Education Director

The Police Athletic League (PAL) is the largest independent youth organization in New York City that provides educational and recreational activities for children and young adults. PAL Inc. and The New York City Police Department work in partnership to provide communities with summer and after-school recreational and educational activities.

We are looking for an Education Director who must be committed to the Mission and Vision of the Police Athletic League Inc. and be aware of the Agency's function as a private operating agency in a contractual relationship with public funding agencies. Ed. Director is expected to participate in planning, analyzing, and recommending changes in policy and procedures necessary to maintain a program, which meets the needs of the children and community. 

The Ed. Director will constantly demonstrate leadership qualities, and mature judgment, and work cooperatively with all stakeholders. Must establish and maintain professional relationships and sound educational programs; need to be articulate, pleasant, and resourceful. Exhibit a willingness to utilize any training available to improve administrative and supervisory skills, as well as an understanding of fiscal and budgetary management; Excellent time management skills are required.

Major Duties & Responsibilities

• Under the supervision of the Director of Childcare and with support from the Deputy Director of Education the Education Director is responsible for the ongoing supervision of their center's total program.

• Coordinating and supervising the work of staff in developing and maintaining a total program in education, health, nutrition, and social services to meet the needs of the children served and meet Head Start Performance Standards.

  Responsible for ensuring that centers are meeting all federal and local rules as per Contracts as well as Department of Health Licensing requirements.

• The Education Director under the supervision and direction of the Director of Childcare and Nutrition promotes the School Readiness of all children by providing technical assistance, mentoring, and training to the staff and agency.

• Additionally, the planning of children's readiness to learn involves culturally responsive, the integrated service delivery of child development, disabilities, and mental health that supports learning environments to: 

  • a) enhance children's cognitive, social, and emotional development and

  • b) promote children's growth in language, literacy, mathematics, science, social and emotional development, creative arts, physical development, and approaches to learning.

• The Director will develop and coordinate a comprehensive Educational program that complies with Federal Head Start Performance Standards, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Article 47 and Early Learn Contract requirements.

• Ensure that staff, parents, and volunteers receive instruction and training in Early Childhood Education. Collaborate with the disabilities coordinator to oversee the implementation of Disabilities Services.

• Communicate regularly with the Director of Childcare and Nutrition, all center staff, and consultants.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

1. Technical assistance:

• Content development and consultation
• Maintains content development expertise and disseminates such knowledge by providing ongoing quality assistance to staff.
• Develops and disseminates resources and best practices for the process of implementing quality improvement efforts.
• Promotes continuous quality improvement and quality assurance efforts for the agency.

2. Coaching and Mentoring:

• Facilitates peer-to-peer learning in both one-on-one or group settings in a joint process of capacity-building strategies.
• Provides skill development and mentoring to staff progressing in their position by performing on-the-job technical assistance and mentoring of specific skills.
• Facilitating the development, implementation, and coordination of internal support plans (action plans, behavior plans) with parents, teachers, and family service staff.
• Implementation and evaluation of skills and strategies
• Providing ongoing quality assistance to address children's challenging behaviors and sensory needs.
• Supports the professional development of all staff by delivering coaching and assistance as needed.

3. Quality Assurance: Evaluation and Assessment

• Conducts classroom observations to assess program needs and planning strategies for system/process improvement and/or development of early childhood education, disabilities, and mental health.
• Assesses the implementation of the agency's work plan to ensure the program/content goals and objectives are met.
• Providing guidance and support to staff with implementation of curriculum/individualization plans and ongoing assessments.

4. Team Work: Communication and Partnership

• Communicates effectively to build trust.
• Works cooperatively with department leadership team and peers, department consultants as well as external agencies to meet the needs of families and children served.
• Collaborate with Family Service Staff to coordinate child and/or family referrals.
• Provide support services for children's transition plan.

5. Committees/Planning

• ERSEA Committee
• Health and Safety Committee
• Delegate Agency Site Policy Committee (with FS Staff)
• Self-Assessment team

6. Recruitment/Enrollment (ERSEA)

• Oversight of ERSEA component, including eligibility verification of all Children prior to enrollment
• Ensure the center maintains full enrollment.
• Monitor ERSEA Activities
• Ensure cooperation of all social services available to enrolled families.

7. Parent Involvement

• Maintaining and helping staff maintain, good continuing relationships with parents, through informal contracts, planned conferences, and appropriately shared information about children's progress.
• Planning group meetings with parents and staff. With parents and staff develop and promote classroom committee meetings that are informative and that give parents opportunities to learn about and become advocates for their children's overall well-being i.e. not limited to educational development.
• With parents, teaching staff, and family service staff, develop strategies for meeting with feeder elementary schools to bring about follow-through, enriched kindergartens and first grade where appropriate.
• Facilitating the election, establishment, and continuation of a Delegate Agency Site Parent Committee (DASPC). Assisting in creating a mechanism for regular communication between the DAPC and DASPC.

8. Record-Keeping, Maintenance, and Monitoring

• Complete a Quarterly Monitoring report for the Admin. Director. Along with the Disabilities Coordinator, conduct initial observations on individual children referred for developmental, social, or emotional concerns.
• Ensure up-to-date maintenance of all department monitoring tools. Maintain oversight of the Child Plus system
• Maintain and monitor Teaching Strategies GOLD Online Assessment Ensure all children receive Behaviorally and Development
• Maintain a system to ensure all Corrective Action plans for the center are completed and approved by Dir. Of Childcare for timely submission

Skills and Knowledge Required

• Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education.
• New York State Teacher Certification in B-2.
• At a minimum, three years of classroom experience.
• Five years of experience in management is preferred.
• Strong leadership and training skills.
• Demonstrated experience in education, budgeting, and program development.
• Demonstrated experience with ACS rules and regulations, Child Care and Head Start
• regulations, the CACFP program, and the DOH permit process.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in Creative Curriculum.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Head Start Performance Standards/Article 47 and DOH Standards.
• Excellent organizational ability and interpersonal skills.
• Overall flexibility and ability to work under pressure and meet many deadlines.
• Excellent computer skills.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred, but not required.

Salary: $75,000