ACTING CENTER DIRECTOR

Job Description

Job Description

The Acting Center Director is responsible for fostering an environment that allows children, their families, and the educator to develop to their full potential. The Acting Center Director is accountable for program operation that exceeds National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) criteria and incorporates Reggio Treehouse’s mission, organizational goals, values, philosophies and policies, and development of positive relationships with parents, children, families, and Executive Team. Acting Center Directors are encouraged to delegate responsibilities as is appropriate. Acting Center Director will review important decisions with the Executive Team and be responsive to the requirements of the Executive Team. Acting Center Director will model exemplary employee behavior in each of the categories listed below.

PROGRAM

• Ensure all educators implement state required guidelines, RTH’s values, philosophies, and policies
• Ensure that all educators interact and communicate respectfully with children and parents
• Evaluate classroom curriculum and environments. Develop action plans with classroom teaching teams and monitor progress toward program goals
• Develop and create programs following RTH’s core values and philosophies
• Provide support and resources for educator on program development
• Guide educators in recognizing progress/variables in children’s development, inform parents, and make appropriate referrals as needed

HUMAN RESOURCES

• Coordinate with Human Resources team when in need of staffing, background investigations, and hiring staff
• Coordinate with Human Resources team on new candidate interviews, interview schedules and interviewee information
• Coordinate with Director of Human Resources regarding any promotions, professional development, reviews
• Serves as a center resource for the staff needs
• Upload and maintain staff files, DELLT uploads

SUPERVISION

• Ensure implementation of all educator duties as described in their job descriptions. Conduct regular observations, evaluations of performance including development and monitoring of progress of individual goals for professional growth
• Develop key educators to share leadership roles in the center
• Create weekly schedules for each staff member
• Review timesheets (Manual & ADP) and enter any missed punches from the timeclock kiosk. Also review and make sure that the punched times match with assigned schedules
• Utilize progressive counseling, document disciplinary action, and if necessary, separate educator in

accordance with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), federal, state, local, and RTH guidelines

LEADERSHIP/TEAM BUILDING

• Establish and maintain team building among all classroom teaching teams and whole center educators by meeting regularly
• Support and sustain positive morale of the educators. Solicit input from educators and follow-up promptly
• Ensure that team members communicate directly, work to resolve conflicts, and avoid gossip. Inform HR with any staff issues
• Ensure that the center and classroom’s daily responsibilities are completed, jobs shared and taught to each team member over time
• Serve as a role model by assuming a fair share of work including classroom and center responsibilities as needed: kitchen, diapering, substituting, etc.
• Implement programs to achieve educator retention and decrease teacher turnover

PARENT RELATIONSHIPS/ PARENT COMMUNICATION

• Oversee ongoing educator/parent communication: daily communication, children’s progress reports, and parent conferences
• Oversee completion of children’s progress reports and parent conferences
• Be available and accessible to parents every day and respond to parent concerns
• Establish and sustain a sense of community through parent involvement. Implement programs to achieve parent retention
• Share resources with parents through discussions, articles, newsletters, workshops, and community contacts
• Plan and lead parent social and educational events to build community and involve parents
• Establish a parent association to facilitate communication, share information, and allow parent input
• Guide parents in forming professional relationships with educators, eliciting, and encouraging expressions of appreciation
• Work to resolve conflicts quickly, and avoid gossip

MARKETING

• Follow the RTH’s marketing guidelines and accurately update weekly statistics, following appropriate telephone protocol, conducting parent tours, and promoting parent referral program. In coordination with Director of Operations
• Focus on special marketing efforts during key enrollment periods (August, October, January, and Spring). Maintain on-going marketing efforts during remainder of year to sustain enrollment.
• Build strong relationships with clients

ENROLLMENT

• Meet center-specific enrollment targets/goals, and tours
• Maintain active waiting lists to ensure that available slots are filled quickly
• Review enrollment packet, and center policies and philosophies at the time of enrollment
• Guide educators in orienting parents to classroom routine, curriculum, and communication systems

HEALTH, SAFETY, AND LICENSING

• Adhere to RTH’s standards and to state and local licensing requirements
• Follow the standards for all of the following areas: health and safety conditions, nutrition, educator files, qualifications and schedules, educator/child ratios, and children’s files
• Ensure all educators receive annual OSHA training. Follow appropriate procedures for Bloodborne Pathogen exposure control
• Ensure that all licenses and permits are current
• Follow RTH Emergency Protocol
• Supervise educators in documentation of all accidents, notify parents in a timely manner, and notify state licensing specialist and proper authority as needed
• Follow state regulations pertaining to incidents of abuse or neglect

FINANCIAL

• Develop budget in conjunction with Finance/Accounting Department
• Capture all operating costs related to the center
• Promptly address poor financial performance
• Communicate any tuition or financial issues to Finance/Accounting Department

CENTER MAINTENANCE

• Assure a clean, safe, child-ready center at all times
• Ensure that the Center is attractive and inviting with careful thought given to displays
• Follow RTH’s protocols to order supplies and equipment to meet the Center’s needs. Keep inventory records updated at all times
• Post appropriate licensing permits and labor law posters
• Manage maintenance of facility, equipment, and supplies to ensure they are safe, clean, and in good condition

PROFESSIONALISM

• Positively project the organization, goals, philosophies, and policies to parents, educators, and the community
• Attend and actively participate in meetings, and trainings as necessary
• Establish relationships with local early childhood community and actively participate in community groups
• Model flexibility and an openness to new ideas in childcare practices
• Practice confidentiality in all matters regarding educators and family information
• Continue professional development
• Dress professionally

TEAMWORK

• Establish and maintain a relationship of cooperation and respect with co-workers
• Assume a fair share of work
• Demonstrate initiative
• Substitute in classrooms to maintain ratios as required
• Assume additional classroom and center responsibilities as needed, for example: kitchen, children’s files, etc.
• Assist and support educators ensuring that daily responsibilities are completed, and jobs are shared and taught to each team member over time
• Offer and share ideas and materials with co-workers
• Lead and supervise by teaching team through communication, collaboration, and discussion of individual children’s needs, and services
• Communicate directly, work to resolve conflicts quickly, and avoid gossip
• Exercise care in expressing views regarding the personal attributes or professional conduct of co-workers
• Statements are based on firsthand knowledge and relevant to the interests of children and programs

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Follow state, federal, and RTH’s guidelines, including immunizations, employment physical and required health and safety training
• Able to lift and/or move with a range of weight from 10 to 40 pounds frequently
• Supervise and interact with children outdoors for extended periods in varied weather conditions
• Demonstrate full range of motion to lift, reach, squat, climb, sit, and otherwise fully participate in activities
• Respond immediately and appropriately to multiple or unexpected situations or emergencies
• Maintain mental and physical alertness and an appropriate level of energy to perform essential job requirements

REQUIREMENTS (Must meet state requirements)

• Meet federal as well as individual state requirements (i.e., TB test, physical, OSHA, First Aid) and maintain credentials for the position (i.e., ongoing training).
• Must meet all state requirements
  1. Program Directors can meet one of the following criteria with education in a child-related field:
     • Bachelor’s degree in a child-related field
     • Bachelor’s degree in other field with 12 being in ECE
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Strong leadership and supervisory skills
• Strong knowledge in and ability to lead educators in implementing the appropriate curriculum
• Strong organizational skills
• Capacity to understand and manage center financial duties, as well as operate technical equipment(s)
• Demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks
• Demonstrated sensitivity and responsiveness to needs of parents, students and staff members
• Any other duties assigned by RTH

SCOPE OF AUTHORITY

Must have prior approval from supervisor/Corp staff to:

• Take time off from scheduled work hours/days or alter schedule
• Work from home
• Deviate from center policy
• Terminate a staff member's employment
• Conduct a performance appraisal
• Authorize expenditures on equipment, supplies, overtime
• Implement a salary increase
• Award a bonus (other than referral bonuses)
• Attending meetings outside the school for the benefit of the school
• Provide an accommodation for an educator or child (ADA)
• Respond to the media

May take action, but must inform corporate staff when:

• Responding to employee conflict (HR) or parent concern (Ops)
• Beginning progressive counseling with a staff member (HR)
• Conferencing with a parent about concerns regarding their child's behavior or development (Ops)
• Implementing any significant change in the classroom, program, or environment (Ops)
• Filing a neglect and abuse complaint (Ops), also include HR if involving a staff member
• Recording an unusual incident (Ops)
• Seeking outside support services for individual children (Ops)
• Filing a worker's compensation claim (HR)
• Caring for a child with a significant injury (Ops)