 13 paid holiday's and a fully vested retirement plan with and up to 5% match.

This position is full-time, with full benefits. Starts out between $26.00 - $28.00 per hour and will be working countywide.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Other duties may be assigned.

• Serves as a resource to staff and provides ongoing support and guidance to staff to identify, develop, and implement strategies to meet the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical needs of Early Head Start and Head Start children and families from a strength-based approach.
• Serves as an advocate for parents in accessing outside agencies.
• Establishes and maintains supportive and responsive relationships with staff. Serves as regular contact and liaison at assigned sites.
• Acts as a community liaison and promotes community relations. Develops MOUs as assigned.
• Provides responsive support to site-based and regional staff requests for training, training materials, and individual guidance. Identifies training needs through observation.
• Supports staff in problem-solving in order to meet all program standards and expectations for child and family outcomes.
• Monitors program quality through structured site visits, observations, and document reviews.
• Educates and motivates staff toward increased skill development and best practices (mentoring).
• Participates in the planning and development of the program through individual and team assignments.
• Interprets Head Start Performance Standards for staff, parents, and the community.
• May be assigned lead/supervisory responsibilities for project or committee work in collaboration with diverse teams of staff and community members.
• Provides leadership or assistance in program initiatives such as Dual Language Learning Models, Teaching Pyramid, Male Involvement activities, Health Fairs, Orientations, Parenting Groups, Teacher Support Groups etc.
• Knowledge of all program standards, including, but not exclusive of: Head Start Performance Standards, State Child Development, Community Care Licensing, Work Safe Practices, Agency and program Policies and Procedures.
• Will provide emergency support in centers as needed: including substituting to meet ratios, acting as Site Supervisors, and providing behavior support for children.
• Manages the Learning Genie Platform: inputting DRDP (Desired Results Developmental Profile) rating periods, monitoring DRDP progress, monitoring anecdotal notes and providing feedback, and printing out portfolios.
• Plans and facilitates school readiness meetings internally.
• Participates in Community Kindergarten Readiness meetings countywide.
• Analyzes DRDP, ECER’s (Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale) results county-wide and submits analysis and summary for the Program Self-Assessment and Program Self Evaluation.
• Facilitates Staff Trainings as needed.
• Become and maintain reliable in Preschool or Toddler CLASS ( Classroom Assessment Scoring System ) and facilitate classroom observations twice a year, provide feedback to staff as assigned and use the data to coach teaching staff.

Additional Duties of the Level II

• Serves as a subject matter specialist in one or more areas.
• Leads project development, or committee work in collaboration with diverse teams of staff, parents, and community members.
• Plays leadership role in program planning, development, and evaluation through individual and team assignments

Additional Duties of the Level III

• Responsible for higher level projects such as coaching, data analysis and heading committee work.

Knowledge, Skills and/or Ability RequiredEducation and/or Experience

Education Program Support Specialist II: Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or BA with twelve (12) ECE units, including core courses and three (3) units of supervised field experience in ECE and two (2) years related experience in a child development program and Child Development Site Supervisor permit or higher from California Commission on Teacher Credentialing

Education Program Support Specialist III: Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or BA with twelve (12) ECE units, including core courses and three (3) units of supervised field experience in ECE and two (2) years related experience in a child development program with Child Development Program Director permit from California Commission on Teacher and/or 5 years’ experience in position.

Language Skills Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups or employees of the Agency.

Mathematical Skills Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Computer Skills To perform this position successfully, an individual should have knowledge of contact management systems; internet software; purchase order processing; spreadsheet software and word processing software.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations Valid California Driver's License. Child Development Site Supervisor Permit must be obtained within six (6) months of employment.

Other Skills and Abilities Ability to speak Spanish highly desirable. Provide verification of State required vaccines upon hire for: Influenza (from August 1 to December 1), Pertussis, and Measles. Acceptable verifications include immunization record and physician statement. Exceptions to vaccinations: Flu can be waived by completing annual waiver.

Physical Demands While performing the duties of this position, the employee is frequently required to walk and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment While performing the duties of this position, the employee is frequently exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

EOE / CommUnify