Afterschool Head Teacher

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAMS: The Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) creates and coordinates services that enhance the quality of life for Cambridge residents. Driven by the needs of residents, DHSP’s extensive services and programs touch almost every sector in the city: from newborns to senior citizens, from school-aged children to homeless families, from non-profit organizations to local employers.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Under the supervision of the Afterschool Manager, the Head Teacher will:

• Have a working knowledge of EEC licensing regulations and adhere to those regulations as well as DHSP policies and procedures.
• Design a developmentally sound curriculum to enhance the social, physical, academic, and intellectual wellbeing of children in their care. Curriculum should emphasize the development of social skills, increase children's self-esteem, recognise the children's interests, and build a sense of community within the group.
• Plan and implement activities to achieve curriculum goals in an informal, secure, and loving atmosphere appropriate to after-school hours.
• Respond to children's academic needs by providing homework help and linking school-age curriculum to day school curriculum whenever possible.
• Design and arrange classroom space to allow for a variety of activities that promote children's independence.
• Supervise Teacher, Assistant Teacher, and any other support staff. Conduct weekly team meetings for planning and supervision and keep logs of such meetings. Conduct regularly scheduled individual supervision meetings and provide ongoing support and direction to staff.
• Ensure that you and your teachers are creating links with school day teachers and administrators regarding children's academic, social, educational, and physical needs.
• Perform regular school day classroom observations and complete written progress reports for each child twice yearly.
• Create opportunities for collaborations/partnerships with other Department of Human Service Programs' youth serving divisions in order to better serve Cambridge children and families.
• Maintain regular communications with parents through daily contacts and conversation and periodic parent meetings/conferences. Solicit parent input on their child in order to individualise behavioural and instructional approaches. Host three parent nights per school year.
• Complete and submit to Afterschool Manager for approval, prior to distribution of monthly program calendars, monthly parent newsletter, and parent notices.
• Maintain a neat classroom environment, including daily cleaning of the classroom (sweeping, vacuuming, mopping of spills, etc. and periodic major clean up). Build in children's regular participation in the cleanup and maintenance of the classroom into the program structure.
• Do a general safety check of the facility daily including locking doors and setting alarm (if necessary).
• Maintain a safe classroom environment, free from hazardous materials or equipment. Inform the Afterschool Manager when repairs are needed.
• Participate in meetings called by Division Head or Afterschool Manager such as curriculum meetings, training workshops, policy review sessions or required DHSP orientation training.
• Participate in other available workshops and training programs as schedule permits.
• Participate in program-related meetings: parent meetings, meeting with Afterschool Manager, meetings with program consultants.
• Participate in and help to lead ongoing program quality improvement efforts, including classroom observations, debriefs of observations, action planning, and participation in a peer learning community.
• Participate in hiring and training new staff, when appropriate.
• Conduct onsite orientation for new staff.
• Plan and coordinate arrangements for field trips.
• Coordinate the pick-up of children from bus stops, kindergarten classrooms, and/or other locations.
• Order food, plan and serve a nutritious afternoon snack each day. Prepare menus and documentation for the nutrition program, according to the Bureau of Nutrition guidelines.
• Perform written evaluations of Teacher, Assistant Teacher, and any additional support staff twice yearly.
• Maintain a working knowledge of program expenditures, keeping such expenditures in accordance with program budgets. Order curriculum materials and other classroom supplies.
• Actively engaging in and supporting the Department’s Race and Equity Initiative.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: Applicant must be 21 years of age or older. Minimum of a bachelor’s degree or associate degree with 9 months supervised work experience with children, or a bachelor’s in early education with 6 months supervised work experience with children, or a high school diploma and 12 months of supervised work experience with children. First Aid and CPR certification preferred or must complete training within 6 months of hire date. Applicant must successfully pass the EEC background record check process, which includes a CORI, SORI, DCF check, and fingerprinting.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Experience in supervisory or leadership role, preferably in a childcare setting.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS, WORKING CONDITIONS, WORK FLEXIBILITY AND ACCOMMODATIONS: Be agile in their movements; moving quickly from sitting on the floor to standing, to kneeling so as to be at the child’s eye level. Employees may have to run after children, both in play and to respond to an emergency. Be able to hear children who speak in a soft voice or mumble words when distressed. Be able to use their hands and arms to move, reach, handle, and manipulate objects in the classroom. This includes moving furniture once a year when room is re-organised. Be able to occasionally lift and/or move a child. Vision abilities are required for the supervision of children. The noise level in work environment is moderately to very loud. The work environment includes classroom and outdoor playgrounds and occasional field trips. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Please upload the following documents to complete your application: Resume, Cover Letter.