Lead ECE (BA)

Nova Scotia Regional Centres for Education & CSAP•Lunenburg, NS

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The South Shore Regional Centre for Education (SSRCE) is committed to providing an inclusive, diverse, equitable, safe, and healthy education that supports learning and success for all students. The SSRCE serves 59,000 residents across Lunenburg and Queens Counties. This position is for a Lead Early Childhood Educator (LECE) at Bluenose Academy, reporting to the School Principal and Pre-Primary Facilitator. The LECE will play a leadership role within the Pre-primary Program Team, working collaboratively with the Support Early Childhood Educator (SECE), Pre-primary Facilitator, and Principal. The goal is to create a supportive and secure learning environment that introduces young children to the school culture. The LECE will be responsible for creating and maintaining an engaging learning environment based on children's interests, fostering exploration and knowledge creation through experiences and social interactions. This role emphasizes holistic child development and well-being, implementing the Nova Scotia Early Learning Curriculum Framework and other relevant policies. The LECE will be an active member of the school team, ensuring the consistent delivery of a high-quality early learning experience.

Requirements

A minimum ECE Level 3 (Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from a recognized post-secondary institution) with a minimum of 3 years of recent experience working with young children (birth to six); OR ECE Level 2 (2-year Early Childhood Education Diploma from a recognized post-secondary institution) with five years’ experience.
Valid standard First Aid training.
Satisfactory Criminal Record and Child Abuse Registry Checks.
Possess an in-depth understanding of child growth and development and demonstrated knowledge and experience using a play-based pedagogy and child-centered, developmentally appropriate practices.
Ability to translate theory and best practices into action in early childhood settings.
Ability to create inclusive and responsive early learning environments that support the diverse and special needs of all children.
Demonstrated competency with distributed leadership and shared responsibility.
Strong interpersonal skills to initiate and maintain contact with many educational partners.
Ability to apply computer skills suitable to report writing and internet research/communications.
An awareness of developmentally appropriate practices, child-centered and emergent curriculum.
Ability to translate best practice into new situations.
Ability to work with a diversity of developmental needs.
Ability to articulate and create an inclusive, individually appropriate environment.
Ability to apply understanding of and experience with developmental observation and assessment.
Ability to work & communicate effectively within the South Shore Regional Centre for Education, with students, parents, community members and external groups such as government agencies.
Ability to apply knowledge, experience and commitment in the areas of race relations, cross cultural understanding, human rights and diversity.
Ability to maintain and promote confidentiality as the norm.
Ability to engage in continuing education and professional development.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a leadership role in early childhood development is an asset.
Experience working with children and families with diverse cultural backgrounds, experiences, and developmental needs.
Experience with developmentally appropriate observation, documentation and authentic assessment strategies.

Responsibilities

Bring a leadership role to the Pre-primary Program Team.
Work cooperatively with all ECE staff, family members, community-based professionals and service providers to introduce children into the culture of school ensuring a supportive and secure learning environment.
Create and maintain an engaging learning environment based on the children’s knowledge and interests.
Ensure the learning environment is focused on the holistic development and overall well-being of the child/ren.
Implement the Pre-primary Program using the Nova Scotia Early Learning Curriculum Framework, all other policies and best practices as determined by EECD including the Continuous Quality Improvement process.
Act as an active member of the school team reporting to the School Principal and the Pre-primary Facilitator.
Work collaboratively with the Support ECE to ensure the development, assessment and consistent delivery of a high quality early learning experience for children attending the Pre-primary Program.
Provide direction, clarify job functions, classroom management and procedures that will set the stage for a positive environment.
Create an inviting, active and dynamic learning environment that supports and includes all children.
Deliver developmentally appropriate and engaging programming that is responsive to the interests and cultural needs of the children and community.
Observe, assess and document children’s developmental progress.
Act as the primary point of contact with families and facilitate family, caregiver and community involvement in program.
Welcome and have open communication with families and caregivers regarding their children’s experiences and the program offered.
Reflect children’s lives in ongoing displays and celebrations throughout the year.
Provide timely identification of and responses to children and families in need of additional supports and services and partner with community-based providers.
Write transition plans for children requiring additional supports in preparation for entry into primary.
Support children’s development with materials and resources that focus on emergent literacy and numeracy skills, play based skills, social emotional skills and gross and fine motor development.
Demonstrate an understanding of young children’s characteristics and needs, and of the multiple interacting influences on children’s development and learning.
Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate behavior guidance strategies for young children and implement them.
Work with the Pre-primary Facilitator and Principal to ensure the pre-primary students are welcomed and a part of the school community.
Provide nutritious snacks, using knowledge of the food and nutrition guidelines.
Lead the day to day management of the classroom including organizing all daily programming supports for students, organizing special events and extra-curricular activities.
Participate in a comprehensive, ongoing evaluation of the Pre-primary Program via the Continuous Quality Improvement process.
Comply with OH&S regulations.
Perform other duties as assigned.