Illuminate Colorado Hiring for Early Childhood Teacher Job at Denver, CO Full Time

Early Childhood Teacher

Illuminate Colorado is a statewide 501(c)(3) organization working to strengthen families, organizations and communities to prevent child maltreatment. With a research-based approach that emphasizes building promotive and protective factors, we address systemic and multi-sector issues by collaborating with families and partners at the community, state and national level to develop and implement powerful programs, policies and initiatives that keep kids safe in
Colorado. Our organization is working to build an inclusive and diverse team of passionate experts who value each other’s differing lived experiences and backgrounds.

We are built on a solid foundation while holding strong values in all of our work.

Equitable & Inclusive: We root our approach to strengthening families and communities in the acknowledgement that risk and protective factors for child maltreatment are impacted by structural inequities, including pervasive and systemic racism and white supremacy, both overt and passive.

Family & Community Driven: We embrace all perspectives and definitions of family and community. Our strategies, decisions, and actions are driven by the voice and input of Colorado families and communities.

Multigenerational: We see child and caregiver well-being as interdependent and all people as part of family and community structures. Every approach to and with families encourages and creates the benefits of connections.

Holistic: We recognize that all parts of our work are interconnected. Each level of the Spectrum of Prevention is key to achieving our mission by seeking to identify and understand strengths, risks, and how individuals, communities, organizations, and systems are situated.

We are innovative and responsive to the needs of families, partners, and the field of child maltreatment prevention.

We pursue growth and continuous quality improvement.

We practice empathy with everyone, everywhere, and in every situation.

We demonstrate integrity in our personal and professional lives.

Role: Under the guidance of the Child Care Manager, the Early Childhood Teacher will be hired to plan, organize, implement, and deliver an infant and toddler program curriculum to enrolled children’s individual and group educational, intellectual, physical, social, and emotional needs. This position will manage a mobile child care classroom for children whose parents are working to address complex issues impacting their family, such as mental health concerns, substance use disorders, or employment challenges; and ensure that the mobile classroom remains in compliance with the State of Colorado Child Care Licensing and ensure that the mobile classroom remains in compliance with the State of Colorado Child Care Licensing standards.

Specific duties include:

Classroom Management:
1. Ensures the classroom environment is safe and meets all State of Colorado Child Care Licensing Regulations
2. Implements an infant/toddler, program based on individual children’s intellectual, physical, social and emotional needs and strengths:
a. Develops written plans, with the classroom team, for daily activities based on children’s needs and interests which stimulate learning in all developmental areas (physical, social, emotional, and intellectual) for a class of up to 5 children which may include children with disabilities.
b. Organizes classroom materials and equipment to provide a safe, supportive age appropriate environment for children.
3. Warmly greets each child and parent as they arrive to ensure that all families feel welcome in the classroom.
4. Is considerate and culturally sensitive to the families and children.
5. Maintains a healthy work environment with staff and children through a strength-based lens of positive communication; acknowledging, recognizing and accepting all children and their families.
6. Communicates with the Child Care Manager to ensure that necessary classroom materials are ordered and arrive on time.
7. Plans and participates in the preparation, setup, and clean-up of foods for infants and toddlers.
8. Provides clear and consistent expectations for the children’s behavior. a. Encourage children’s independence and trust they can do age-appropriate tasks themselves. b. Assess children’s social emotional skills using the appropriate tool within 2 weeks of a child’s enrollment.

Administrative Duties:

1. Prepares, submits, monitors and tracks internal and external reports / documents in accordance with program needs.
2. Enrolls families for child care services in the on site classroom.
3. Demonstrates responsible professional behavior by participating effectively within and across teams, i.e. emails, effective communication using skilled dialogue, etc.
4. Works effectively with the Family Support team to ensure smooth program operations.

Mobile Unit:

1. Drives the RV mobile classroom to service locations and returns the unit to the garage at the end of the day.
2. Utilizes the Daily Vehicle Safety Checks to complete an inspection and sign off that the unit is ready for travel and the day’s activities.
3. Prepares the mobile classroom for the day by opening the slides, setting materials out, completing safety checks prior to children’s arrival.
4. Prepares the onsite classroom for departure by cleaning all materials, putting all loose materials away, bringing the slides in and doing a final check prior to departure.
5. Ensures the mobile classroom is disinfected and sanitized between sessions and at the end of the day.
6. Prepares the mobile classroom for the following day by emptying the gray and black water tanks, filling the fresh water tank, filling the unit with fuel, etc.

Other duties as assigned

Experience & Skills:

• Enthusiastic leader and team member with a positive attitude.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills – ability to understand intermediate written materials and compose information/instruction in written form.
• Effective interpersonal skills to support ongoing interaction with other employees, the general public, and children and parents within the community.
• Effective organizational, time management and multitasking skills.
• Excellent judgment as well as problem solving/decision making abilities.
• Remain calm and calm others in an emergency, stressful and/or confrontational situation.
• Identify conflict and take the steps necessary to resolve the issues or involve others to resolve the issues.
• Work well with other people taking into consideration, among the dynamics, their needs, their personal style, and the requirements of their jobs.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Suite applications.

Physical Requirements:

• Conduct activities involving stooping, kneeling, bending, crouching, crawling, twisting, and reaching on a frequent basis and substantial standing and walking, and moderate sitting.
• Sit on the floor or crouch at a child’s level. Lift a child weighing up to 50 pounds. Lift, carry, push, and/or pull a burden weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Grasp and manipulate office and art equipment and similar other tools and materials.
• Work with hands above shoulder height with a weight up to 5 pounds.
• Work with arms extended at shoulder height with a weight up to 20 pounds.
• Respond to unanticipated situations involving activities of young children ranging in age from birth to three years of age.

Qualifications:

• Professional Development Information System (PDIS) Level 2 Early Childhood Teacher
• Must meet or be willing to work towards obtaining the Colorado Child Care Infant Nursery Supervisor requirements (ECE 111 and ECE 112; Expanding Quality in Infant Toddler Care; or Child Development Associate)
• Bilingual in English/Spanish preferred
• Valid Driver’s License required
• Background check, post-employment medical examination and drug screen are required.
• Experience working in Head Start or Early Head Start program preferred

Retention Stipend:

A retention stipend of $1500 is available for this position. The successful candidate will receive a partial stipend at 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days of employment upon the successful completion of all trainings, including but not limited to RV Driver Training, RV Equipment Training, all required PDIS trainings, and CPR/First Aid.

Compensation & Schedule:

This is a full-time position eligible for benefits. Starting salary is negotiable and commensurate with skills and experience in the range of $40,000 – $50,000.

This position will be required to travel to service locations in the Denver Metro area. Mileage will be reimbursed. A cell phone will be needed to complete necessary duties regarding this position. At this time a cell phone stipend will not be provided. Flexibility to work a pre-set alternating schedule that will include opening and closing center hours with possibility of occasional evenings and weekends. The start and ending hours can range from 7:30am to 9:00pm.

Illuminate Colorado offers health and dental benefits as well as participation in a Simple IRA, EAP, and Life & AD&D benefits. In addition, Illuminate has a generous paid time off policy.

To Apply:

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and three references via email with “Early Childhood
Teacher” in the subject line to hiring(at)illuminatecolorado.org.

Application Deadline:

Open until filled.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $40,000.00 – $50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Application Question(s):

• Are you a Professional Development Information System (PDIS) Level 2 Early Childhood Teacher ?

Work Location: On the road