Head Start Teacher Assistant

Head Start Teacher Assistant

Reports To: Site Manager

Primary Purpose:

The Head Start Teacher Assistant supports the lead teacher in creating a safe, engaging, and developmentally appropriate learning environment for young children. This role assists with implementing lesson plans, supervising children, promoting social-emotional development, and maintaining classroom routines. The Teacher Assistant helps with meal service, hygiene, and daily transitions while ensuring compliance with Head Start Performance Standards and health and safety regulations. Strong collaboration with the teaching team, staff, and families is essential to fostering a positive and inclusive classroom experience.

Essential Duties & Qualifications

Classroom Support - Assist the lead teacher in planning and implementing developmentally appropriate activities.

Child Supervision - Ensure the safety and active supervision of children at all times, both indoors and outdoors.

Individualized Learning - Support children's learning by engaging with them in play-based and hands-on activities.

Behavioral Guidance - Help promote positive social-emotional development by modeling appropriate behavior and reinforcing classroom expectations.

Meal & Hygiene Assistance - Assist with meals, snacks, handwashing, toileting, and diapering while following health and safety regulations.

Classroom Organization - Help maintain a clean, safe, and engaging learning environment by setting up materials and organizing supplies.

Family Engagement - Build positive relationships with families and support parent involvement in the program.

Compliance & Documentation - Follow Head Start Performance Standards, licensing regulations, and program policies, assisting with observations and record-keeping as needed.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED equivalent
• Eligible to enroll in a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential program or a degree program leading to an associate or baccalaureate degree. If enrolled in a degree program, a minimum of 15 credit hours in early childhood or child development must be completed within two years of the hire date, or the CDA credential must be earned within the same timeframe or Level III Paraprofessional with TEA.
• Must successfully complete a background check and physical examination in accordance with program requirements
• Willing to obtain COR Advantage Assessment certification
• Willing to obtain CPR and first aid certification
• 3 months' experience in early childhood education

Preferred Qualifications

• Child Development Associate with Pre-k Credential (CDA) or associate degree or higher in child development/early childhood education, or in a different field with a minimum of 15 credit hours in these fields of study
• CPR and First aid Certification
• COR Advantage certification
• 1 year experience in a pre-k or Head Start classroom

Career Progression

This position is eligible for promotion/transfer. If an appropriate position is available, the employee must meet minimum qualifications, including the promotion/transfer eligibility guidelines.

Work Environment

Travel

• This position may be required to travel up to 0-10%

Physical Demands & Work Conditions

• Ability to stand, walk, sit on the floor, and move quickly to engage with children and ensure their safety.
• Lift, push, pull, or move up to 50lbs.
• Frequent bending, crouching, and kneeling to interact with children.
• Assists with meals, hygiene routines, and classroom setup
• Participate in active play, supervision, and learning experiences in both indoor and outdoor environments

The physical requirements for this position, with or without reasonable accommodation, are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this position successfully. While performing this position the employee with or without reasonable accommodation should have the ability to walk, stand, sit, kneel, speak, and hear with aid, see, read, reach with arms and hands, lift and/or move up to specified weight, and use equipment that is essential to performing the job, such as a computer, copier, fax machine, telephone, and automobile, if applicable. Specific vision requirements of this position may include color vision, seeing things close up, and the ability to adjust focus.

This document describes the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required.