KANSAS CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Job Description

Job Title:              Teaching Assistant – Pre-K

Job Title Code:    01079

Salary Grade:      Z03 – Z05 (Starting $12.29 - see Paraprofessional salary schedule)

Department:          Early Childhood  

Reports To:          Office of Early Learning-designated supervisor

FLSA Status:        Non-exempt

Date Prepared:    June 2010              Revised:  February 2017

PURPOSE OF JOB:  To work with classroom instructor to effectively plan, coordinate and carry out early childhood instructional activities.  Plan with classroom instructor daily as a team member to develop activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth needed for Pre-K students by performing the following duties.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following.  Other duties may be assigned.

Curriculum

1. Follow the content areas of Head Start/Early Childhood Development, support and collaborate with co-workers to ensure an effective child/family service team.
2. Promote and support children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development consistent with the philosophy of Head Start/Early Childhood Development.
3. Support a language and print rich environment that promotes literacy through classroom reading and writing activities.
4. Work with instructor in team teaching, team planning, and daily routines. This includes working with Classroom Instructor in completing weekly lesson plans.
5. Provide small group and circle time instruction to assigned children.
6. Implement the use of technology to enhance student achievement.
7. Instruct children in practice of daily living skills as appropriate.
8. Understand, support and be able to assist in implementing and communicating the curriculum to children and their families.
9. Assist in process of on-going developmental evaluations and assessment of children’s progress. Use iPad to record documentation on children and take pictures to be entered into Head Start assessment system.
10. Assist in preparing and setting up materials for children.
11. Assist substitute teachers with effectively and efficiently running the classroom.

Environment

12. Remain with students for support during all times outside of the classroom as assigned.
13. Monitor the arrival and departure of the students.
14. Maintain a safe transition procedure when moving children from one area of the school to another.
15. Monitor and maintain a positive, safe and healthy learning environment for children by immediately reporting any unsafe condition to the Classroom Instructor.
16. Provide short-term classroom coverage when instructor must leave the room but remains within the building.
17. Reports all staffing and classrooms concerns to designated supervisor in a timely manner.
18. Maintain a bulletin board with pertinent information for families.
19. Maintain current display of children’s work on bulletin boards in classrooms and in hallways, as appropriate.

Adult/Child Interactions

20. Interact with children, providing positive role models and guidance as dictated by CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System). This observation tool focuses on the effectiveness of classroom interactions among teachers and children.
21. Establish and maintain respectful, responsive relationships with children utilizing the Conscious Discipline Approach. Take care of children’s needs even when difficult behavior exists.
22. Demonstrate meaningful interactions with children throughout the day.

Families

23. Develop and maintain supportive, professional relationships with children and their families to enhance parent education, communication, involvement and advocacy.
24. Assist in promoting family involvement and provide educational guidance to families through home visits and conferences. Partner with Classroom Instructors to complete home visits and parent-teacher conferences, as well as complete required forms

Professional Development

25. Collaborate with content area specialists related to education, health, safety, and occupancy standards to maintain compliance.
26. Attend orientation and in-service training sessions and implement information from training, and guidance from supervisors and consultants into practice to improve performance.
27. Obtain a minimum of 15 hours of training each year in the field of Early Childhood education or Child Development.
28. Update professional development plan each year.

Leadership/Management

29. Maintain professionalism and support teamwork within the teaching team, including the family advocate and supervisors.
30. Manage daily classroom activities in compliance with Head Start Performance Standards and MO State Licensing requirements.
31. Complete all required paper work assuring accuracy and timeliness.
32. Assist in providing functional guidance to staff, interns, substitutes and volunteers assigned to the classroom.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:  None

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Preschool Child Development Associate Credential (CDA)
• Skills in working with children and their families
• Submit initial physical and TB screening results and renew as required

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Associate Degree in Early Childhood
• Three (3) years successful experience working with Pre-K children and their families
• Experience working in culturally diverse communities

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 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. 

This job requires that the employee be able to: sit, stand, walk, speak, hear, use hands, fingers, reach with hands and fingers; bend, stoop, get up and down off the floor, lift objects of at least 25 pounds and in case of emergency, a 40 pound child. Job requires the employee occasionally to stoop, kneel, crouch, and sit on floor or crawl. Visual ability requires mono and color vision, close vision, distance vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Length of work year: 10 months

Benefits:           Health and Dental Insurance are provided.

KCPS Defined Benefit Pension plan – mandatory 9.0% contribution is required from employee and matched by KCPS; Voluntary retirement savings plans are also available.