ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT:

The Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) creates and coordinates services that enhance the quality of life for Cambridge residents. Driven by the needs of residents, DHSP’s extensive services and programs touch almost every sector in the city: from newborns to senior citizens, from school-aged children to homeless families, from non-profit organizations to local employers.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

Overall on-site responsibility for the smooth function of four quality preschool classrooms serving 68 children - ages 3 to 5. Specific duties include but are not limited to the following:  

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supporting and implementing the Childcare and Family Support division’s educational philosophy around child-centered, play-based curriculum which enhances the social, physical, and intellectual development of children enrolled in the program while engaging their families as partners. 

• Providing leadership for a preschool teaching team in the following key areas: curriculum, classroom management, behavior management, child assessment, and family involvement.  In each of these areas, setting clear goals and expectations that are communicated to staff.   

• Overseeing program management including the administration of the program budget and ordering supplies. 

• Leading, supervising, and developing staff comprised of 20 in a manner that builds a cohesive teaching team.  Providing supervision of substitute teachers, interns, and other staff members who may be temporarily in the program. Overseeing monthly supervision and observations for all teaching staff.  Supporting staff by modeling desired behavior and providing clear feedback to help staff meet modeled behavior.  Providing written annual evaluations for all staff that set performance goals for the coming year.  

• Implementing the guidelines of the Cambridge Preschool Program (CPP) in addition to maintaining other program quality standards. Completing and submitting the annual CPP Quality Reflection Tool.  

• Designing and arranging the classrooms, in accordance with EEC, NAEYC and QRIS criteria, to allow for a large variety of activities that promote children’s growing independence in using classroom resources and materials. 

• Establishing clear and age-appropriate behavioral expectations for the group and each child that sets the tone for the classrooms.  Ensuring that staff provide nurturing and socially responsive care to all children.   

• Identifying children who may benefit from additional services and working with the preschool managers to communicate observations to families and coordinate referrals to third parties as needed. Following-through to achieve objectives and accommodations that specialists have written into the child’s plan. 

• Organizing the assessment of children’s developmental progress using the HighScope COR Advantage assessment module.   Ensuring quality assessments are completed in a timely fashion and shared with families at conferences.  Using classroom profiles to modify or adapt curriculum to support children’s development across all domains. 

• Fostering family leadership and engagement in the program through a variety of family events and activities, including but not limited to the following, a parent/guardian orientation; updates on children’s daily experiences; communication about curriculum; 3 conferences per year; regular newsletters; and 3 family events per year. Promoting family leadership in the program through a Family Council.   

• Always ensuring the safety of enrolled children whether in or out of the classrooms.  Implementing the DHSP emergency plan for the program and maintaining monthly logs of required safety drills.   

• Planning and coordinating safe and developmentally appropriate field trips that connect curriculum topics to the world outside the classrooms. 

• Applying for NAEYC accreditation and preparing for NAEYC accreditation visits.  Maintaining NAEYC quality standards including the submission of the annual reports. 

• Working in conjunction with the Enrollment Coordinator to support the enrollment of children through the Cambridge Preschool Program matching. Conducting parent/guardian tours and answering questions about all DHSP preschool programs.  

• Working in collaboration with the preschool managers to hire new staff and complete the orientation process with new staff. 

• Coordinating all administrative aspects of the program.  According to department and state guidelines, maintaining and overseeing program records: children’s files, daily attendance sheets, timesheets, food orders, menu plans, and various required logs. Preparing for licensing visits and ensuring that all documents are current on the EEC licensing portal. 

• Participating in all program-related meetings such as meetings with supervisors, peers, program consultants, and specialists serving children in the classroom. 

• Actively engaging in and supporting the Department’s Race and Equity Initiative. 

• Maintaining professional knowledge through participation in in-service training workshops as well as meeting educational requirements established by EEC, NAEYC, the Cambridge Preschool Program, and the City of Cambridge. 

• Providing occasional classroom coverage as needed.  

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required. 

• EEC Preschool Director II qualified.   

• Three to five years of experience as a program director. 

• Previous experience working with children with special needs preferred. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong organizational, supervisory, curriculum and communication skills. 

• Strong working knowledge of NAEYC, EEC, and QRIS guidelines for quality programming.   

• The City of Cambridge's workforce, like the community it serves, is diverse. Applicants must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS, WORKING CONDITIONS, WORK FLEXIBILITY AND ACCOMODATIONS

• Ability to move with agility including the ability to kneel to be at a child’s eye level. 

• Ability to hear children who speak in a soft voice or mumble words when distressed. 

• Ability to run after children in play and to respond to an emergency. 

• Ability to use hands and arms to move, reach, handle, and manipulate objects in the classroom.  

• Ability to see is required for the supervision of children.

• Ability to lift a child (up to 40 pounds).

• The work environment includes classroom and outdoor playgrounds and occasional field trips. 

• The noise level in the work environment is moderate to very loud.   

• Ability to travel from one site to another as needed. 

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

SUMMARY OF BENEFITS:

• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Vacation and Sick leave eligible
• Paid parental leave
• Sick Incentive Pay Eligible
• 3 Personal days
• 14 Paid Holidays
• Management Allowance
• City employee commuter benefits (T-Pass reimbursement Bluebikes membership, EZRide Shuttle membership)

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

Please upload the below documents to complete your application:

• Resume
• Cover letter