LCSD is Hiring a Head Start Preschool Director: Meaningful work in our sweet town!

Salary Grade: $53,000-$63,000 per 195-day year; salary/benefits prorated for start date

Excellent benefits!  Medical, dental, vision and life insurance. 12 PTO days.

Work Year: 195 days; roughly follows the LCSD School Calendar. Many weeks are Monday-Thursday!

Reports To:  Principal, Lake County Elementary School

SUMMARY: The Preschool Director is responsible for providing the day-to-day management, oversight, staff supervision, coordination, and direction of Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The Director will provide vision and leadership to preschool staff while ensuring management functions are properly carried out in programs. These duties will be accomplished in accordance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards, Policies and Procedures, the State of Colorado Licensing Requirements, and Lake County School District policies and procedures. The Director has operational responsibility for meeting all federal, state, and local grant requirements, rules,regulations, and program standards.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned. 

Program & Administrative

• Serve as the Head Start/Early Head Start director as defined by federal grant expectations.
• Provide program planning, day-to-day management of staff, operations oversight – including personnel administration and supervision, and the completion and oversight of program staff members’ annual performance evaluations.
• Provide staff training, development, coaching and mentoring of program staff.
• Provide administration, maintenance, and oversight of Universal Preschool (UPK), Head Start and Early Head Start facilities,materials and equipment to meet Head Start Program Performance Standards, UPK requirements, State of Colorado Child Care Regulations and local codes.
• Ensure that all Head Start Program facilities and equipment are safe and provide a healthy environment consistent with local/state codes, Head Start Program Performance and Community Standards.
• Accountable for the funding acquisition, budget management, reviewing monthly financial expenditure reports, all required program reports, semi-annual reports, annual reports, program action plans, federal and state monitoring report responses and their submission in a timely manner.
• Responsible for community relations and advocacy.
• Direct and oversee the completion and the program management of:
  • Community Needs Assessment every 3 years.
  • Annual Program Self-Assessment.
  • Contractual agreements with Mental Health, Public Health, Transportation Systems, Public Schools, etc.
• Prepare Funding applications, including monitoring and reporting to funding sources, as required.
• Develop, implement, and coordinate the delivery of Universal Preschool, Head Start, Early Head Start services in a manner consistent with the requirements of contractual agreements, laws, regulations, funding documents, and standards.
• Conduct long- and short-range planning, including assessment of community needs and resources.
• Develop and implement systems of evaluation and organizational self-assessment, including preparing and disseminating an annual evaluation.
• Direct the professional development process, that includes providing annual staff or management training events.
• Create new and support existing community collaborations such as agreements with school districts, and other community partners.
• Serve as the management liaison with the Head Start/Early Head Start Policy Council, organizing and supporting the Council, attending all Council meetings, and training Council members.
• Provide required documents and program reports to the Board, Policy Council, Regional Office, and other agencies.
• Oversee all data and reporting systems to support programs.
• Report to the region office on overall programming including outcomes data, and growth towards School Readiness Goals, Family Engagement and other Head Start Initiatives.
• Maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries.
• Other duties as assigned.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING Bachelor’s degree in Business, Education, Early Childhood or a related field is required.

EXPERIENCE  Personnel management experience required; Minimum 2 years in an educational environment preferred; Head Start program experience strongly preferred.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, & EQUIPMENT  

Good verbal and written communication, office, basic computer, interpersonal, basic math, and basic word processing skills. Ability to relate with and respect people from all social, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. Working knowledge of community resources.  Must be self-motivated.  Operating knowledge and experience with general office equipment and computers

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, & REGISTRATIONS  CPR and First Aid certifications required within six months after hire.  Must obtain a physical and TB test within 30 days after hire. Must hold or obtain Director license for early childhood.

SUPERVISION/TECHNICAL RESPONSIBILITY   

Responsible for supervising children while at The Center. Act as a resource for classroom teachers with the implementation of the Pyramid Model to support classroom management, as well as the implementation of behavior and RTI plans, and accommodations and modifications related to a child’s IEP.  Assist teachers and parents with strategies and activities related to support a child’s individual development in identified areas.

JUDGMENT AND DECISION MAKING 

Requires independent judgment and application of professional standards to effectively execute education programs, monitor children’s progress, assess success of activities/program, monitor children’s safety, and/or manage small groups of children.  Decision making is guided by The Center Employee Handbook and Head Start Performance Standards.  Decision making requires collaboration with The Center Leadership Team.  Errors in decision making could impact children’s education opportunities, children’s safety, relationships with parents, and/or the public image of the programs.  Supervisor is involved only in major decisions.

DIVERSITY OF DUTIES 

Duties require cross training in child development, Special Education services, teaching strategies, team building and leadership.  Duties extend within the assigned building on a daily basis. 

The physical demands, work environment factors, and mental functions described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.  The employee is required to sit or be at eye level with the child.  The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 points, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 points, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT  

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.

MENTAL FUNCTIONS  

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate copy, instruct, use interpersonal skills, and negotiate. Frequently required to compare, analyze, copy, coordinate, compute, synthesize, evaluate, compile, and negotiate.  Occasionally required to copy, compute, and compile.  

To apply:

Please write a letter of interest (answering the questions: “Why are you drawn to this position, specifically, in Leadville, Colorado? What would make you a great fit?”) and submit a completed Certified Application to: Katie Pongrekun LCES Principal and Kathleen Fitzsimmons, HR Director