Long Term Substitute: Child Care Educator

FRAMINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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Long Term Substitute: Child Care Educator

Staff Child Day Care Center at Framingham High School

Starting November 27, 2026

POSITION SUMMARY

The Long Term Substitute: Child Care Educator serves as a foundational caregiver and instructional assistant, delivering high-quality care and support to young children. Operating primarily within an inclusionary setting (least restrictive environment), this role is essential to Framingham Public Schools' day-to-day operations and strategic goal of fostering the development of the "whole child" by supporting early academic, social-emotional, and physical growth needs. The Child Care Educator helps meet general daily classroom goals, supports children with special needs, and protects their physical and emotional health and safety. This commitment aligns with Framingham Public Schools' high expectations for achievement, equal access to high levels of care, and the promotion of dignity and equity for all children and subgroups within our community.

OUR MISSION

Framingham Public Schools (FPS) is committed to excellence for all students and to creating a workforce that reflects our community's rich racial, linguistic, and cultural diversity. Guided by our mission to empower free-thinking, responsible citizens, we value inclusion, equity, and cultural responsiveness in all we do. FPS strives to provide a safe and welcoming environment where every student and staff member can thrive. We actively seek educators and staff who are committed to antiracism, social justice, and civic engagement. We strongly encourage applications from individuals with disabilities and from members of historically underrepresented groups.

Framingham Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building a culturally responsive, antiracist, and inclusive community where all individuals are valued, respected, and supported to thrive.

ABOUT FRAMINGHAM

Framingham, Massachusetts, is a vibrant and diverse suburban community located 20 miles west of Boston, serving as a major hub in the MetroWest area. It successfully blends urban convenience with the comfort of New England neighborhoods, characterized by cultural diversity and a strong community spirit.

A key asset is the Framingham Public School system, which is committed to equity, inclusion, and student success across its nine elementary schools, three middle schools, and Framingham High School. The district is recognized for its dual language programs, comprehensive special education services, and dedication to serving a diverse student population, preparing all learners for college and careers.

Framingham is also home to Framingham State University and offers abundant outdoor opportunities, including Cushing Memorial Park and Callahan State Park. With its blend of educational resources, accessibility, and dynamic community life, Framingham is a welcoming place to live and grow.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Current and valid Massachusetts Office of Early Education and Care (EEC) license for a childcare provider is preferred.

• Infant/Pediatric CPR and First Aid Certification preferred.

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

Framingham Public Schools seeks candidates whose background, teaching, or service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and belonging in all aspects of education.

• Educational Requirement: A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in Early Education or a related field preferred.

• Professional Experience: Prior experience working within an early childhood environment required; specialized experience with infants and toddlers is highly preferred.

• Language Proficiency: Bilingual proficiency in Spanish and/or Portuguese is preferred.

SKILLS AND ABILITY

To perform this job successfully, an individual must satisfactorily perform each essential duty. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities required:

• Early Childhood Pedagogy: Knowledge of developmentally appropriate early childhood play, activities, and milestones.
• Text & Directive Comprehension: Ability to read, interpret, and internalize operational documents such as safety rules, memos, and procedure manuals.
• Effective Communication: Proficiency in expressing ideas clearly and concisely in both written and oral forms with staff, leadership, and families.
• Collaborative Teamwork: Strong interpersonal skills to work seamlessly as an active member of a classroom instructional team.
• Relationship Building: Ability to establish and maintain highly effective and empathetic working connections with students, parents, staff, and the community.
• Solution-Focused Mindset: Proactive and solution-oriented approach to identifying and answering children's physical and developmental needs.
• Cultural Proficiency: Demonstrated cultural proficiency and competence in working with children of diverse backgrounds and varying needs in an equitable and inclusive manner.
• Policy Compliance: Ability to execute daily care with complete awareness of district requirements and School Committee policies.
• Social-Emotional Development: Skill in establishing supportive, stable boundaries with young children without encouraging counterproductive emotional dependency.
• Professionalism & Composure: Maintain regular, predictable, and punctual attendance; maintain professional composure, patient focus, and modeling behaviors when faced with unpredictable or high-stress early childhood classroom situations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as an illustration of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

I. Daily Care, Routine Support, and Physical Assistance

• Assists children with daily physical routines, including putting on and taking off outerwear, moving safely from room to room, and navigating classroom spaces.

• Delivers necessary physical care throughout the workday, including the regular feeding, changing, and toileting of children based on individual developmental and hygiene needs.

• Supports and guides students with special needs, affirming their unique abilities while maximizing their access to inclusionary classroom environments.

• Helps lift or safely position young children to provide baseline early childhood services.

II. Instructional Support and Environment Management

• Facilitates and coordinates structured, developmentally appropriate play activities and early learning milestones in the daycare room under teacher direction.

• Integrates foundational social-emotional frameworks into play routines to foster a safe, positive, and trauma-informed room culture.

• Assists the certified teacher with general daily classroom duties, materials preparation, and activity setups to keep the space physically and academically accessible.

• Establishes clear, encouraging, and supportive relationships with children that value their identity and promote dignity across all peer connections.

III. Safety, Supervision, and Compliance

• Ensures the absolute safety, continuous visibility, and physical protection of children across all environments.

• Maintains continuous visual and auditory surveillance of students during indoor instruction, outdoor recess blocks, fire drills, and special activities.

• Documents and monitors daily student milestones, safety changes, or incident reports in strict compliance with state regulations and district policies.

• Follows precise medical, health, sanitization, and clean-space safety guidelines to prevent environmental hazards or pathogen exposures.

IV. Collaboration and Communication

• Coordinates closely with the classroom teacher, program coordinator, and early childhood team members to streamline student care plans.

• Provides helpful, clear, and prompt observations regarding student progress or daily updates to parents and guardians during student drop-off/pick-up transitions.

• Collaborates with building administration to implement center-wide policies that enrich early childhood education systems.

Other duties as assigned.

PHYSICAL WORKING CONDITIONS

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Mobility, Navigation & Travel: Must frequently move about and traverse throughout the classroom, early childhood center, playgrounds, and general school building grounds for instructional delivery, emergency drills, and student supervision.
• Stationary Tasks: Required to occasionally sit or remain stationary for administrative logs, feeding routines, or floor-based learning activities.
• Sensory Requirements: Must be able to see and hear continuously to ensure young student safety, intercept behavioral risks immediately, and monitor active school operations.
• Communication: Must communicate effectively, clearly, and responsively with children, parents, and colleagues in person, via email, or over the phone.
• Manual Dexterity & Technology: Frequent use of hands to finger, handle, or feel objects and tools. Must operate a computer for child logs, handle delicate childcare supplies, and use safety tools continuously.
• General Physical Strength: Regular capacity to sit, stand, walk, kneel, crouch, stoop, squat, bend, or twist at the neck and trunk. Expected to lift and carry classroom supplies up to 20 lbs routinely; occasionally required to lift, transfer, or position young children or assist with wheelchair mobility as required by student needs.
• Working Environment: Functions within a dynamic, high-activity early childhood school environment with a moderate to high noise level during play blocks and transitions. Day includes mandatory outdoor supervision during recess or scheduled activities.
• Exposure Risks: May be regularly exposed to bodily fluids, illness, or pathogens typical of early childhood environments.
• Behavioral De-escalation & Resilience: Capacity to remain calm, professional, and patient when exposed to tantrums, volatile behaviors, or high-stakes emotional situations; ability to use positive redirection and early de-escalation techniques under pressure.

REPORTS TO

• Coordinator of the Child Care Center (and/or designee).
• The performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with the Framingham School Commitee Contract.

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA) CLASSIFICATION

• This position is classified as Exempt (Professional).

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Covered under Framingham School Commitee Contract.

• The District reserves the right to transfer personnel as needed.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO)

Framingham Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Framingham Public Schools complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the District has facilities.This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Framingham Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, ancestry, marital status, or veteran status.

The Framingham Public Schools prohibit sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator. The notice of nondiscrimination is located at the Framingham Public Schools School Committee website. Framingham Public Schools Nondiscrimination Notice.

Revised 2026