Job Title: Early Intervention Specialist FSLA Status: Non-Exempt
Position Type: Full-Time Pay Range: $54,262 - $75,103 / Annually
Reports To: Director of Kidspace Program Type: Child Development Center
Organizational Overview:
House of Ruth offers comprehensive services and housing for women and children. Our services range from supportive housing for families and single women in crisis to a therapeutic, developmental daycare for houseless children, and free counseling services to anyone who has been a victim of domestic violence.
Position Summary:
The Early Intervention Specialist is a school leader who works closely with teachers and parents supporting infants’, toddlers’, and preschoolers’ development and well-being, with a focus on social emotional development. The Early Intervention Specialist also offers direct support to children in the classroom as needed, and works with individual children implementing curricula and modifications. Modeling for and coaching teachers is a key aspect of this role. This is a full time position with excellent benefits. The Early Intervention Specialist will spend at least 75% of the workday in the classroom supporting children and/or teachers.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
- Partner with families and teachers to support children’s development and well-being, with a focus on social-emotional development. Partner with families to make referrals to early intervention (Strong Start/Early Stages). Partner with early intervention providers and HOR therapists to ensure that service needs are being met and IFSP hours/goals are being met.
- Conduct classroom observations using tools such as class and iters, to provide teachers with feedback that will allow them to engage in more inclusive practices. This includes, but is not limited to, providing modeling and coaching of classroom-based strategies that promote positive behavior and healthy social-emotional development.
- Conduct child observations and functional assessments. Based on those observations, develop support plans and accommodations in close partnership with teachers and families. This may include creating visual supports and other inclusion support materials for use in or out of the classroom, as well as working with teachers using various tools to plan classroom-based accommodations.
- Develop and implement professional development training to staff and families related to assessment and intervention strategies to improve learning for students with delays or in need of modification and/or accommodations.
- Conduct regular classroom check-ins for early identification and monitor development, this includes:
- Reviewing developmental screening results, refer as needed
- Identifying developmental red flags, refer as needed.
- Collaborating closely with the Director and keeping her updated regarding caseload, as well as teacher performance, and child and family well-being.
- Routinely monitor children to determine the goodness of fit and efficacy of supports provided.
- Other duties as assigned.
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Special Education, or a related field. Graduate-level studies in Early Childhood Education, Special Education, Psychology, or related fields, as well as ITERS and/or CLASS observer certification preferred.
- Experience supporting children exhibiting challenging behaviors or atypical development in a licensed early childhood education setting. This includes, but is not limited to experience in child and parent counseling, and/or early childhood mental health consultation, as well as implementing curricula.
- Experience with play-based curricula preferred.
- CPR/First Aid (current or must be completed within 30 days of hiring).
Qualifications:
- Successfully passing the following pre-employment process is required:
- FBI Fingerprint/Background Check
- Alcohol and drug Test
- Urine Screening
- TB Test
- Police Clearance
- Must be fully vaccinated (including the booster)
Skills:
- Impeccable work ethic and personal presentation skills. This includes the ability to comply with the dress code expectations of Kidspace’s work environment.
- Excellent English language communication and interpersonal skills. This includes the ability to get along with people of diverse backgrounds.
- Good problem-solving and crisis management skills; ability to quickly diffuse and de-escalate tense situations.
- Strong organizational and time management skills, including the ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure without compromising output quality.
- Above average computer skills including Microsoft Office. Must feel very comfortable managing digital resources and using cloud-based platforms for data and caseload management, as well as for communication.
Salary and Benefits
- Salary commensurate with experience and the Pay Equity Fund. The benefits package for full-time employees includes:
- Medical and Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life/AD&D
- Retirement Plan
- Tuition Assistance Program
- Paid Time Off and Holidays
- Employee Referral Program
Physical Requirements:
While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.
Other physical demands include bending and stooping to assist children with dressing needs, toileting, transitioning from sitting on the floor or chair to standing during classroom activities, transferring non-ambulatory children to and from strollers, chairs, changing tables, cribs, etc. Children may sometimes pull/jerk away or bolt/run from caregivers.
The ability to intervene in these situations is required. Moving or lifting of any child may be required in an emergency (i.e. to assist toddlers in evacuating the building or to ascend or descend stairs) and/or to prevent injury on the playground or other outdoor situations or activities.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.
Additional Information
The House of Ruth is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All duties and responsibilities are completed according to the House of Ruth’s policies and procedures. House of Ruth offers an attractive benefits package for all full-time employees. To be considered you must submit a resume online at www.houseofruth.org/join-our-team
