Education Mentor in Washington, District of Columbia at EducareDC

EDUCATION MENTOR
FLSA Status: Full-Time, Exempt
Supervisor: Director of EHS Partnerships
Supervisory Position: Yes
Salary: $70,000 - $80,000
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ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW
Educare DC serves over 325 children from birth to five years – and their families – through our state-of-the-art center and through community partnerships. Building on the program foundations of Early Head Start and Head Start and accredited by NAEYC, Educare DC promotes school readiness by providing high-quality, comprehensive early learning programming for children who are historically underserved due to systemic racism, eliminating the opportunity gap often experienced by low-income communities. Educare DC is part of the 25-school Educare Learning Network that serves as a platform for broader change, inspiring high-quality programs in communities, improving public policies nationally and within each state, and demonstrating a comprehensive, research-based approach to the first five years of life and learning. Educare DC draws on a blend of private and public dollars, including federal childcare funding, Early Head Start, Pre-K, and other state and federal funding streams.

POSITION OVERVIEW
The Education Mentor assists in monitoring and planning the facilitation of full and effective implementation of Early Head Start (EHS) Performance Standards, as well as evidence-based instructional practices. Reporting to the EHS Partnerships Director, this position will provide the EHS Childcare Partner staff and Childcare Partnership Instructional Assistants with instructional leadership through design, delivery, and coordination of intensive professional development, facilitation of interdisciplinary collaboration, and administrative support. The expected outcomes of the Education Mentor’s work include exemplary early learning classroom quality and teacher-child interactions as well as guidance and support for the childcare partner site director.

RESPONSIBILITIES
Reflective Practice
• Partner with professional development office to consistently facilitate reflective practice groups for partnering staff to improve professional practice through shared inquiry, reflection, and learning.
• Facilitate biweekly meetings with the childcare partnership site director for program updates, progress reports, and program needs assessment.

Coaching
• Implement a regular schedule of coaching to support implementation of Early Head Start core competencies and evidence-based instructional practices through a cyclical process of observation, reflection, and action.
• Coordinate and assist in the development and implementation of on-going instructional and professional development plans based on identified needs of teachers, including mentoring and onsite training as needed. Share professional development plan progress with site directors as appropriate.

Collaborative Planning
• Consistently schedule and lead lesson planning meetings with teachers.
• Model incorporating data use, Teaching Strategies Gold Standards/DC Early Common Core Standards, and individualization to best support students.

Administrative Support
• Monitor and ensure education portfolios and other required documentation for children and classrooms are completed.
• Supervise the procurement, distribution and monitoring of instructional resources and services related to the CCP classrooms
• Coordinate with EHS Partnerships Manager to plan instructional assistants’ schedule and performance evaluations.
• Support with hiring and interviewing CCP teaching staff and initiating temporary staffing when necessary.

Key Deliverables
• Lead the EHS- CCP sites’ education program for children ages birth to three, including implementation of the following Head Start core features and evidence-based practices.
• Collaborate with site directors, education mentors, professional development office and EHS partnerships director to evaluate training needs and propose training strategies.
• Development of high-quality, developmentally appropriate curriculum, including standards, formative assessment, instructional planning, and alignment across classrooms.
• Responsive and intentional implementation of curriculum and instruction to ensure children are provided with socially supportive, organized, and instructionally meaningful interactions that support their development (i.e., social/emotional, physical, cognitive, and language) and learning (i.e., literacy, math, science, technology, social studies, and arts).
• Engage in collaborative planning with the Inclusion and Wellness Specialist for the appropriate inclusion of young children.
• Use of child screening, assessment and progress data to inform lesson planning, individualization, and the intensification of instruction in the areas of oral language, dual.
• Use child screening, assessment, and progress data to inform lesson planning, individualization, and instruction in the areas of oral language, literacy, social/emotional development, self-regulation, numeracy, and problem solving.
• Provide monthly reports on visits to childcare providers to EHS partnerships director.
• Utilize coaching to ensure each program is compliant with all Head Start guidelines.

Other
• Liaise with childcare partner site directors regarding instructional programming, district policies/procedures, and working with families.
• Complete and submit all reports in a timely manner.
• Perform other duties, as assigned, within the scope of the job description.

EXPERIENCE AND ABILITIES
• A minimum of one year of coaching experience is required.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education (ECE), Child Development or a related field with five years of early childhood classroom experience and/or a certification in infant toddler studies or similar credential.

ADDITIONAL JOB REQUIREMENTS
• Clearance of background checks as required by local, state and federal regulations
• Physical examination and diagnostic tests as required by local, state, and federal regulations.
• A bi-annual physical exam, Covid-19 vaccination, drug screen and TB test are required as a condition of continual employment.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
• Knowledge of and ability to implement early childhood curriculum and developmentally appropriate practice for children ages birth to three and their families.
• Remain abreast of developments in the child development field.
• Demonstrate sound leadership and ability to utilize reflective practice as intended.
• Strong ability to interpret Head Start Standards, state and local licensing requirements.
• Ability to work as a cooperative and supportive member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Ability to communicate with diverse families and external stakeholders.
• Prior experience working in a program located in an urban underserved community.
• Strong ability to exercise discretion in handling confidential information and materials.
• Intermediate knowledge of computer applications and the ability to learn computer technology/software programs as needed.