Description

Status: Full-time 

Hours: 40 hours per week (32 work, 8 company-sponsored time) 

Company Sponsored Time: We offer a 4-day, 32-hour work week, and YWCA will provide this role 8 hours of Company Sponsored Time for you to use on Fridays to maintain work-life balance while maintaining pay at 40 hours a week 

Pay Range: $24.88/hour + $1 bilingual differential 

Benefits: Visit our Benefits and Perks Tab by Clicking Here 

The teacher aide for the Y’s Care Pre-School Program is responsible for working with the teaching team to provide a high-quality preschool experience for children enrolled in Y’s Care, under the supervision of the Y’s Care Director. Y’s Care serves children ages 2 ½ to 5 years, some of whom may be experiencing poverty, homelessness or other forms of trauma. Specific functions include daily lesson planning, ongoing observation-based assessments, goal setting to inform classroom teaching, and supporting classroom staff. 

We’ve identified the day-to-day responsibilities linked to each position. In addition to the position specific responsibilities provided below, each YWCA Clark County employee must share responsibility for upholding and modeling the organization’s core value on a daily basis. 

Essential Duties  

• Assure that participants, staff, volunteers and community partners are treated with respect and dignity regardless of race, ethnic background, gender or socioeconomic background. 
• Gain approval for, track, and engage in activities that meet the organization’s 1% for Social Change requirement.
• Think through the lens of racial equity and its intersections with poverty. Use the core principles of anti-racism and grounding those principles in all daily tasks.
•  Incorporate the YWCA’s commitment to social justice by understanding how racism, sexism, classism and other oppressions intersect and are embedded in institutions. Seek opportunities for continued learning about racial, gender and class equity.
• Work with team to plan developmentally appropriate educational goals to meet the needs of a diverse population, including children experiencing homelessness, poverty, and trauma.
• Provide classroom support to assistant teacher, lead teacher, program supervisor, or program director. This support could involve the handling and/or preparing of food.
• Ensure the safety, nutrition, and welfare of children is prioritized at all times, promoting positive behavior in guidance situations. Maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Work with teaching team to set up the environment with well-defined interest areas and with sufficient resources and supplies.
• Foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for Y’s Care staff, volunteers, parents, and children. Serve as a role model for promoting diversity and inclusion in the classroom and program.
• Complete required observations and documentation of children’s progress using the Learning Stories protocol.
• Participate with team to fulfill Early Achievers requirements.
• Support the Y’s Care Program Director and teaching team with implementing program strategic planning goals. 

Requirements

There is a strong social justice component to all positions within YWCA Clark County, requiring critical thinking through the lens of racism and intersections with poverty. Knowing the core principles of anti-racism and grounding those principles in everyday work are required job skills and core values 

Education and Experience 

• At least one year of experience working with children in a preschool or kindergarten setting.
•  Experience working with children from racially and socio-economically diverse families strongly preferred.
•  Knowledge of and desire to learn more about the philosophy and principals of Reggio Emilia schools. 

General Requirements 

• Complete and pass a background check
• Complete all sexual assault advocacy core training requirements for Washington state
• Dependable means of transportation
• Complete a TB test,
• Complete a Washington state food handler’s online course
• Desire to learn about and implement observation/documentation software.
• Complete the training requirements, pursuant to WAC 110-300-0106;
• Complete program-based staff policies and training, pursuant to WAC 110-300-0110; and have their professional development progress documented annually.
• Aides who work more than nineteen hours per month and who have a cumulative twelve months of employment must complete applicable preservice requirements detailed in WAC 110-300-0105 and the in-service training detailed in WAC 110-300-0107 (1)(a). 
• Strong ability to lead: supervisors make sure the day-to-day work gets done; leaders do so while strategically motivating staff and volunteers to improve performance and further the mission of the organization. 

Ability to achieve greatness: good employees make sure the day-to-day work gets done; great employees do so while in a way that fosters communication within their program and their own professional growth. 

Ability to empower: consistently convey an open, respectful, and solution-oriented approach to addressing challenges, completing work tasks, and provide positive and constructive feedback to internal and external persons. 

Ability to work at a higher level: put the needs of the participants, program, and organization above personal needs and demonstrate unwavering integrity and accountability. 

Ability to maintain strong boundaries: maintain strong personal/professional boundaries at all time to make sure that work is spent supporting the participants and furthering the mission of the program and organization. 

Ability to adapt: the only constant is change – expecting and being open to change is a critical part of this position and is a necessary component of being in a service-oriented field. 

Strong project management skills: maintain a strategic focus while simultaneously managing multiple projects, deadlines, goals, and program needs. 

Strong problem-solving skills: resourceful and able to resolve challenges while knowing when it’s time to stop and ask questions or seek additional guidance. 

Strong technological skills: effectively use common software programs (like MS Office, Excel, and PowerPoint) to fulfill position related expectations. 

Strong soft-skills: with little to no prompting, adapt work and communication style to mitigate and/or de-escalate crisis, and to best support our participants. 

Commitment to cultural responsiveness: Further YWCA mission and values by providing culturally responsive services. Effectively communicate available resources that support cultural values, beliefs and customs.

Don't meet every single requirement after reading through this post? You may be just the right candidate for the role or future roles, and please know we value lived experience! Studies have shown that due to white supremacy culture, systemically oppressed communities are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. YWCA Clark County is dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways.