Developmental Coach for Early Educators

About the position

Easterseals Blake Foundation started as the Cerebral Palsy Foundation of Southern Arizona. Since then, we have expanded our services to better serve our community members. We are now one of Arizona's top providers of comprehensive behavioral health services, child welfare, and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We serve more than 40,000 individuals and families across 10 counties and support more than 3,700 children in Foster Care throughout Southern Arizona. Are you ready to make profound, positive differences in people's lives every day? The Developmental Coach for Early Educators works with early childhood education staff to promote the successful inclusion of children with special needs into early education settings. Through the promotion of teaching practices that improve access, participation, and supports, the Inclusion Coach supports staff to ensure the full and effective participation of children with developmental concerns.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrates an understanding of and implements all processes, policies, and procedures used in EBF coaching services as applicable.
• Guides the development of an individual classroom or center plan, which includes a goal-setting process developed through assessment, observation, and collaborative discussion.
• Assists ECE staff in identifying children in need of further evaluation and provides support to staff in communication with families about the need for further evaluation.
• Assists ECE staff with how to incorporate IFSP/IEP outcomes within the classroom daily routine and activities.
• Assists ECE staff with how to collaborate with the IFSP/IEP team to support the child’s growth and development.
• Meets regularly with program participants and quarterly with other technical assistance providers, including Quality First.
• Plans and implements training in a variety of areas based on best practice principles in adult learning and identified goals and objectives of improvement plan as needed.
• Utilizes training techniques that are interactive and offers participants an opportunity to reflect.
• Clearly completes all required data collection and documentation, including program applications, enrollment agreements, individual center plans, and coaching logs.
• Provides constructive, strengths-based feedback to colleagues, participants, and other technical assistance providers.
• Participates in the process of ongoing professional development and meetings.
• Maintains comprehensive communication among all contacts within the agency, members, and external agencies.
• Models professional standards and ethics in accordance with EBF Code of Conduct, Strategic Plan, Mission, and Vision.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, child development, early childhood special education, or related field with 2 years of experience in early intervention or early childhood special education, preferably in inclusive settings required.
• Bilingual (Spanish) preferred.
• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Current, unrestricted AZ driver’s license with no more than two (2) minor moving violations or one (1) accident within the past three (3 years).
• Three (3) years of driving experience required.
• Must be able to pass a criminal background check.
• Ability to obtain and maintain an AZ DPS Level 1 fingerprint clearance card (employer provides).
• CPR and First Aid certification (Employer provides).

Nice-to-haves

• Able to establish and maintain a team atmosphere of communication and collaboration for all that reach out to the Department and program.
• Must be self-directed and be sensitive to cultural and linguistic diversity.
• Excellent customer service in stressful situations.
• Maintains a professional appearance, communications, and actions.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills.
• Maintains established work schedule, is punctual, keeps appointments, is willing to adapt the schedule to meet unexpected needs and changes, and utilizes time effectively.
• Ability to recognize the need to maintain a dual focus on both relationships with participants and program activities, fostering an assets or strengths-based approach.
• Maintains awareness of current professional information in the fields of activity, undertakes regular and ongoing efforts to maintain competencies in the skills used, and incorporates new knowledge and skills on the job.
• Ability to accurately read, record, and interpret information, including assessments.
• Basic knowledge of child development, developmentally appropriate practice, positive guidance, and discipline, child-centered approaches, and management in early care and education settings.
• Knowledge of special education procedures and the special needs of young children with disabilities and their families.
• Possess a high level of computer proficiency.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental and Vision
• Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Flexible Spending Account
• Health Savings Account
• Voluntary Life insurance
• Voluntary Short-term Disability insurance
• Critical Illness insurance
• Accident insurance
• Employer paid life insurance, long-term disability insurance, and Employee Assistance Program