Head Start Transportation / Teachers Aide

General Description:

To act in a dual work capacity in providing safe transportation and meeting the cognitive, emotional, social, and physical needs of children.

Essential Job Responsibilities and Performance Indicators:

Transportation • Arrives 10 minutes before the route to check messages and perform pre-trip inspections. Maintain a clean & safe bus (i.e., weekly disinfect seats, monthly pressure wash inside and outside, and by-monthly wash windows). Conduct pre/post-trip bus inspections before/after route run daily. (i.e., registration, proof of insurance, first aid, emergency equipment, bus maintenance, etc.) Adhere to bus safety rules as required by program and state standards (i.e., proper shoes, no food, sodas, no thongs, flip-flops, slides, open-toed shoes, coolers, glass containers, CD/Radio earplugs, aerosol cans, etc.) Ensure every child is properly restrained in safety vests. Ensure and be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the walkie-talkie radio daily Be responsible for the use of the fuel card (i.e., maintain and submit gas receipts daily, return fuel card daily, etc.) Document and report all accidents/incidents and mechanical problems to Transportation Manager Ensure that a Bus Policy, Emergency Card, and Parent Release Form on all bus riders are present at all times. Report promptly to the immediate supervisor and/or Family Services any changes to the child's address and/or family problems observed. Ensure that the bus is attended at all times by an adult (i.e., driver, staff/monitor, or parent) when children are being transported. Ensure that every attempt is made to pick up children and that an authorized person is present when children are delivered home or to a childcare provider. Submit monthly mileage sheets, evacuation drills, a vehicle safety checklist, and/or any other required documents/reports to the Transportation Manager. Develop and maintain regular, functional bus routes. Ensure that there is an updated route on the bus and at the center at all times. Promote and use positive guidance techniques when supervising children and inform teachers of any behavioral problems observed/occurring on the bus. Check the bus at the end of the AM & PM routes to ensure that "No" Child Is Left Behind." The sign MUST be posted in the front window. Other related duties as assigned. Teacher's Aide or Substitute Teacher • Assist teacher(s) in planning, preparing, and implementing daily classroom group and individualized activities for children (i.e., lesson plans, IEPs, attendance, clean-up, follow-up, and record-keeping as required by state and federal licensing, performance standards, and program standards, Coordinate with the classroom teacher(s) to determine daily tasks. Assist teacher(s) with personal hygiene, health, safety (i.e., tooth brushing, toileting, hand washing) Eat and converse with children during mealtime and encourage them to develop good eating habits and social skills. Share in the responsibility of providing appropriate care for children with disabilities. Assist teacher(s) in tracking attendance, meal count, volunteer hours, in-kind contributions, child sign-in, and sign-out sheets, health checks, child portfolios, assessments, and other information as necessary. Assist in conducting daily observation of children to track their educational and social gains and outcomes and record findings in the child's portfolio Monitor records and data to determine compliance with required standards. Other related duties as assigned Qualifications /

Skills and Experience:

HS Diploma/GED or other related fields/ECD Cert./ECD Diploma preferred. Commercial Driver License (CDL) with "S" Endorsement (preferred), training provided. Must be able to obtain within the 90-day probationary period if needed. Demonstrate effective reading, writing, and typing/computer skills. Experience in a preschool program or one year's training in Early Childhood Development or Transportation experience driving large vehicles (school bus) Ability to pass background checks and health screening. Must be able to communicate (verbal and written) effectively and appropriately with others.

Professional and Ethical Standards:

Maintain confidentiality following agency policy and legal requirements. Attend mandatory training and meetings, and seek out staff development opportunities. Work as a team member with all staff and maintain a positive work ethic. Be honest, reliable, and dependable. Knowledgeable about and sensitive to an individual's values, beliefs, traditions, cultural influences, make-up, and circumstances. Demonstrate familiarity with employment policies, performance standards, work plans, and agency goals and objectives. Demonstrate commitment to mission, values, and policies in the performance of daily duties. Fulfill role as mandated reporter as stated in the Child Abuse & Neglect Policy.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk to or hear individuals in person and over the phone. The employee frequently must stand; walk; use hands to handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. Ability to work outdoors intermittently with exposure to cold and hot weather. Perform physical inventory of equipment and/or supplies. Lift and move heavy and/or bulky objects and/or children weighing up to 50 lbs. (Teacher's Aid) Maintain a clean classroom area, which may require a broom, mop, vacuum, cleaning fluids, etc. Ability to physically interact with children (walk and run quickly, kneel, or sit on the floor, bend, lift, walk over rough or uneven grounds and exposure to diverse weather conditions) Ability to assist in setting up classrooms/office areas which require but are not limited to moving tables, chairs, shelves, etc.) Assist with the safety of children through the seeing, hearing, touching, and smelling senses. Performs physical maintenance duty, which requires the use of a broom, mop, vacuum, buffer/stripper, cleaning fluids, etc.