Preschool Housed Substitute

Location: Willcox Head Start, 501 Stewart Ave, Willcox, 85643, 1 position, temporary funding through May 2026

Pay Rate: $16.89 - $17.42/hour

Position Type: Part time, In person, variable hours, at least 4 hours per day up to 8 hours per day based on center need, and may require occasional evening and weekend work for special events

Classification: Hourly

Supervisor: Center Manager 

Supervises: None

Job Summary

Child-Parent Centers (CPC) is seeking professionals who share our values and principles for building trusting relationships with children, families, and colleagues. Successful candidates welcome individual differences and perspectives, respect cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and are sensitive to current circumstances. Candidates display a commitment to teamwork, open communication, and are eager to work in a fast-paced, high quality preschool environment. This is a great opportunity for organized and dependable early childhood professionals with strong work ethic and a desire to grow. CPC provides opportunities and financial support for housed substitutes to grow professionally including attainment of a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, an associate degree, and potentially a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or child development. If you are interested in working in an early childhood center and are interested in joining our growing team, we encourage you to apply.

The housed substitute position is an entry-level part-time position that provides classroom, food service, and custodial support to Head Start Centers located in the community. This position is funded to work four (4) hours per day Monday through Friday; however, circumstances at the center could lead to actual work hours up to eight (8) hours per day. The ideal candidate must be able to work a flexible schedule with limited advance notice. This position requires the applicant be able to report to and from different centers within the community using a personal vehicle.

Benefits:

• Paid Leave - 24 paid holidays and up to 5 days paid Sick leave each year.
• Insurance benefits eligible for medical and dental if requirements met under the Affordable Care Act.
• Retirement Plan - Agency contribution after years of services and hours eligibility criteria are met, and employee 401k deferral once eligibility is met.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Must be 18 years of age.
• High School Diploma OR GED
• Read, write, and speak English
• Submit a current AZ Department of Public Safety Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card prior to start date

Required Competencies:

• Accountability and Dependability
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Safety Focus
• Listening
• Building Relationships
• Teamwork
• Valuing Diversity
• Development and Continual Learning
• Technology

Other Requirements (post hire)

• Must be able to travel to and from various sites as needed.
• Must be able to travel outside their assigned area in company-owned vehicle. This travel could begin before daylight hours and continue after sundown in some situations.
• Provide proof of immunizations: MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), Tdap (adult Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis), and a clear Tuberculosis assessment.
• Able to pass a company paid physical exam prior to starting work.
• Able to pass a criminal background check.
• Must be able to prove the right to work in the USA by providing appropriate documents to complete the Federal I-9 form.
• Must possess or have the ability to possess and keep current certification in First Aid Training/CPR training including Infants and Children.
• Must possess or have the ability to possess and keep current a Food Handlers Certificate issued by the Arizona health department

Desired Qualifications:

• Six (6) months prior experience working in a licensed childcare facility.
• Possess a Child Development Associate credential (CDA) for preschool classroom-based services
• Possess an associate degree from a recognized educational institution in the field of Early Childhood Education or closely related field as determined by the agency.
• Able to read, write, and speak Spanish.

Work Environment:

• Indoor classroom temperature controlled
• Outdoor playground exposure to hot and cold
• Possible exposure to communicable illness, blood borne pathogens
• Exposure to cleaning and sanitizing chemicals

Physical Requirements

Frequently

• Stooping, bending, reaching
• Moving quickly around objects (run, jump, jog)
• Up and down from carpet/floor and/or 12-14chairs
• Lift children (3-5 year old children) {30 40 lb}

Occasionally

• Picking up and dropping off supplies
• Push and pull furniture {20 to 50lb}
• Lifting +/- 50 lb

Job Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Responsibilities:

Substitute in the classroom, kitchen, or for custodial duties when a team member is absent. May substitute for a portion of a day, an entire day, or for a long-term absence. May require traveling to a center other than the originally assigned center.

Classroom Substitution

• Follow lead of the teacher in the implementation of daily routines for the curriculum, food service, and safety practices.
• Support children to develop emerging skills and practice existing ones by engaging them in individual and small-group experiences designed to enhance their development and learning.
• Foster teacher-child and child-child conversations intentionally by facilitating mutual sharing and authentic exchange of ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
• Build children's awareness of and ability to follow basic health and safety rules by providing opportunities for health and safety learning (e.g., implementing and discussing routines (washing hands, fire drills, crossing streets) and by supervising children at all times and positively redirecting them from potentially harmful activities.
• Understand and implement assigned role within the child supervision system, child count system, and active supervision implementation plan to ensure all children are supervised at all times.
• Participate with the teacher in completing home visits, parent conferences, and/or screenings as needed.
• Supports and assists the teacher in planning and implementation of parent involvement activities including monthly parent meetings.

Food Service Substitution

• Understand and follow food service policies and procedures to ensure compliance with Child and Adult Care Food Program and Head Start guidelines.
• Prepare meals based on cycle menus, and according to the kitchen schedules. Work with the Site Supervisor on proposed changes to the posted menus.
• Work and plan with the Site Supervisor for ordering food needed for planned meals and for planned center activities.
• Prepare quantity of food to meet CACFP and Head Start standards.
• Work with the Site Supervisor to maintain the daily record of number of meals served, the CACFP menu production worksheets and cycle menus.
• Maintain entire kitchen to meet sanitation requirements; cleans dishes, stove, carts and work surfaces after mealtimes. Ensure all surfaces are kept free of clutter.
• Demonstrate and implement sanitary practices in relation to preparation of food and personal hygiene.
• Prepare nutritional snacks for parent activities
• Work with Teaching Staff to provide nutritional experiences for the classroom
• Prepare food carts for delivery to the classroom for meals and returning food carts back to the kitchen for preparation for the next day.
• Use the proper method in storage of food.
• Work with the Site Supervisor to maintain inventory of kitchen appliances, equipment and supplies.

Custodian Substitution:

• Use the daily, weekly, monthly cleaning checklist to clean facility to ensure the facility is free of dirt, odors, insects, and vermin. Clean indoor spaces once children have left for the day with the exception of cleaning between am/pm classroom sessions.
• Clean and inspect playgrounds to insure that they are free of dangerous objects, debris, and weeds.
• Notify the Site Supervisor of maintenance needs and/or safety hazards related to all areas of the center so that the Work Request System is notified appropriately.
• Assist teaching staff with moving and storing classroom furniture when needed by center needs;
• Informs the Site Supervisor of needed janitorial and maintenance supplies, by working with the Site Supervisor to prepare the supply request form for needed supplies and submits to the supply request mailbox ensure daily sanitation requirements are met.
• Ensure that all cleaning materials and chemicals are kept in a locked storage area that is inaccessible to children.
• Store playground equipment after outdoor playtime is completed.
• Maintain soft surfacing per guidelines including raking artificial turf periodically under swings or climbing structures.
• Apply water to hot surfaces and sandbox on a daily basis (when season requires).
• Fill drinking water jug and make available and accessible to children during outdoor playtime.
• Use caution tape to designate unsafe areas to ensure children are not allowed in the area.
• Participate in closedown cleaning process.
• Secure the building at the end of the day.

Supervision:

• Identify self-growth, development goals, and strategies for achievement with support and input from supervisor.
• Commit and participate in consistent and planned meetings with supervisor to further professional growth by seeking feedback, reflecting on and assessing own practice, and taking advantage of opportunities to improve skills and knowledge.

Recordkeeping, Monitoring and Reporting:

May be assigned any of the duties listed below when substituting or as determined necessary by the supervisor:

• Assist the teacher to record updates on each child's progress including daily/weekly/monthly information.
• On a limited basis, support the teacher in originating child/family files.
• May support the teacher in completing and submitting required reports promptly (Department of Child Safety, accident reports, etc.)
• Assist in maintaining daily Inventory of food and food service supplies
• Assist in completing/submitting kitchen/disposable supplies order forms to Procurement when needed
• Assist cook in maintaining inventory of kitchen appliances and equipment.
• Assist in maintaining daily record of number of meals served, the Child and Adult Care Food Program menu production worksheets, cycle menus and recipes.
• Complete cleaning checklists and maintain for 30 days or as identified by supervisor.
• Complete supply requests and submit to supervisor for review and forward to procurement. Verify supply deliveries from center run and notify supervisor of discrepancies.
• Record completion of Safety Review on the Safety Log as required.

Leadership, Management, and Teamwork:

• Participate in center staff meetings and the planning of center activities. Identify emerging needs, initiate requests for additional assistance, and participate in on-going improvements to program policies and procedures.
• Participate on transdisciplinary team within the agency to meet family needs and to build the parent/child/teaching staff relationship as needed.
• Assist teacher with securing, supervising, and training classroom volunteers.
• Assist in recruiting eligible Head Start/Early Head Start families.
• If applicable, serve as bus monitor.
• On a limited basis, answer center phones, greets visitors, etc.
• If hired as a bilingual person, provide bilingual support as needed.

Responsibilities for all Child-Parent Centers, Inc.:

• Understand and model the agency's vision, mission, and philosophy within the agency and the community.
• Demonstrate approachability, ownership, accountability, and life-long learning.
• Use the agency's communication and problem-solving approach.
  • Seek perspective of others.
  • Identify emerging issues and contribute new knowledge.
  • Work to de-escalate when emotions and stakes are high.
• Maintain professional behavior and relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Use agency systems and technologies to accomplish work
• Maintain a high level of attendance to support ongoing service delivery.
• Recognizes children's safety as the first responsibility of all staff and acts swiftly to ensure no child is unsupervised.
• Implement agency policies and procedures for safeguarding confidential or sensitive information about employees and/or program participants. Restrict access to paper or electronic documents to those with a need to know.
• Performs other duties as assigned

Please Note: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. This job opening is intended to provide information about the position for employee recruitment purposes only and is not intended to be the basis of any employee contract.

Child-Parent Centers, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.