Instructional Coach ( Hiring Incentive)

Organizational Overview

Urban Strategies exists to equip, resource, and connect faith- and community-based organizations that are engaged in community transformation to help families reach their fullest potential. We work with trusted faith- and community-based organizations and focus on the Latino community to engage and come alongside the whole family. Our vision is that all children and families reach their full potential.

Our work is informed by our three core values: Authentic Relationships, Servant Leadership, and Intentional Compassion.

• Authentic Relationships are foundational to our work and move beyond a transactional nature to truly know people. They serve as opportunities for mutual development and growth and are based on the belief that all people have inherent dignity and worth.
• Servant Leadership is rooted in an other-centric mindset that informs the way one leads and builds up individuals, families, and communities.
• Intentional Compassion describes a deliberate commitment to understand, formulate strategic responses, and activate others to reach their full potential.

Our organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and our administrative offices are located in Johnson City, Tennessee. Our team works across the United States and Puerto Rico with direct service centers located in California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, New York, and Puerto Rico.

Position Overview

Observes and redirects the teachers’ provision of high-quality education and child development services for infants and toddlers, including infants and toddlers with disabilities, dual language learners, homeless children, and children in foster care. This encompasses a system of educational services inclusive of child screenings and assessments, teaching and learning environment, curricula, and parent and family engagement. Assures compliance with the Head Start Performance Standards, applicable regulations including state licensing requirements, IDEA, and 504 Rehabilitation Act. Implements a coaching model that is responsive to the needs/strengths of teachers and that is aligned with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and the results of professional development. Establish/maintain comprehensive data, recordkeeping, and reporting systems on all aspects of the coaching process. Extensive interaction with children and parents is also required.

Essential Functions

• Engage in comprehensive, integrated planning with the management team:

• to develop/improve the education/disabilities goals/outcomes that support school readiness.
• to develop/improve a system of education and child development services that is responsive to the school readiness needs and strengths of all infants and toddlers including dual language learners, homeless children, children in foster care, and children with disabilities.
• to assure alignment of child screenings and assessments, curricula, teaching/learning environment and practices, and the engagement of parents/family to the education system.
• assure alignment with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and the Texas Early Learning Guidelines.
• to monitor and ensure the implementation of the system of education and child development services.
• assure compliance with IDEA and the 504 Rehabilitation Act.

Position Specific Duties And Responsibilities

• Assume the lead role in monitoring and observing classrooms and teachers to assure high-quality teaching practices are implemented for all infants and toddlers thru a coaching model.
• Assist teachers in the development of learning plans and practices for meeting the needs and strengths of children based on child screenings and assessment results.
• Assist teachers in assuring that the classroom and playground learning environments are safe, developmentally appropriate, and stimulating for learning and development.
• Assist teachers in assuring that classrooms and learning plans are culturally and linguistically appropriate for all children including dual language learners, homeless children, children in foster care, and children with disabilities.
• Assist teachers in compliance with IDEA and 504 in accommodating and meeting the needs of children who have been diagnosed with a disability; specifically, with IEPs and IFSP.
• Assist the Education/Disabilities Manager in the selection of curricula, supplementary instructional materials, and furniture to equip each classroom as appropriate for infants and/or toddlers.
• Assist in the provision of professional development for teachers based on the coaching results.

Physical Responsibilities

Ability to see at a normal distance, hear normal conversations and sounds and use hands and fingers to fill out required forms. Ability to lift infants and toddlers weighing up to forty (40) pounds, twenty (20) pounds overhead and forty (40) pounds from waist to shoulder; occasional lifting of fifty (50) pounds is required and must be able to push/pull up to fifty pounds horizontally. Ability to sit on the floor, bend at the waist, kneel and/or stoop 75% of the time. The physical demands described here 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 the essential functions as long as the staff disability does not create an undue risk of injury.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or related field.
• Knowledgeable in all regulations pertaining to IDEA and the 504 Rehabilitation Act.
• Two years or more of teaching and supervising experience in a similar position.
• Ability to work effectively with people from a variety of backgrounds.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including demonstrated writing ability and conducting professional development.
• Competency in using computer hardware and software to effectively maintain education services records, communication, reports, and conduct presentations.
• Must have Valid Driver’s License, Personal Vehicle and Liability Insurance required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in early childhood education or Special Education.
• Knowledge of Head Start Performance Standards.
• Familiarity with early childhood curricula.
• Bi-lingual in English/Spanish preferred.
• Advance knowledge of MS Office Suite.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Other employment requirements include the following:

• All EHS employees must pass a mandatory criminal background check prior to hire and every five years thereafter.
• Initial health exam and state-required communicable disease screening and testing.
• Food Handlers Certification Card.
• Employment is conditional pending satisfactory results of all required tests and background checks mentioned above.
• Periodic physical examinations and TB clearances will be required if hired.

To Apply:

Please visit www.urbanstrategies.us/careers. Please contact us with any questions: HR@urbanstrategies.us. Equal Opportunity Employer.