Kindergarten Education Assistant Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Pre-K Educational Assistant

This position will be for the 20262027 School Year

About HOPE Community Academy

HOPE Community Academy is an accredited, public co-educational charter school comprising primary, intermediate, middle school, and high school levels. The entire school community seeks to provide a safe and trusting learning environment where each student is valued and challenged to grow academically, socially, emotionally, and physically.

Mission:
To inspire students to achieve high academic success while embracing Hmong language and culture.

Vision:
To be a public school of excellence, with high-quality staff, diverse programs, and successful students.

Culture Statement:
HOPE is a safe space where all feel valued, empowered, and inspired. Learning at HOPE promotes cultural appreciation, character, and lifelong growth. Our scholars leave ready to lead with purpose and contribute to their community.

HOPE's Values:
High-Impact; Scholar-Focused; Sense of Belonging; Leadership; and Joyful Excellence.

Our work for the next two years is illustrated in our 20262028 Strategic Plan, focused on four priorities: Radical Growth, Stabilizing Operational Systems, Being Data-Centered, and Building Community Impact. All employees are expected to operate with high impact to continue improving the experiences of HOPE's community.

Position Details

Position Title: Pre-K Educational Assistant
Salary Range: $16.19$26.62 per hour
Reports To: Pre-K Teacher / Educational Leader / Educational Assistant Lead
Status: Non-Exempt, Full-Time | Hours align with the school day
Contract Type: School-year contract
Schedule: Follows the school calendar, including breaks and holidays.

About This Role

At HOPE, we know that early learning experiences shape how scholars see themselves, school, and the world around them. The Pre-K Educational Assistant is a highly visible, hands-on member of the classroom team who helps create a safe, joyful, structured, and nurturing environment where our youngest scholars can learn, play, explore, and grow.

This is not a background role. Every day, the Pre-K Educational Assistant supports children as they learn classroom routines, build friendships, develop language, practice independence, regulate big feelings, and engage in meaningful early learning experiences. You may sit alongside a scholar who needs help joining a group activity, guide children through a transition, support a child in using words to solve a conflict, read stories, facilitate play-based learning, reinforce early literacy and math skills, and celebrate the small but meaningful milestones that build confidence and readiness for kindergarten.

The Pre-K Educational Assistant works closely with the Pre-K Teacher to support instruction, classroom routines, supervision, family engagement, and the social-emotional development of all scholars. This role requires warmth, patience, flexibility, energy, and a genuine love for working with young children. The ideal candidate understands that play is learning, relationships are foundational, and consistency mattersespecially for scholars who are experiencing school for the first time.

This role directly supports HOPE's Scholar Impact and Radical Growth priorities by ensuring that every Pre-K scholar receives the attention, encouragement, and developmentally appropriate support they need to thrive. The Pre-K Educational Assistant helps establish a strong foundation for academic success, cultural pride, positive behavior, and lifelong learning.

Primary Duties

Classroom Instruction and Learning Support

• Assist the Pre-K Teacher in implementing engaging, developmentally appropriate lessons, center activities, small-group instruction, and play-based learning experiences.
• Support scholars as they develop early literacy, language, math, fine-motor, gross-motor, social-emotional, and self-help skills.
• Reinforce teacher-led instruction by working with individual scholars and small groups during learning centers, circle time, read-alouds, outdoor learning, and other classroom activities.
• Encourage curiosity, creativity, problem-solving, communication, and active participation in learning.
• Prepare, organize, and maintain classroom materials, learning centers, displays, and supplies as directed by the Pre-K Teacher.
• Help create a classroom environment that is warm, organized, engaging, culturally responsive, and appropriate for young learners.

Social-Emotional and Behavioral Support

• Support scholars in developing self-regulation, social skills, conflict-resolution skills, and positive classroom behaviors.
• Use proactive, positive, and developmentally appropriate behavior-management strategies, including redirection, visual supports, calm-down routines, choice-making, and positive reinforcement.
• Help scholars identify and express emotions, use language to communicate needs, take turns, share materials, and build healthy relationships with peers and adults.
• Assist with transitions throughout the day, including arrival, dismissal, meals, rest time, bathroom routines, outdoor play, specials, and movement between learning activities.
• Respond calmly, consistently, and compassionately when scholars experience frustration, dysregulation, separation anxiety, or conflict.
• Communicate behavioral observations and concerns to the Pre-K Teacher and other appropriate school staff.

Independence and Daily Living Skills

• Support scholars in building independence with age-appropriate routines, including putting away belongings, cleaning up materials, washing hands, using the restroom, dressing for outdoor play, eating meals, and following classroom expectations.
• Encourage scholars to attempt tasks independently before providing assistance, while recognizing when additional support is needed.
• Use language and routines that build confidence, self-advocacy, responsibility, and a positive sense of self.
• Assist with toileting and other personal-care needs as appropriate, in accordance with school policies, family communication protocols, and individual scholar needs.
• Maintain scholar dignity, privacy, safety, and confidentiality during all personal-care routines.

Supervision and Safety

• Actively supervise scholars throughout the school day to ensure a safe, supportive, and engaging learning environment.
• Supervise scholars during classroom instruction, learning centers, transitions, arrival, dismissal, meals, rest time, recess, playground activities, assemblies, field trips, and other school events.
• Maintain appropriate sight and sound supervision at all times, following school safety procedures and Pre-K program expectations.
• Support the Pre-K Teacher in maintaining clean, organized, and safe classroom and play environments.
• Report injuries, safety concerns, unusual incidents, or changes in a scholar's behavior or wellbeing promptly to the Pre-K Teacher and school leadership.
• Follow all school, licensing, health, sanitation, emergency, and safety procedures.

Family Partnership and Communication

• Help create a welcoming environment for scholars and families during arrival, dismissal, family events, and school activities.
• Build positive, respectful relationships with scholars and families while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
• Communicate scholar successes, needs, and relevant daily information to the Pre-K Teacher as appropriate.
• Support family engagement activities, classroom celebrations, school events, and opportunities that strengthen the connection between home and school.
• Approach all families with warmth, cultural humility, respect, and an understanding that each family brings valuable knowledge, language, and experiences to the school community.

Inclusion and Culturally Responsive Practice

• Support the meaningful inclusion of all scholars, including multilingual learners, scholars with IEPs, and scholars with varying developmental, behavioral, communication, or sensory needs.
• Implement accommodations, visual supports, behavior strategies, and instructional supports as directed by the Pre-K Teacher, Special Education team, and related service providers.
• Help ensure that every scholar can participate in classroom routines, play opportunities, group activities, and learning experiences.
• Contribute to a classroom environment that honors and celebrates the identities, languages, cultures, and lived experiences of HOPE's Hmong and Karen scholar community.
• Use respectful, strengths-based language and practices that promote belonging, confidence, and joy.

Professional Responsibilities and School Community Involvement

• Maintain punctual and dependable attendance, including arriving prepared to support the full school day.
• Follow all school policies, procedures, confidentiality expectations, and professional standards.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding scholar records, developmental needs, family circumstances, and behavioral information.
• Participate in staff meetings, professional development, team planning, school-wide initiatives, and required trainings.
• Collaborate respectfully and proactively with the Pre-K Teacher, Educational Assistant Lead, school leaders, specialists, and other staff members.
• Contribute to a positive, inclusive, and joyful school culture.
• Participate in at least three or more school events throughout the school year.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Associate's degree, Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, early childhood coursework, or 60+ college credits preferred.
• Candidates currently pursuing a degree or credential in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Special Education, Child Development, Psychology, or a related field are encouraged to apply.
• Previous experience working with young children in a preschool, childcare, early childhood education, school, tutoring, camp, mentoring, or youth-development setting preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with children ages approximately 35 in a nurturing, active, and structured environment.
• Genuine enthusiasm for early childhood education and helping young scholars build confidence, independence, and a love of learning.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build caring, appropriate relationships with scholars, families, and staff.
• Patience, flexibility, creativity, and the ability to remain calm and supportive during challenging or high-energy moments.
• Ability to follow directions from the Pre-K Teacher and school staff while using sound judgment and initiative when appropriate.
• Ability to support active scholars throughout a fast-paced school day, including indoor and outdoor learning and play.
• Basic proficiency in technology, including email, Google Workspace, and educational software.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality regarding scholar records, developmental information, behavioral information, and sensitive family situations.
• Experience working with Hmong, Karen, multilingual, and/or other diverse communities strongly preferred; proficiency in Hmong is a significant asset.
• Deep commitment to HOPE's mission, values, and strategic priorities.
• Ability to interact effectively with scholars, families, and staff from diverse ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Physical ability to stand, walk, bend, sit on the floor, move quickly, and lift as needed throughout the school day.
• Ability to keep pace with active young children in a dynamic classroom and playground environment.

Work Environment

Duties are performed primarily in Pre-K classrooms and may also take place in hallways, cafeterias, gymnasiums, playgrounds, outdoor learning spaces, arrival and dismissal areas, and other school spaces. The school building is multi-level, has an elevator, and is accessible.

This position requires frequent movement, active supervision, and direct engagement with young children throughout the school day. The Pre-K Educational Assistant must be comfortable sitting on the floor, kneeling, bending, standing for extended periods, assisting scholars with daily routines, and participating in outdoor play and learning in varying weather conditions.

The role requires a high degree of patience, energy, emotional stamina, and attentiveness. Pre-K scholars are learning how to navigate school, relationships, routines, and emotions, and the Educational Assistant plays an essential role in helping them feel safe, capable, included, and excited to learn. Some school events may occasionally require time outside of regular school hours.