MAC Early Learning Academy Director
Position Summary
Oversee all administrative functions of the MAC Early Learning Academy. Ensure the ELA complies with all state and local regulatory agencies and licensing regulations. Supervise curriculum, classroom schedules, use of shared classroom space and equipment, and ELA staff. Communicate effectively with all ELA stakeholders including parents, employees, and community. Promote continuous quality improvement.
Key Performance Indicators
1. Ensure the ELA is in good standing with all regulatory agencies.
2. Maintain full enrollment at the ELA.
3. Oversee all operational functions of the ELA.
4. Build positive relationships with all ELA stakeholders.
Essential Functions
General Responsibilities:
1. Ensure the ELA is in compliance with all licensing, state, and local agency regulations.
2. Maintain accurate records including child, family, staff, vendor, financial, and accreditation.
3. Stay abreast of current research, new developments, and best practices in the field of early childhood education.
4. Participate in professional organizations and maintain a professional library of resources.
5. Promote and maintain active communication with families.
6. Ensure all forms of communications are kept up-to-date: ELA website, monthly newsletters, employee handbook, and family handbook.
7. Review ELA policies and procedures and update as needed.
8. Provide periodic ELA updates to MAC administration and Board of Trustees.
Fiscal & Operational Responsibilities:
1. Ensure that the ELA operates within the approved budget.
2. Oversee all purchasing for the ELA.
3. Prepare budget updates as requested.
4. Collaborate with the MAC Business Office to collect enrollment fees, ELA tuition, and other related income.
5. Implement and conduct a safety program for the ELA in collaboration with MAC campus safety personnel.
6. Maintain inventory records.
7. Arrange for custodial care, maintenance, and repairs.
8. Ensure the indoor and outdoor ELA areas are equipped and maintained.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
1. Assist Human Resources in preparing job descriptions, recruiting candidates, interviewing candidates, selecting and recommending candidates, and onboarding new employees.
2. Ensure the ELA is appropriately staffed.
3. Conduct weekly staff meetings.
4. Coordinate professional development opportunities for ELA staff including in-service training.
5. Assist the staff in preparing daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly plans.
6. Maintain required ELA documents including the employee handbook, ELA parent handbook, and other required reports.
7. Conduct annual personnel evaluations and assist employees in developing plans for continuous improvement.
8. Maintain employee attendance records including preparing and submitting payroll sheets.
Enrollment Responsibilities:
1. Oversee all aspects of the ELA enrollment process including advertising, conducting tours, interviewing families, and enrolling families.
2. Ensure subsidy requirements are met.
3. Provide parent orientation to school policies and procedures.
4. Provide new student orientation.
Curriculum Responsibilities:
1. Oversee the development and implementation of curriculum.
2. Review and approve weekly lesson plans.
3. Collaborate with ELA staff in developing special programs, field trips, and extracurricular activities.
4. Evaluate students in relation to their school progress, abilities, and special needs.
5. Maintain a referral system for children who have special needs and contact recognized agencies to help children as needed.
Community Outreach:
1. Collaborate with MAC and other post-secondary institutions to provide field experience opportunities.
2. Arrange for the ELA to participate in community service opportunities.
3. Administer a parent education program.
Required Behaviors, Competencies, and Skills
Ability to build and maintain positive relationships with teachers, colleagues, parents, children, and the community.
Interpersonal Skills:
Demonstrate competence in communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to work with ELA staff, families, community members, state licensing personnel, and MAC administration. Verbal and written communications skills required to write, present, and discuss complex reports and related documents and correspondence.
Additional Skills:
Demonstrated ability to learn and utilize a variety of technological platforms.
Experience
Education:
Earned Master’s degree in early childhood education or child development preferred; Bachelors in early childhood education or child development plus broad range of experience may be considered.
Work Experience:
Five (5) years full-time teaching experience with two (2) years in a leadership role.
Industry Knowledge:
Knowledge of local, state, and national early learning requirements. Knowledge of Missouri licensing compliance, child and family adult food program, and family subsidy programs preferred.
Work Environment and Physical Requirements
The ELA Director must, after an offer of employment is made, produce a current physical examination by a physician with a tuberculin test or chest x-ray, have approved state clearance forms for child abuse and a certificate demonstrating an approved criminal record check. The ELA Director must have the ability to hear the conversational voice, with or without a hearing aid, and demonstrate the ability to see and read newsprint, with or without corrective lenses, and to be able to speak and be understood under normal circumstances. All ELA employees must be able to monitor children both indoors and outdoors and must be able to monitor children by themselves. The ELA Director must be able to lift and carry children and other items weighing up to 50 pounds, use arms, hands, legs, and feet, with or without corrective devices, to accomplish the job, including the evacuation of the building during emergencies.
Benefits
Full-time employees of the Early Learning Academy operating on the Mineral Area College campus are members of the Public Education Employee Retirement System of Missouri. Full-time employees work 40 hours each week during the day Monday through Friday. Full-time ELA employees receive 7 paid holidays, two weeks of paid vacation – taken the week of July 4th and the week of Christmas; and 8 hours of PTO each month. Full-time employees have Mineral Area College insurance group options including medical, dental, vision, life, ltd, ad&d, FSA, HSA, 403(b.)
