DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative (DCPNI) is seeking an Early Childhood Program Coordinator to support its Take and Play Program in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution, Friends of the National Zoo and Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center. The Take and Play Program is designed to prepare families with preschoolers (3 to 5 years old) for kindergarten through monthly family workshops and field trips that promote learning through play at home with free, themed activity kits and other educational resources.
This position is a two-year, grant-funded position through PNC Bank’s “Grow Up Great” Community-Wide Vocabulary Building Initiative, which currently sponsors the Take and Play Program. In conjunction with DCPNI’s continuum of cradle-to-career programs and services, the Take and Play Program helps to provide young children with the skills needed to ensure their personal and academic success while expanding Early Learning opportunities to families with children (birth to 5 years old) in the Kenilworth-Parkside community of Washington, D.C.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Coordination and Management:
• Design, organize and implement developmentally appropriate lesson plans, activities and other educational resources for children (3 to 5 years old) for Take and Play family workshops.
• Collaborate with the Smithsonian Institution and its affiliates to coordinate and implement activities, both at Take and Play family workshops and on field trips.
• Establish and maintain positive relationships and effective communication with children, families and other community members through:
– In-person recruitment
– Outreach via email, text messages and phone calls
– Support and participation at regular programs and events
• Help to create safe, inclusive and engaging programs and events that encourage exploration and complex play for young children and families in the Kenilworth-Parkside community.
• Coordinate program supplies, meals and transportation for Take and Play workshops and field trips.
• Assist in the coordination of technical assistance, professional development, and other training to support wraparound services for families, early learning providers and other community stakeholders.
• Plan and facilitate parent meetings and trainings designed to promote active parent participation, engagement and leadership as it pertains to their young child’s personal and academic success
• Work with DCPNI’s Data and Evaluation team to actively collect and log attendance and assessment data
• Recruit, train and assist volunteers to support Take and Play family workshops and field trips
• Other duties as assigned
Program Quality, Monitoring and Evaluation
• Ensure the safety, security and well-being of all children, families, and staff at programs and events
• Ensure that all goals for quality control, lesson planning and implementation, volunteer coordination and training, parent recruitment and communication, record keeping, facility operations, and family outreach and engagement are met
• Manage and maintain the records of the children and families and all other documentation
• Foster active parent participation by offering opportunities to attend, volunteer and share resources with Early Learning families and staff
• Proactively identify opportunities and contribute to DCPNI’s Early Learning team
QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.
Educational and Experience
• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university in Early Childhood Education or a related field and two to three years of professional early childhood education teaching experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Certification in Infant and Pediatric CPR and First Aid required
• Demonstrated knowledge of early childhood development (especially early literacy and language skills), and best practices in early childhood education and care
• Demonstrated ability to work with cross-functional teams
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with early learning providers regarding program coordination and implementation
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
Other Qualifications
• Teaching or educational leadership experience in a low-income community strongly preferred, particularly in the District of Columbia’s Ward 7 or in schools/organizations east of the Anacostia River
• Understanding of the District of Columbia’s Early Learning community, Common Core Early Learning Standards and Kindergarten Readiness strongly preferred
• The ability to work flexibly and effectively in a rapidly changing work environment
Computer/Technology Skills
• Ability to work with Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and Outlook primarily in MAC and PC environments
• Ability to understand and effectively use technology and data management systems
To Apply
• Qualified candidates should submit cover letter with salary preferences and resume to [email protected].
• Please include “Take and Play Coordinator” in the email subject line.
• Phone calls and emails to DCPNI staff will not be accepted.
