Inclusion and Wellness Specialist-CCP in Washington, District of Columbia at EducareDC

CCP INCLUSION AND WELLNESS SPECIALIST
Exemption Status: Full Time, Exempt
Supervisor: Director of Early Head Start Partnerships
Supervisory Position: No
Salary Range: $60,000 – $70,000

ORGANIZATION 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 Inclusion/Wellness Specialist will work with all partner site staff and families to develop and implement individualized behavior plans for children aged birth-to-three and individualized classroom interventions. Reporting to the Director of Early Head Start Partnerships, the position will support students with challenging behavior and/or social emotional delays in fully accessing our high-quality language enriched curriculum. This position will ensure each child has positive early learning experiences by adapting general education experiences and teaching practices, such as self-regulation and communication techniques, while establishing a developmentally appropriate classroom environment favorable to the development of all children. The position will require direct interventions for children (0-3) who require individual support, coaching of classroom staff and/or directors on appropriate interventions, and will monitor implementation of classroom interventions. This position must also focus on proactive coordination with parents and ensure understanding and cohesion of all classroom interventions designed for their child. Caseload is determined based on student need and program enrollment.

RESPONSIBILITIES
Program Core Features:
• Ensure working knowledge of Head Start Performance Standards and other applicable early childhood regulations.
• Implement, demonstrate and successfully document the utilization of multiple perspectives
• Participate in Family Child Reviews and Individualized Family Service Plan meetings
• Maintain professional competence through in-service education activities, particularly those provided by Educare, the Office of Head Start, and the Educare Learning Network.
• Collaborate with teachers on a consistent basis; review classroom and child data, develop an action plan, collaboratively support goal achievement for children with special needs.
• Collaborate with the Family Engagement Specialists, and other Educare staff to promote individual children's goals relating to social emotional development and the referral process.
• Participate in the local evaluation and National Educare Implementation Study, engaging in a system of reciprocal, regular data feedback and utilization for individualized planning for children and families
• Provide an adapted curriculum focused on social/emotional development.

Curriculum:
• Provide a high-quality early learning program that incorporates evidence-based curriculum and instructional activities that support exceptional children that are between the ages of 0-3 years old
• Assist and coach teachers in developing, selecting, and modifying instructional materials and plans to meet the social emotional needs of all children with a wide range of mental and emotional maturities.
• Provide direct in-class modeling of best instructional practices for students with special needs and delays.
• Consult with classroom teachers on embedding social emotional practices in individual and small-group instruction, ensuring that teachers are maintaining appropriate classroom climate to establish and reinforce acceptable child behavior, attitudes, and social skills.
• Develop and implement individualized interventions such as a behavior plan, and support IFSP implementation in collaboration with classroom teachers.

Assessment:
• Provide individual ongoing observations.
• Observe classrooms to determine staffs’ implementation of a healthy nurturing environment specifically documenting atypical behaviors.
• Assess social skills of children in various settings, i.e. playground, lunch, gross motor, garden, etc.
• Collect anecdotal notes and portfolio items to assess development using individual files.
• Complete documentation of incidents in the child’s file.
• Assure that files are complete, accurate, and confidentially maintained.
• Utilize observation data to complete Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP).

Home-School Connection:
• Assist in parent-teacher conferences and home visits at least twice a year when needed.
• Develop activities for parents that promote parent participation and involvement in their child’s mental health and social emotional development.
• Communicate regularly with parents by means of parent meetings, newsletters, home visits, trainings, and individual parent consultation.
• Collaborate with the Family Engagement staff to promote goals and support with referral process when necessary.
• Attend determination meetings for students who have been referred and IFSP meetings for students who have diagnoses.

Other:
• Actively participate in the development and implementation of a personal Professional Development Plan.
• Collaborate with the Comprehensive Health Services Team and other professional staff members in assessing and helping solve children’s health and learning challenges.
• Collaboratively work with Partner Coaches, Instructional Coaches, and Teachers to develop a functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention plan for students with atypical behaviors.
• Provide examples of accommodations, interventions, and modifications for children with social emotional developmental delays.
• Be familiar with the RTI (Response to Intervention) process, and appropriately use it for students who may not currently have a diagnosed disability.
• In cooperation with other staff, carry out routine duties such as toileting, hand washing, cleanup, and supervision of children at all times, including outdoor play.
• Lead or assist in identifying and in complying with teaching and learning for student accommodation requirements according to the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) accommodation requirements.

EXPERIENCE AND ABILITIES
• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education (ECE) with specialized training in special education or psychology or a related field or a related certification. Master’s degree preferred.
• At least one year’s experience in curriculum planning and assessment for children with differing abilities.
• Knowledge and experience in the philosophy and practices of early childhood education, developmentally appropriate practice, emergent literacy, and social/emotional development
• Successful experience collaborating with parents in the education and care of their children.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education (ECE) with specialized training in special education or psychology or a related field or a related certification. Master’s degree preferred.

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 vaccination, drug screen and TB test are required as a condition of continual employment.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
• Knowledge of early childhood and social emotional development for the specific age group (0-3).
• Knowledge of Head Start Performance Standards.
• Knowledge of City and State licensing requirements
• Knowledge of referral process for children with atypical behaviors (0-3).
• Knowledge of mental health consultation model
• Knowledge of Individual Education Plan and Individual Family Service Plans.
• Knowledge of the tiers of the Response to Intervention (RTI) Process.
• Successful experience working in a team setting.
• Ability to create a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA).
• Ability to create and implement a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP).
• Ability to work respectfully and cooperatively with all staff.
• Ability to present a positive image of the organization to members of the community.
• Ability to plan, organize and implement position responsibilities.
• Must spend 75% of time in classrooms.