Purpose:
To support Collaborative Center Partnerships in meeting Head Start Program Performance Standards and providing quality services to enrolled children and families as delineated by NMCAA Head Start Program goals and plans.

Position Objectives:

• To support Collaborative Center HS/EHS classrooms and staff at assigned sites with the implementation Head Start Program Performance Standards.
• To support education staff with professional development to enhance the quality of teaching and teacher-child relationships.
• Team with family specialists to support family well-being.
• Team with R&H staff to promote recruitment efforts and secure completed health requirements, health follow up and documentation within required time frames.

Essential functions:

Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance

• Team with appropriate R&H staff to promote recruitment activities.
• Assist family specialist in maintaining and updating waitlists.
• Work with the provider and families to provide information about the benefits of regular attendance.
• Team with collaborative center staff, and family specialists to ensure family well-being when multiple unexplained absences occur.
• Team with collaborative center staff, and family specialists to identify children with patterns of absence that put them at risk for missing ten percent of program days per year and develop strategies to improve attendance among identified children, such as direct contact or intensive case management as necessary.
• If attendance falls below 85 percent, team with management to analyze the causes of absenteeism to identify any systematic issues that contribute to the program's absentee rate.

Program Structure

• Monitor Collaborative Center Sites for implementation of program structure in accordance with HSPPS.
• Document and collaborate with providers to understand and maintain compliance.
• Communicate with providers and Collaborative and EHS Center-based Manager any concerns regarding HSPPS compliance.

Education and Child Development Program Services

• Monitor and support providers in completion of GOLD documentation and assessment.
• Collaborate with providers, diagnostic professionals, and itinerants to ensure appropriate IFSP/IEP goal implementation and documentation.
• Support providers in strengthening planning skills and carrying out curriculum expectations.

Health Program Services

• Promote and provide the integration of health/dental education for providers/families.
• Assist R&H staff, as needed, in ensuring enrolled families meet EHS/HS health requirements, (including screenings and follow up) address barriers and identify gaps in services.
• Assist family specialists, as needed, with hearing and vision screening of HS/EHS children.

Family and Community Engagement Services

• Team with family specialists to support families, from well-being, to working towards goals, to family engagement activities, and resource and referral for health and mental health services.
• Build partnerships with community-based health, social service and education/job training opportunities to support the needs and goals of HS and EHS families.
• Provide resource and referral information to classroom teaching staff in support of enrolled families as requested.
• Collaborate with Collaborative Center staff to identify Parent Education needs/interests and assist family specialists in implementing opportunities for learning accordingly with CCs.

Transition Services

• Serve as the transition liaison between programs and families for transitions as needed.

Human Resources Management

• Collaborate with Collaborative and EHS Center-based Manager and fellow CCSCs to identify through a professional development needs assessment process trainings and/or coaching opportunities that align with overall program goals and needs identified by the providers.
• Work together with the Collaborative and EHS Center-based Manager and fellow CCSCs in planning and presenting professional development opportunities for providers. This may include and is not limited to securing presenters/trainers, researching training opportunities, presenting, data gathering and reporting.
• Implement Practice Based Coaching cycle for providers identified to benefit most from intensive coaching.
• Follow the Monthly Observation Schedule when observing/monitoring classrooms. Turn in copies of the observations to the Collaborative Center Program Manager at the end of each month.
• Conduct a monthly recap with assigned teachers, a monthly recap with assigned directors, and deliver supplies as needed.

Program Management and Quality Improvement

• Responsible for supporting the Collaborative Center staff in timely completion and collection of all required paperwork and documentation. On-site visits and support will occur frequently.
• Promote HS/EHS programs/events and act as a program liaison to the professional community.
• Attend staff trainings, and Head Start and community meetings, and participate in professional development growth opportunities as specified by the Collaborative and EHS Center-based Manager. May include Reflective Supervision.
• Establish an ongoing communication system with Collaborative and EHS Center-based Manager to ensure supervisory support when any concerns arise.
• Attend designated team or county-based meetings to discuss trends in families and community, share resource information, and/or coordinate other shared roles such as newsletters, workshops, socializations.
• Adhere to work schedule as required. Activities may require evening and weekend hours. Staff must adjust weekly schedule when this occurs so as to not exceed allotted weekly work hours.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Measured by:

The accuracy and timeliness of completed work.

• Completed observation schedules within expected timeline.
• Completed Practice Based Coaching cycle and follow up within program timelines.
• Completed and documented recaps with teachers and with directors.
• Completed CLASS observations and review with classroom teachers within required time frames as captured in ChildPlus.

The quality of services provided.

• Feedback from agency leadership, staff, community partners and families.
• The ability to represent the agency professionally in service to families and the larger community.
• Flexibility to adjust to situations and react as necessary for the betterment of families, teammates and the agency.
• Involvement and contribution towards Professional Development Goals and Implementation for Collaborative Center partner staff.

Minimum Education:

• Bachelor's degree in early childhood education or related field.
• Staff hired after November 7, 2016 have within 18 months of hire, at a minimum, to attain a credential or certification in social work, human services, family services, counseling or a related field.

Minimum Experience:

• Prior experience working with low income/at risk families.
• Experienced in working collaboratively with community members.

Essential Abilities:

• A commitment to the NMCAA and Head Start philosophy and mission.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to interact positively with co-workers and clients in a non-judgmental, tactful and courteous manner.
• Ability to suggest innovative approaches in completing job responsibilities.
• Ability to work openly and cooperatively as a team member.
• Able to plan, organize and prioritize.

Minimum Skills Required:

• Effective written and verbal communication skills necessary to partner cooperatively with coworkers, families, other agencies and health entities.
• Knowledge of basic computer skills and office equipment.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to plan, organize, prioritize in order to work efficiently and effectively.
• Be CLASS reliable within the first year of employment and maintain certification ongoing.

Minimum Physical Expectations:

Physical activity that often involves or requires the following:

• Keyboarding, sitting, phone work and filing.
• Extensive time working on a computer.
• Car travel.
• Lifting under 25 lbs.
• Bending, stooping, reaching, climbing, kneeling and/or twisting.
• Pushing and/or pulling over 25lbs. but not more than 50 lbs.

Physical activity that sometimes requires the following:

• Lifting over 25lbs. but not more than 50lbs.

Minimum Environmental Expectations:

• Routine use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, copiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
• Possible exposure to blood and bodily fluids.
• Possible exposure to communicable diseases.
• Exposure to potential traffic dangers and varying weather conditions when conducting work related travel.