Why should you join Upbring?

Why work at Upbring? It’s quite simple – when you go to work surrounded by people just as passionate as you, it doesn’t feel like work.

At Upbring, we’re changemakers determined to create a world where all children are loved, protected and cherished. Inspired by faith, we are both warriors and servants for children and families. We’ve been helping children thrive for more than 135 years, and we’re not stopping. Our mission is to break the cycle of child abuse by empowering children, families and communities. And as we accomplish this mission, we have an opportunity to shape not only the way we deliver our programs and services but the way Texas treats children.

The children we serve have dreams, talent and so much potential – but they need dedicated, skillful and compassionate individuals to help them succeed. Our employees are champions for Texas children who give their all to create brighter futures. When you work at Upbring, you’re not just collecting a paycheck; you’re playing a key role in breaking the cycle of child abuse.  To find out more, please visit us online at www.upbring.org.

The Early Childhood Substitute is responsible for stepping in when called to facilitate and/or assist in managing the classroom in a manner that creates a stimulating and nurturing environment for the growth, well-being, and development of the children. The Early Childhood Substitute is a PRN employee that will provide coverage when staff Teachers and/or Aides are absent to ensure minimal disruption to the classroom and the developmentally-appropriate achievement for all children.

Essential Duties

• Develop and maintain rapport with students, parents, and staff by treating others with friendliness, dignity, and consideration
• Set professional ethics at all times and demonstrate a loving, Christ-like character to ensure students exhibit the same values
• Maintain a clean and attractive classroom environment
• Ensure that child care routines are carried out in a manner that is prompt, hygienic, and consistent with child development principle, including diapering, hand washing, eating, napping, and transitioning between activities.
• Adhere to established schedules and routines to ensure children have enough physical activity, rest, and playtime
• Ensure the safety of children through constant supervision, effective arrangement of space, proper maintenance of equipment, and regular practice of emergency procedures
• Observe children to detect signs of illness, injury, abuse, neglect, emotional disturbance, or other special needs, and report these signs immediately to school administration
• Follow and comply with Agency and child care licensing standards and safety regulations
• Enforce established rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining a nurturing, cooperative, and sharing learning environment among students
• Deliver center-based daily lessons written by the classroom teacher
• Deliver all learning experiences that teach/lead students into a growing relationship with Christ and assists students to achieve their potential
• Maintain accurate and complete records, including but not limited to: diaper changes, basic laundry, sanitizing equipment, pet care, trash disposal, toy tidying, attendance, behavior, student achievement, data, grades, progress reports, parent communication, textbooks, etc.
• Keep students, parents and the administration adequately informed of progress or deficiencies in a timely manner
• Maintain a high level of confidentiality on private and personal matters
• Support the broader program of the school by attending extra-curricular activities when possible, as well as supervise as assigned
• Recognize the need for good public relations and represent the school in a favorable and professional manner to the school's constituency and the general public
• Other duties and special projects as assigned

Working Relationships

• Collaborate with team members to ensure a loving, rigorous, and safe environment across the entire school.
• Establish and maintain open lines of communication, providing accessibility to students and families beyond the course of the typical school day.
• Work as a team player exhibiting professional behavior and a positive attitude with leadership, staff, the church, volunteers, children, and families that reflects positively on the school and is consistent with school policies, practices, and code of ethics

Career Progression

This position is eligible for promotion/transfer if appropriate position is available, the employee meets minimum qualifications, the promotion/transfer eligibility guidelines are met, and the employee is not on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP).

Physical Demands & Work Conditions

• This position requires frequent standing, walking, and speaking for long periods of time
• Position works in a facility with and around children on a regular basis
• Lift, push, pull, move up to 50 lbs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate’s degree in in education, family services, psychology, or related field – OR – Current CDA Certification
• 2 years of experience in early childhood education or with infants and toddlers in an educational setting
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement early childhood curriculum with emphasis on hands-on learning
• Demonstrated ability to manage the classroom and work well under pressure
• Strong interpersonal skills; ability to build a positive rapport with children, parents/guardians, and team members and ability to interact and communicate professionally with all levels of management in a clear and concise manner
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and Outlook)
• Strong time management and organizational skills with the demonstrated ability to prioritize competing tasks, requests, and projects and meeting deadlines
• Strong written and verbal communication; able to produce quality well-written documents, reports, and correspondence
• Ability to work independently and within a team; ability to take initiative with limited supervision

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Early Childhood Education
• Current Teacher Certification (Grades EC- 6)
• 3 years of experience in early childhood education or with infants and toddlers in an educational setting
• Experience with RenWeb or other school administration platforms
• Bilingual in English and Spanish (written and conversational, based on service area and service population)
• Spiritually mature Christian active in the worship life of his/her church
• LCMS qualification by Lutheran Teacher Diploma or Colloquy
• CPR/First Aid Certification