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Teacher/Home Visitor

Hours per week: 32-40 hours/week (0.8 – 1.0 FTE) Monday – Friday availability required
Supervised by: Therapeutic Early Childhood Program (TECP) Site Supervisor
Location: Eugene, Oregon or Springfield, Oregon
Starting wage range: $23.46 – $29.61, depending on qualifications
Bonus: $1,000 bonus for Step 9 or above in the ORO system

Overview

Relief Nursery provides comprehensive family support services that are easily accessible to families who are raising children birth through five years of age and who are experiencing high levels of stress. We provide early intervention that centers on building successful and resilient children and strengthening parents. Our staff work as a team to provide a unique array of support, from therapeutic classrooms and outreach programs, to parenting education, substance use disorder recovery support and more.

We are currently hiring a Teacher/Home Visitor to help support our families. As a Teacher/Home Visitor within the Therapeutic Early Childhood Program, you’ll perform the responsibilities for the dual role of classroom teacher and home visitor using developmentally appropriate and therapeutic early childhood classroom experiences and family support.

The teacher role requires integration of the following: children’s individual and group goals; physical environment; routine; curriculum; classroom relationships; screening/assessment; readiness to learn standards and individual family issues to ensure therapeutic, developmentally appropriate experiences for the children.

The home visiting role requires fostering parent-child attachment; providing support and information for parenting; supporting and monitoring the child’s development and well-being (including safety); enhancing problem-solving skills; reducing and ameliorating risk factors and enhancing protective factors. Appropriate documentation accompanies all responsibilities in these dual roles.

Responsibilities

Also see the attached A Day in the Life of a Relief Nursery Teacher.

Therapeutic Classroom

  1. Create and maintain a therapeutic, developmentally appropriate early child classroom environment for children 6 years and younger that supports all areas of children’s development and meets all relevant therapeutic and certification standards
  2. Develop children’s individual goals in consideration of screening/assessment information, child observations and analysis and information about the home environment/parent-child interactions
  3. Update children’s individual goals regularly, based upon weekly observations and integrate into curriculum planning, adult-child interactions in the classroom and the design of the physical environment
  4. Plan and adapt curriculum informally daily and formally weekly with teaching assistant to reflect all relevant child goals, information and issues
  5. Conduct screening/assessments at appropriate intervals
  6. Ensure that all required documentation/paperwork is completed, shared with appropriate individuals and stored according to Relief Nursery policy and professional standards
  7. Communicate information about the children’s goals and guidance around appropriate child/adult and child/child interactions to all adults participating in the therapeutic classroom in order to ensure consistency around approach and experiences for the children

Teaching Team

  1. Conduct weekly planning meetings for no less than one hour with co-teacher and other relevant team members (e.g., supervisor, mental health counselor, special education specialist, volunteer coordinator, etc.)
  2. Collaborate with the co-teacher to plan meaningful curriculum, arrange the physical environment and debrief issues/challenges on a daily basis. Balance responsibility with co-teacher for curriculum planning, preparation, adaptation, and daily set up of the physical environment of the classroom, and other relevant activities
  3. Serve as a role model and provide support to less experienced staff as your experience and knowledge grows
  4. Clean and tidy playground areas as assigned

Home Visiting

  1. Schedule and conduct home visits no less than once/month per child (except during the month when parent-conferences occur and vacation schedule limits access) in order to support parent’s achieving/maintaining a healthy home environment for the child, foster positive parent-child interaction and monitor relevant safety issues/concerns
  2. Maintain contact with families by phone to supplement home visits as needed
  3. Complete home visit documentation reflecting professional standards on a weekly basis
  4. Implement approaches that include sharing information through collaborative discussions & resources; modeling appropriate interactions through emergent opportunities & planned parent-child activities; providing empathetic support & facilitating problem solving

Other

  1. Complete all required documentation and paperwork in accordance with Relief Nursery, Child Care Division and other relevant standards and requirements
  2. Debrief as appropriate with all relevant specialists, including but not limited to the special education and mental health consultants
  3. Participate in no less than 24 hours of approved training per year and maintain current training certification as required
  4. Participate in reflective supervision sessions with supervisor for no less than 1 time per month and more often as needed in order to discuss cases, reviews files and ensure the achievement of appropriate therapeutic child experiences, family support and child-safety monitoring and all appropriate documentation
  5. Complete Relief Nursery bus and van training. Occasional driving of buses or vans will be required to transport children to and from Relief Nursery in the absence of the regular driver
  6. Complete front desk training and fill at the front desk on an occasional basis
  7. Participate as a team member in all staff meetings, teacher meetings, site meetings, collaborative groups, group supervision, special projects including but not limited to Relief Nursery projects, special family events and other opportunities
  8. Conduct job responsibilities in accordance with the NAEYC code of ethics, professional boundaries, confidentiality, and strength-based interactions
  9. Act in accordance with responsibilities and protocols set forth in Oregon Child Abuse Reporting laws and Relief Nursery policy
  10. Perform other relevant duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and qualifications for the role.

  • Qualifications include:

    a. Bachelor’s degree in education, family services, early childhood education or related field with early childhood teaching experience; or

    b. A combination of associate’s degree, Oregon Step Registry level 9 or higher and appropriate experience; or

    c. A Bachelor’s degree in a field other than child development or early childhood education and Oregon Step Registry level 9 or higher and appropriate experience; or

    d. Willingness and ability to meet these qualifications within two years from date of hire

  • Experience supporting children and families experiencing poverty, stress, and other barriers
  • Ability to write professionally
  • Current valid driver’s license with acceptable driving record/insurance coverage
  • Current Pediatric First Aid/CPR and Food Handler’s cards
  • Good physical stamina with the ability to lift and carry children, sit in child size chairs and on the floor, bend, and kneel
  • Demonstrated ability to work as a team member, understand developmentally appropriate early childhood practices, and child guidance techniques consistent with a therapeutic approach

Annual Benefits for Employees 

Relief Nursery employees working 30 or more hours per week enjoy a generous benefits package as well as of being a part of an organization that makes the world a safer and better place. 

  • Medical, dental and vision coverage (very low employee cost)
  • Flexible Spending Account
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • 403(b) retirement plan with employer match
  • Up to 64 hours of paid sick leave per year, up to 128 hours of accumulated sick leave
  • 5 weeks of paid vacation leave per year (must be taken during the scheduled school district winter break, school district spring break, plus two scheduled weeks in August)
  • 2 paid personal days per year (add 1 additional day per each 5 years worked)
  • Paid Holidays
  • Mileage reimbursement
  • Opportunity for internal growth and promotion, including access to professional development and training opportunities
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) qualifying employer

 

  • Interested applicants, please email resume and cover letter to:

  • Lindsey Steele, Director of Administration and Human Resources
    hr@reliefnursery.org
    Pre-employment drug screen, criminal background check, DMV check, and proof of auto insurance required. Position will remain open until filled.

  • Relief Nursery is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug-Free Workplace