About this role
Early Childhood Foundational Specialist Organization: Ozarks Unlimited Resources Educational Services Cooperative & Guy Fenter Educational Services Cooperative Reports To: Local Early Childhood Lead Captains Classification: Full-Time | Grant-Funded POSITION SUMMARY The Early Childhood Foundational Specialist serves as a vital bridge between state-mandated foundational quality and classroom-level excellence. This role is responsible for the quarterly delivery of required foundational trainings and providing high-impact, practice-based coaching to ensure training concepts are successfully implemented in birth-to-five settings. Partnering closely with the Local Lead Captains and the CLASS Specialist, this position develops and facilitates advanced professional development that strengthens adult-child interactions and supports the regional Local Early Childhood Plan. ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & FACILITATION * Quarterly Training Delivery: Facilitate all required OEC foundational trainings at least once per quarter, including: - Strengthening Business Practices for Child Care Programs. - Child Development and Early Learning Standards (CDELS) Basics. - Building Skills for Kindergarten Readiness. - CPR & First Aid and Emergency Preparedness. - Classroom and Behavior Management. * Training Adaptation: Adapt statewide core content and facilitation materials to meet the specific needs of diverse regional audiences, including directors, educators, and family childcare providers. 2. PRACTICE-BASED COACHING & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE * Implementation Support: Provide reflective supervision and practice-based coaching to help educators translate training theory into high-quality daily routines. * CLASS Alignment: Offer targeted technical assistance that connects foundational skills (like environment design and routines) to specific CLASS® dimensions, such as Classroom Organization and Instructional Support. * Quality Improvement: Conduct classroom observations and provide structured feedback to support program fidelity to evidence-based standards. 3. INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP & CONTENT DEVELOPMENT * Foundational Curriculum Design: Develop additional "Foundational Trainings" in categories such as Instructional Leadership, Staff Support, and Ethics/Professionalism. * OEC Compliance: Lead the submission process for new training materials to the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) to ensure alignment with LEARNS priorities. * Data-Driven Support: Utilize regional CLASS® and community data to identify professional development gaps and design responsive learning opportunities. QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE * Master’s Degree preferred: Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership, or a related field. * Systems Expertise: Minimum of 5 years of experience in early childhood systems, including frontline supervision and program quality assessment. * Certifications: * CLASS® Observer Certification (Pre-K and Infant-Toddler).
PLEASE SEND RESUME AND COVER LETTER TO ANNE COWIE at: [email protected] Phone 870-302-3100