Associate Teacher, Head Start

Job Title: 

Associate Teacher, Head Start 

Reports to: 

Regional Education Manager

Division/Department: 

University Relations/School for Early Childhood Education 

Job Location: 

Los Angeles 

Direct Reports: 

None 

USC’s School for Early Childhood Educationis dedicated to providing comprehensive, high-quality early childhood education services to children and their families in the South Los Angeles area. Founded in 1970 as a teaching school for future early-childhood professionals, the USC School for Early Childhood Education (USC SECE) seeks to promote school readiness, health/nutrition, mental wellness, and family engagement. Today, our licensed Head Start and Early Head Start centers serve more than 500 infants and pre-school children and their parents each year. We areseeking enthusiastic, creative, dynamic, and team-oriented individuals who enjoy working with children while fostering a supportive learning environment. 

Job Overview: 

TheAssociateTeacher, Head Startassists in planning, supervising, and implementing the education program within the classroomin accordance with the policies,procedures,and philosophy of Head Start Federal and State regulations.In addition, theAssociate Teacher, Head Start works closely with Teachers on delivering daily personal care, educational and recreational activitiestoinfant or toddler children under the age of 3.Position may or may not be assigned to a specific location or classroom. 

Responsibilities and Duties: 

• Provide relationship-based care in daily routines such as mealtime, toileting, hand washing, and napping for preschool age children. 

• Assist in planning and implementing developmentallyappropriate curriculum. 

• Assist and collaborate with teaching team on developing and implementing daily lesson plans. 

• Assistteaching teamon conducting assessments, developing individual development plans, andrecording ongoing observations of children in assigned groups. 

• Helpprepare and conduct parent-teacher conferences for each child in the assigned groupaccording to schedule of requirements. 

• Assist teaching teamin scheduling and conducting home visits for enrolled children in the classroom setting. 

• Utilize classroom materials and routines to promote an environment conductive toappropriate levels of development, interests, and specific needs of the children. 

• Maintain effective and professional relationships with enrolled families. 

• Assist and helpmaintain a safe and healthy classroom environmentin accordance with Head Start Program Performance Standards, Title 5, and Title 22 Regulations. 

• Attend regular staff meetings as scheduled byTeachers,Education Center Supervisors and Administration. 

• Performadditional duties as assigned by Head Teacher, Site Supervisor, and Administration. 

• Encourages a workplace culture where all employees are valued, value others andhave the opportunity to contribute through their ideas,words and actions, in accordance with the USC Code of Ethics. 

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Associate's degree inearly childhood education, child development, or related field; combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education. 

• 1 year of work experience. 

• Twelve or more units in Early Childhood Education (ECE). 

• Six months of field study ordirectly-related job experience. 

• California Child DevelopmentAssociate Teacher Permit or California Child DevelopmentAssociate (CDA) credential or permit eligible. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• 2 years of experience in the classroom. 

• Ability toassist in creating and implementing daily lesson plans. 

• Ability to work well harmoniously in a multi-cultural team. 

• Ability to promote a feeling of security and trust in infants and toddlers, and preschool age children by being warm, supportive, and comforting. 

• A caring, compassionate approach to working with children and families as well as maintaining an open, friendly, and cooperative relationship with each child’s family. 

• Assist in spreading awareness of safe lifting techniques for lifting children, supplies and furnishings and commitment to using preventive health measures in the classroom to prevent the spread of disease, andmaintain care and supervision is the main priority. 

Physical Requirements:

Must be able climb stairs, reach, bend, lift 20-30 pounds, crawl, kneel, stoop, twist, grasp with hands and fingers materials, use arms and legs, able to walk, climb ladders if applicable. 

Pre-Employment Requirements:

• Physical exam 

• TB test 

• LiveScan/fingerprint clearance 

• MMR and Tdap vaccinations 

• CPR 

• Child Abuse Mandated Reporter Training 

The hourly rate range for this position is $18.00 - $21.00. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations. 

USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying. 

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at uschr@usc.edu. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

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