EARLY CHILDHOOD FOUNDATIONAL SPECIALIST

Early Childhood Foundational Specialist Organization: Ozarks Unlimited Resources Educational Services Cooperative & Guy Fenter Educational Services Cooperative Reports To: Local Early Childhood Lead Captains Classification: Full-Time | Grant-Funded

POSITION SUMMARY The Early Childhood Foundational Specialist serves as a vital bridge between state-mandated foundational quality and classroom-level excellence. This role is responsible for the quarterly delivery of required foundational trainings and providing high-impact, practice-based coaching to ensure training concepts are successfully implemented in birth-to-five settings. Partnering closely with the Local Lead Captains and the CLASS Specialist, this position develops and facilitates advanced professional development that strengthens adult-child interactions and supports the regional Local Early Childhood Plan.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Professional Development & Facilitation

• Quarterly Training Delivery: Facilitate all required OEC foundational trainings at least once per quarter, including: Strengthening Business Practices for Child Care Programs. Child Development and Early Learning Standards (CDELS) Basics. Building Skills for Kindergarten Readiness. CPR & First Aid and Emergency Preparedness. Classroom and Behavior Management.
• Training Adaptation: Adapt statewide core content and facilitation materials to meet the specific needs of diverse regional audiences, including directors, educators, and family childcare providers.

2. Practice-Based Coaching & Technical Assistance

   • Implementation Support: Provide reflective supervision and practice-based coaching to help educators translate training theory into high-quality daily routines.
   • CLASS Alignment: Offer targeted technical assistance that connects foundational skills (like environment design and routines) to specific CLASS dimensions, such as Classroom Organization and Instructional Support.
   • Quality Improvement: Conduct classroom observations and provide structured feedback to support program fidelity to evidence-based standards.

3. Instructional Leadership & Content Development

   • Foundational Curriculum Design: Develop additional "Foundational Trainings" in categories such as Instructional Leadership, Staff Support, and Ethics/Professionalism.
   • OEC Compliance: Lead the submission process for new training materials to the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) to ensure alignment with LEARNS priorities.
   • Data-Driven Support: Utilize regional CLASS and community data to identify professional development gaps and design responsive learning opportunities.

Qualifications & Competencies

• Education & Experience Master's Degree preferred: Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership, or a related field. Systems Expertise: Minimum of 5 years of experience in early childhood systems, including frontline supervision and program quality assessment. Certifications: * CLASS Observer Certification (Pre-K and Infant-Toddler).