Part Time Center Support Staff
- Chicago, IL, United States
$16 to $17.96 USD / hour · Part-time
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Job details
- Pay
- $16 to $17.96 USD / hour
- Job type
- Part-time
- Working hours
- 25 hours per week
- Posting language
- English
- Posted
Original job description
Description Part time, 25 hours per week
Inspire Learning. Support Classrooms. Build Futures.
Do you believe every child deserves a strong start? Are you passionate about supporting young learners and creating a safe, welcoming environment where children can thrive? If so, we’d love to welcome you to our team as Center Support Staff in our Head Start program.
As a Center Support Staff member, you’ll provide essential classroom and administrative support to help our early childhood programs run smoothly. You’ll work alongside teachers and center leadership to engage children in meaningful learning experiences, support families, and maintain a positive, organized environment that promotes growth and development.
What You’ll Do:
Support Learning in the Classroom
- Assist Lead and Assistant Teachers with age-appropriate activities aligned with Head Start, NAEYC, and Creative Curriculum standards
- Model positive behavior and use developmentally appropriate guidance techniques
- Supervise and engage with children during classroom activities, meals, and daily routines
- Encourage family-style dining and healthy habits
- Maintain a safe, nurturing, and inclusive learning environment
Assess and Document Learning
- Assist teachers with child assessments, observations, and developmental documentation
- Maintain anecdotal notes, photographs, and student records as directed
- Help prepare instructional materials, classroom activities, and documentation panels
- Support accurate and timely completion of attendance, meal counts, screenings, and other required records
Engage Families
- Build positive relationships with parents and caregivers through regular communication
- Support parent-teacher conferences, home visits, and family engagement activities
- Share information about classroom routines, policies, events, and volunteer opportunities
- Advocate for children and families by communicating concerns and supporting positive resolutions
- Assist with incident reports, permission slips, and other required family documentation
Collaborate and Provide Administrative Support
- Work closely with teachers, Site Directors, administrative staff, and education specialists
- Assist with office tasks, recordkeeping, supply inventories, and general center operations
- Participate in team meetings, staff trainings, professional development, and agency activities
- Communicate effectively with team members to support classroom and center needs
- Provide flexible support across classrooms and administrative areas as needed
Maintain the Environment
- Keep classrooms, offices, and shared spaces clean, organized, and welcoming
- Sanitize toys, equipment, and surfaces according to established procedures
- Monitor classroom and office supplies, equipment, and materials
- Help maintain safe, functional, and developmentally appropriate learning spaces
Perform other duties as assigned.
Requirements
Education and/or Experience:
High School Diploma or General Education Degree (GED). AND A minimum of 6 credit hours in Child Development from an accredited college or university working toward earning 15 credit hours in Child development.
Experience with children preferred.
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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Must be at least 18 years of age.
- Cooperates successfully as a member of a team.
- Communicates effectively with others, including giving and receiving feedback on the quality of services.
- Meet any specific content area requirements.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Effective oral and written communication skills.
- Demonstrated capability to interface and maintain effective relationships with staff, consultants, and regulatory/funding representatives in a team-oriented environment.
- Capacity to assume responsibility for own professional development.
- Detail Oriented, logical, and methodological approach to problem solving.
- Flexible, with the ability to work in a highly demanding, stressful environment.
- Proficiency using word-processing system.
Language Skills
- Ability to read and speak English proficiently.
- Bilingual-Spanish preferred,
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and see.
- The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit; use hands to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
- The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.
- Specific vision requirements include the ability to see at close range.
- Fine hand manipulation (keyboarding).
- Transportation time spent commuting between sites and to attend meetings, trainings, in-services, and home visits.
- The employee may be required to work at multiple agency locations if necessary.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Internal office space and classroom.
- The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.