Early Education Inclusion Manager-Temporary

This position requires candidates to be bilingual in English and Spanish.

Our Mission

Horizons for Homeless Children is a Boston-based non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of young children experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts. We help their families succeed by providing high-quality early education, opportunities for play, and comprehensive family support services. Our advocacy efforts extend our impact and advance our vision of ending homelessness among families with young children.

Summary of Position

As a temporary member of Horizons' instructional leadership team, the Early Education Inclusion Manager will be responsible for supporting the early childhood education staff by providing educational assistance needed for them to support children with mental, psychological, learning, behavioral, or physical disabilities. The Early Education Inclusion Manager will operate with the goal of building staff capacity to maximize the growth potential of students with exceptional learning needs. In addition, the Early Education Inclusion Manager will play an important role in administering and interpreting universal developmental screenings, supporting the identification of developmental needs and referrals to appropriate support services. Imperative to this role is the utilization and application of reflective practice. This role will do so while promoting the mission of Horizons for Homeless Children and the Edgerley Family Horizons Center to staff, families, and the community.

This position is required to comply with all federal, state and local laws, regulations, standards and policies, including those of the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Massachusetts disability law (Chapter 766), Boston Family Engagement Network (BFEN) and Horizons’ policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

Integrated Support and Services

• Works collaboratively with Horizons staff, parents and Horizons partners from community agencies, Early Intervention Programs, and Public Schools to ensure that:

• appropriate referrals, screening, assessment, diagnostic services, and placements are provided.

• children with diagnosed disabilities have access to high-quality education and care

• Inclusive interdisciplinary program planning occurs.

• Observe children that were referred by a teacher and or parent and make developmentally appropriate recommendations as needed.

• Provide hands on modeling and coaching of developmentally appropriate learning strategies to classroom teachers, support staff and parents

• Coach teachers on how to implement strategies to support the needs of individual children, as well as larger group

• Demonstrate and actively engage in reflective practice to develop relationships and build staff capacity

• Aid the classroom in adapting and modifying educational activities while also implementing recommendations from outside specialists. 

• Ensure that an inclusive classroom environment is provided.

• Coordinate paperwork and create action plans related to a child’s social & emotional needs to facilitate early identification and delivery of service.

• Support classroom teachers with the implementation of screening strategies (ie: DECA and ASQ), Individualized Education Plans (IEP’s) and Individual Family Service Plans (IFSP’s) in Horizons classrooms.

• Support children’s smooth transition into Head Start/Kindergarten (including K0, K1 and K2 classrooms) is provided for children receiving services.

• Meet regularly with partners such as Boston Public School Special Education department, and Early Intervention providers related to the planning and coordination of services, writing and implementation of IEP’s/IFSP’s.

• Prepare, review, and report out of caseloads with supervisor

• Administers, scores and interprets standardized developmental screening and assessment tools according to established protocols and communicates results clearly and sensitively to families, educators and other professionals to support appropriate planning and referrals

Information and Technical Systems Management

• Maintain and monitor a comprehensive record keeping system through documents and database systems.

• Maintain and document on-going communication.

• Monitor and provide information relative to partners (BPS and ABCD) requirements: support program staffs to ensure children have completed, up to date IEPs, IFSPs, and Mental Health Plans;

• Monitor and track follow-up needs, developmental screenings, curriculum accommodations, and a child’s individualized progress.

Starting salary range, compensation, and benefits

$74,000-$78,999 is the starting salary range for this temporary manager role. Your starting salary will fall within that range depending on your competencies, experience, and skill set.

Your total compensation package includes the following benefits:

Health coverage options designed to be as comprehensive and affordable for you as possible, with Horizons covering between 70-75% of premiums (a value that ranges from an additional $10,000 –30,000 per year based on your enrollment choices).

While you have a choice between an HMO and PPO plan for medical coverage, most employees pay $117.77 for individual, $235.54 for 2-person, or $370.44 for family coverage per biweekly paycheck and never pay more than $300 for individual or $600 for 2-person/family toward deductibles.

Visit The Benefits of Working at Horizons for more details on the rest of our benefits package

Workspace 

This is a full-time temporary assignment expected to last 3 to 6 months, with the possibility of transitioning into a full-time permanent position. Regular hours are Monday–Friday during business hours, with occasional evening/weekend events with notice. The work you will perform is largely sedentary, taking place at a desk or cubicle, in an office setting, working alongside others. There is a large staff room with indoor and outdoor space for breaks as well as a designated quiet room. Our beautiful office space is located:  Edgerley Family Horizons Center at 1785 Columbus Ave, Roxbury, MA. 

This position requires the employee to comply with all applicable federal, state, local, and company policies concerning immunizations, employment physical/screening, and Background record checks.

Commitment to our Workforce

Horizons is committed to fostering the well-being of our workforce who are tackling one of the nation’s toughest issues: family homelessness. We respect the unique perspectives and potential of each member of our team and believe that diversity of thought and perspective will not only sustain employee well-being but drive better outcomes for our families. Horizons’ leadership sets the tone and priority for this work. Visit our commitments page to learn more about what that looks like at Horizons.

As such, we are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.

For more information about Horizons, please visit horizonschildren.org