Description: EMBRACING ABILITIES. EXPANDING POSSIBILITIES.
At Easterseals of Chicagoland and Greater Rockford, we are committed to two – often interconnecting - pillars of work……early learning and disability. Through these pillars, we transform the lives of early learners and individuals of all abilities through access to expert educational, family, and community support. As an affiliate of America’s largest nonprofit healthcare organization, we have proudly served the communities and families of Chicagoland and Greater Rockford since 1936.
For more information about our organization, please visit us online at www.eastersealschicago.org.
The Child Development Center Director provides expertise, oversight, training, and leadership to ensure the Child Development Center (CDC) is providing high quality, relationship-based, inclusive services to all children and families in the center and the center’s operations comply with all funder and regulatory requirements. The CDC Director ensures the center is implementing evidence-based instructional practices, engaging families, maintaining a healthy and safe environment, and achieving full enrollment. The CDC Director oversees all staff and directly supervises the Assistant Center Director and other identified team members. The Center Director monitors the center’s performance in terms of compliance, quality, enrollment, staff retention, and engagement, and financial results, promptly addresses deficiencies, and develops, executes, and monitors plans for ongoing quality improvement and professional development resulting in exemplary teacher-child interactions, instructional quality, and staff retention.
This position is located at Easterseals Early Learning Center- Hickory Hills at 8020 W. 87th St., Hickory Hills, IL 60457.

MAJOR FUNCTIONS/ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Planning and Program Services:

• Facilitate enrollment and develop a recruitment plan in collaboration with the ERSEA & Family Health Team to ensure that the center achieves and maintains full enrollment.
• Oversee staff schedules, manage PTO approvals, and arrange substitutes as needed to maintain operational continuity. Ensure the center meets classroom ratios and has a qualified director on site at all times.
• In collaboration with the Director of ECR programs, develop and update an annual parent handbook that includes program policies and procedures and service/ management plans.
• Implement systems to ensure consistent, high-quality services at the center in accordance with the Head Start Performance Standards, Head Start Act, ExceleRate, NAEYC, DCFS licensing, and all applicable regulations and standards.
• Develop an annual training calendar for staff in collaboration with the Director of ECR Programs and Learning and Development Manager, ensuring training courses meet the interests and needs of staff.
• Form linkages with community organizations to ensure access to resources for children, families, and staff.
• Make effective resource allocation decisions to support quality program services while operating within the center’s budget and staffing model.
• Participate in the self-assessment process and strategic planning.
• Implement strategies to maximize child care assistance funding.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with parents and implement strategies to engage parents in the children’s development and learning. Develop a yearly Family Engagement plan in accordance with program guidance and annual budget.
• Promptly address parental questions, concerns, and complaints regarding safety, staff members, curriculum, philosophy, and structure, and proactively report complaints and concerns (including resolution) to the Director of ECR Programs.
• Establish a collaborative and transparent center culture that emphasizes the importance of direct conflict resolution.
• Maintain systems for regular, ongoing communication with staff and families.
• Facilitate and/or participate in region, team, leadership, and other meetings.
• Participate in agency-sponsored events, committees, and meetings.

Implement research-based curriculum:

• Monitor, assess, and review classrooms regularly to maintain the highest level of curriculum fidelity and ensure alignment with educational standards. In collaboration with the Instructional Coordinator, use assessment data to drive coaching strategies and align coaching with school readiness goals, curricula, and other approaches to professional development.
• Ensure Lead teachers are facilitating lesson-planning meetings.
• Participate in regular meetings to assess progress and plan for education and disability content areas.
• Assist teaching staff to ensure child assessments, parent/teacher conferences, and other requirements are completed within designated time frames.
• Assure all enrolled children receive developmental screening, all education and disabilities data are complete in the Child Plus database and in Teaching Strategies Gold, and all child portfolios, anecdotal child observations, and education folders are maintained.
• Work with the regional team and teaching team to review and analyze child outcome data, home visits, parent/teacher conferences, and screenings to inform individual child and program planning.

Support children with suspected disabilities and social-emotional concerns and ensure the full inclusion of all children in the program:

• Collaborate with coordinators and managers to create an inclusive environment that supports children with disabilities, social-emotional needs, and challenging behaviors, ensuring all children feel welcomed and supported.
• Collaborate with Child Service Coordinator and Social Emotional Specialist to implement a system for supporting children with behavioral concerns, including a behavior review process and behavior plans.
• Assist teachers in modifying curriculum and individualizing lesson plans for children with disabilities based on IEP goals.
• Assist Coordinators in providing ongoing training related to Education and Disabilities for all programs, as needed.
• Ensure screening results are shared with parents and that re-screenings, referrals, and follow-ups are conducted as needed.
• Ensure timely referrals to the LEA and Early Intervention.

Record Keeping, Reporting, and Communication:

• Develop and implement a system to ensure all enrollment, education, disabilities, health, and family information is entered into the program database and Teaching Strategies GOLD timely.
• Complete and submit all required agency and funder reports in an accurate and timely manner.
• Maintain all required licenses and certifications.

Ongoing Monitoring:

• Provide effective oversight of all services at the center.
• Maintain compliance with day care standards as specified by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).
• Ensure that the center achieves and maintains the highest levels in ExeleRate and NAEYC

Accreditation.

• Implement active supervision systems and monitor documentation, ensuring the active supervision and safety of children so that no child is ever left alone or unsupervised.
• Follow up with families to ensure timely payment for services as needed.
• Implement a site-level system of monitoring compliance for all service areas, including observations in the classrooms, and provide action plans in response to monitoring reports sent by the Quality, Safety, and Compliance team.
• Implement a site-level system of monitoring Child Plus and Teaching Strategies GOLD data for the center to ensure information is accurate and complete.
• Ensure all health regulations and food handling regulations are carried out as required by the Department of Public Health.
• Monitor the facility to ensure that the building meets all funding, administrative, and regulatory standards.
• Ensure that the center is a clean and safe learning environment for all children.
• Work with the teaching team to review and analyze child outcome data, home visits, parent/teacher conferences, and screenings to inform individual child and program planning.

Human Resources:

• Implement reflective and relationship-based practices.
• Offer leadership development and coaching for Assistant Center Manager and Lead Teachers to enhance their skills and foster growth within the team.
• Provide ongoing supervision, training, and support to direct reports, including performance evaluations and professional development plans.
• Recruit, retain, and motivate a team of collaborative and engaged classroom staff. Provide timely praise and corrective feedback as needed.
• Onboard new staff, clarify roles and expectations during onboarding, and implement strategies to retain qualified employees.
• Communicate regularly with staff to ensure they are informed of and engaged in the center’s goals, identify and encourage staff initiative, and address potential concerns or problems at an early stage, both individually and through regularly scheduled staff meetings.
• Enforce all agency policies, practices, and standards.
• All other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or related field.
• Illinois Director’s Credential Level IL
• Certified CLASS Pre-K and Toddler Observer within I year.

KNOWLEDGE/ EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• 3-5 years of supervisory experience.
• 3-5 years of experience in Head Start/Early Head Start.
• 5 years experience working with children and their families.
• Thorough knowledge of state and local licensing requirements, Creative Curriculum, Teaching Strategies GOLD, ExceleRate, NAEYC, and Head Start Program Performance Standards.
• Experience working with Microsoft Office software.

SKILLS/ABILITIES:

• Able to work well with all levels of the organization, regulators, funders, and other agencies.
• Able to conceptualize and articulate program outcomes.
• Able to manage multiple projects and priorities.
• Well organized and highly detail oriented.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Speaking-Talking to convey information effectively.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
• Time Management - Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
• Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
• Active Learning -· Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
• Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
• Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing for the needs of the audience, including writing and editing reports, summary memoranda, correspondence, etc.
• Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
• Management of Financial Resources - Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, budgeting and accounting for these expenditures.
• Learning Strategies - Selecting aud using training/instructional methods aud procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
• Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
• Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
• Technologically adept - comfort, familiarity, and ability to learn and use variety of computer applications. Intermediate-level knowledge of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Teams, Outlook, and Excel. Ability to use internet browsers, video conferencing.
• Excellent interpersonal skills that allow for effective relationships in a diverse environment with ability to collaborate and build a consensus.