Child Development Associate Jobs in Standish, MI

Position Title: Preschool (GSRP) Aide
Deadline to Apply:  Posting open until position filled

The primary function of the GSRP Aide is to work as a team member in providing a quality educational program for preschool children by supporting the classroom teacher and the associate teacher in planning, assessing, and instructing students.  The position includes assisting the classroom staff in maintaining required records to ensure grant compliance and meet licensing guidelines. 

Qualifications: 

• High School Diploma or GED;
• Submit to various background checks including those completed through the Department of Human Services and the Michigan State Police Department;
• Be CPR, First Aid, and Blood Borne Pathogen certified or obtain certification upon hire;
• Complete a Tuberculosis test and physical and provide a physician's documentation of both;
• Experience working with preschool children, particularly with at-risk children
• Ability to be self-directed and take initiative when given a variety of tasks and responsibilities;
• Ability to work well with diverse families;
• Ability to act as a resource person for families;
• Be mentally and physically capable of caring for a large group of children alone in a classroom;
• Possess a strong work ethic, be punctual, and have minimal absences;
• Have an awareness of the unique needs of young children and have appropriate expectations of their abilities;
• Have dependable transportation;
• Appearance, grooming and personality that establish a positive example for students;
• Language Skills:  Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general education periodicals, professional journals, teaching procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write business correspondence and syllabi. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of directors, students, parents, and the general public.
• Reasoning Ability:   Ability to solve routine problems with minimal supervisory assistance.  Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, with staff and with the community.  Ability to perform duties with awareness and consistency to the mission and goals established by the Board of Education.
• Physical Demands:  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.   Be able to kneel, bend, squat, lift, push, pull, and carry children up to 70lbs.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand and walk. The employee must be able to meet deadlines with and be flexible in accommodating scheduled activities/events during their shift.

Work Environment:  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. . The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate to loud.  

The employee shall remain free of any alcohol or nonprescribed controlled substance in the workplace throughout his/her employment in the District (Board Policy 1400).

Report to/Evaluated by: The GSRP Aide is under the immediate supervision of the classroom teacher, site Director and the Superintendent.

Supervisory Responsibility:  This position may supervise volunteers, and student aides. All school employees have some responsibility for supervising students and assisting in maintaining a safe environment at all times.

Salary Range:  $15.75/hour; non-union position; 4 sick days; 2 business days; no medical benefits.

Essential Duties

• Work as a team member in providing a quality educational preschool program;
• Work collaboratively and communicate with the classroom teacher to implement lesson plans, activities, and classroom tasks;
• Collaborate with the teaching staff to create meaningful child development goals;
• Establish positive relationships with parents, staff, and the community;
• Assist in home visits;
• Assist in all daily operations of the program, including clerical and record keeping duties;
• Work with individual and small groups of students;
• Support children's emotional and social development;
• Assist children with personal health care needs;
• Have the physical strength and stamina to be actively involved in implementing the curriculum (i.e., playing with children during outside activities, interacting with the children during floor activities, etc.);
• Maintain a calm manner in handling behavior problems;
• Ensure and carry out daily/weekly housekeeping chores for the classroom to meet licensing requirements;
• Supervise students in the classroom, halls, and playground;
• Participate in meetings and ongoing professional development;
• Ability to work flexible hours as needed for family involvement activities, including home visits, recruitment events, open house;
• Aid in creating meaningful program quality improvement goals and objectives using the PQA (Program Quality Assessment);
• Follow and implement the Great Start Readiness Program policies and procedures;
• Follow and implement Michigan's Child Care Licensing requirements;
• Demonstrate behavior that is professional, ethical, and responsible;
• Perform other comparable duties of a like or similar nature apparent or as assigned;
• Take in-service training as provided;
• Must be self-directed and have the ability to follow directives from supervisors;
• Must maintain confidentiality at all times;
• Regular in-person attendance and punctuality are expectations of this position.