Substitute Teacher, Early Childhood Center

Why this role matters:

Our preschool teachers are essential to the Bender JCC, creating a warm, engaging, and safe environment and community for our students. Our substitute teachers provide coverage in classrooms when Bender JCC teaching staff are absent, for short term or long term absences. This is an exciting opportunity to work directly with our community and have a significant impact on the experience of our preschool families.

About the Bender JCC:

The Bender Jewish Community Center in Rockville, Maryland is a premier community center at the heart of Jewish life in Montgomery County, operating a full-scale health and fitness center, pre-school, day camp and variety of education and arts programs.

We create a welcoming and inclusive environment, connecting the people of our Jewish community with each other, Israel, and the broader community. We inspire individuals of all ages and backgrounds to enhance their social, physical, intellectual and spiritual well-being through programs of excellence rooted in Jewish values.

The Bender JCC embraces and welcomes the diversity of our community and encourages everyone to seek meaning and fulfillment by participating in our rich programming inspired by our Jewish heritage. We open our doors to everyone, including people of all backgrounds, religions, abilities and sexual orientations, and interfaith couples and families.

Core Responsibilities:

• Complying with supervision, direction, and mentoring by the lead teacher, assistant teacher, and preschool leadership.
• Supporting the daily plan under the direction of the lead teacher and coordinating with other support staff who may work in the classroom.
• Supporting the educational experience of the students and their families in line with the school philosophy.
• Communicating with classroom staff concerning incidents and issues in the classroom.
• Being aware of student allergies and other health issues.
• Attending to the personal hygiene of students, as needed, including, but not limited to, changing soiled clothes and diapers.
• Preparing snacks for the classroom.
• Maintaining the all areas neat and clean
• Leaving only when children are in the care of an authorized adult.
• Working as scheduled by office staff or classroom staff
• Taking part in the daily clean-up of the room, which includes but is not limited to, putting all toys and equipment away, making sure all food items are wrapped and put away in accordance to licensing, and wiping down the tables and chairs.
• Following the sign in and time reporting processes as established by the preschool and the Bender JCC.
• Reading, understanding, and adhering to the information in the Bender ECC Handbook and Bender JCC Staff Handbook.

Qualifications

You are:

• Passionate about the work. You are motivated by the mission of the Bender JCC and you have a deep connection and desire for this work to exist in the world. 
• You believe that diversity is a strength. You account for the value of diversity in every aspect of your work and you understand the nuances of diversity that shape the experiences of students and families.
• Compassionate. You are committed to nurturing our children with warmth and compassion.
• Supportive of your colleagues and students. You want the best for those around you and are excited about their accomplishments. You work to create a supportive environment to help your colleagues and students thrive.
• Collaborative, with strong interpersonal skills. You enjoy learning from and with talented colleagues and are excited to be part of the success of the Bender Early Childhood Center and the whole organization.
• Knowledgeable about early childhood education. You understand best practices and are committed to continued education.
• Open to feedback. You have a desire and willingness to learn and grow, using feedback from colleagues and administrators as an opportunity for professional development.
• Communicative. You engage in and understand the importance of effective communication.

You should have:

• Physical ability to ensure the safety and care of the children, including, but not limited to, lifting, carrying and chasing children.
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of the job as outlined in the Bender JCC Preschool Staff Handbook.
• Desire and ability to work in a team environment
• Ability to observe and enforce the Bender JCC’s kashrut policy.
• College degree preferred
• Ability to perform other duties and responsibilities as needed, required, or assigned

Our core values are

• Welcoming and inclusive (Hachnassat Orchim) – We open our doors to everyone and strive to create an inclusive and accommodating environment for people of different backgrounds, abilities and means.
• Respect (Kavod) – We seek to create a town square where our community can be exposed to diverse viewpoints and grapple with difficult issues in a respectful and civil manner.
• Jewish Peoplehood (Klal Yisrael) – We create connections to the people, history, culture, and land of Israel and with the Jewish people as a whole, welcoming all Jewish traditions and backgrounds.
• Community (Kehilla) – We facilitate relationship building and a sense of belonging to create communities across all stages of life.
• Working together (B’yachad) – We partner and collaborate with Jewish and secular organizations to build a stronger community.
• Wellness (Shmirat HaNefesh v’HaGuf) – We promote the well-being and fitness of every person.
• Spirit (Ruach) – We infuse spirit and fun into our activities and programs.

Additional Information

This is a part-time position, with an hourly rate of $20 per hour. As an active Bender JCC employee, you will receive an individual membership to the Bender JCC, including complete access to the entire fitness facility, pools, and group exercise classes.

Research shows that women and underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they feel that they meet 100% of the qualifications. If this role sounds interesting to you, we encourage you to apply! The Bender JCC is committed to building a diverse team that draws on the strengths of people with a variety of identities, backgrounds, perspectives, and skills.