Instructional Coordinator - Directly Operated Programs

Description

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.

Under the direction of the Director of ECR Programs, the Instructional Coordinator – Directly Operated Site supports designated directly operated Early Learning Services site(s) by providing coaching, expertise, oversight, training, and leadership in the areas of education, child development, disabilities, and mental health services for all Easterseals Head Start/Early Head Start and Preschool for All programs at their assigned site(s).

The Instructional Coordinator develops, implements, and monitors systems for identifying children with suspected disabilities and social-emotional concerns. They ensure developmental screenings and referrals occur within required timelines and build collaborative relationships with Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and Early Intervention programs to ensure timely evaluation and service provision.

Working closely with Site Directors, Family and Health Services staff, and agency leadership, the Instructional Coordinator supports the recruitment, enrollment, and meaningful inclusion of children with disabilities and social-emotional needs at their designated site(s). The coordinator ensures integrated systems are in place so that children and families receive coordinated, trauma-informed, and strengths-based services aligned with Head Start and ISBE requirements.

This position is located at Easterseals Early Learning Center- Hickory Hills at 8020 W. 87th St., Hickory Hills, IL 60457. 

MAJOR FUNCTIONS/ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Instructional Leadership & Program Quality

• Providing coaching to classroom staff to ensure the delivery of hands-on coaching and training in lesson planning, curriculum implementation, and effective instructional strategies. Providing direct support when needed and partnering with the assigned coach to ensure aligned, consistent implementation across classrooms.
• Provide disability and social emotional training to staff, teachers, and parents in accordance with the Head Start Standards.
• Assist in program planning for social emotional and disability services based on analysis of child, program, and family outcomes.
• Provide guidance to staff on selecting, implementing, and interpreting IEPs, social emotional screenings, and assessment tools and findings.
• Participate in semi-annual CLASS assessments and support improvement planning.
• Provide strengths-based feedback through regular classroom observations.
• Support the full implementation of the Pyramid Model framework.
• Participate in program planning based on analysis of child and classroom data.
• Ensure a family-centered, strengths-based approach is implemented across classrooms.
• Facilitate collaboration between education, family services, and health teams to ensure integrated services.
• Directly supervise the Instructional Coach and Classroom Support Specialists at assigned directly operated center.

Child Development, Disabilities & Mental Health

• Maintain a regular presence in classrooms to ensure daily delivery of high-quality educational and inclusive practices, providing real-time feedback, modeling, and hands-on support to teachers and support staff.
• Conduct child observations and provide individualized feedback.
• Partner closely with the Center Director and Assistant Center Director to ensure educational, disability, and mental health systems are implemented effectively and consistently within the building.
• Work alongside staff to ensure compliance with Head Start disability requirements, including actively supporting strategies to maintain required disability enrollment percentages.
• Support teaching teams in ensuring:
• Completing developmental screenings within 45 days of enrollment.
• Making referrals for further evaluation promptly when concerns are identified.
• Implementing IEPs/IFSPs with fidelity in classroom routines and instruction.
• Meeting and documenting evaluation and eligibility timelines.
• Providing regular updates to center leadership regarding child progress, referrals, and service implementation.
• Deliver direct coaching and technical assistance to staff on selecting, implementing, and interpreting:
• IEPs and IFSPs
• Social-emotional screenings
• Assessment tools and child outcome data
• Work collaboratively with classroom teams to implement behavior review processes and develop meaningful, individualized behavior support plans that are practical and effective within daily routines.
• Ensure structures for supporting children with challenging behaviors are not only established but actively practiced with consistency, confidence, and skill.
• Coordinate mental health supports in collaboration with Child Service and Family Services team members, ensuring classroom strategies are reinforced and understood by staff.
• Provide trauma-informed guidance, modeling, coaching, and training to staff and families in both large and small group settings.
• Partner with Family Health Advocates and center leadership to support families experiencing crisis by providing trauma-informed resources, education, and referrals (non-clinical support).
• Facilitate disability and social-emotional professional development for staff to strengthen inclusive practices and deepen understanding of child development and behavior support.

Data, Systems & Compliance

• Implement a system to ensure that all education and disabilities information is entered into Child Plus and Teaching Strategies GOLD in a timely manner, including developmental screenings, referrals, disability status, home visits, parent-teacher conferences, observations, and assessments.
• Prepare monthly reports with updates about PIR information and information tracked for education and disabilities.
• Complete the annual PIR as part of the leadership team.
• Facilitate and/or participate in regularly scheduled content area, team, director, and other meetings.
• Complete the annual PIR as part of the leadership team.
• Participate in:
• o Self-assessment
• o Community needs assessment
• o Strategic planning
• o Monthly leadership data reviews
• Utilize a data-driven, tiered system for allocating mental health and social-emotional supports at the assigned center.

Human Resources & Professional Development

• Implement reflective, relationship-based supervision practices.
• Support supervisees in their professional development plans based on classroom observations and data.
• Provide ongoing coaching and technical assistance.
• Lead disabilities and social-emotional professional development for instructional staff.
• Support teachers in inclusive and trauma-informed practices.

 Travel

• Travel as required to Easterseals locations as needed.

Requirements

Education/Certification:

• Bachelor's degree in one of the following:
• Early childhood education
• Child development
• Special Education
• Related field with at least 30 semester credit hours in ECE required

Experience Requirements:

• At least 3 years of early childhood classroom experience
• At least 3 years of experience working with children with disabilities and/or behavioral concerns.
• Minimum 2 years of administrative, supervisory, or coaching experience.
• Experience in Head Start/Early Head Start.
• Knowledge trauma-informed care.

Required Knowledge:

• Obtain certification as a CLASS-reliable observer within 1 year.
• Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies GOLD.
• Head Start Performance Standards.
• ECERS/ITERS knowledge preferred.
• Understanding of NAEYC standards.

Vehicle/Transportation Requirements:

• Valid driver’s license
• Auto insurance
• Reliable vehicle

Skills/Abilities:

•  Able to work effectively with all levels of the organization, partner sites, other agencies, and funding source personnel.
• Strong ability to conceptualize and articulate program outcomes.
• Ability to manage multiple projects.
• Technologically adept – comfort, familiarity, and ability to proficiently use variety of computer applications. Intermediate-level knowledge of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Teams, Outlook, Excel, and Canva. Ability to use internet browsers and video conferencing.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented and accuracy-driven.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and supervisory skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 

ADA: Easterseals will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act of 1990. Unless exempted by the Americans with Disabilities Act, all persons hired for this position are required to possess the ability to perform the physical tasks necessary to treat clients, i.e., bending, floor-sitting, etc., as well as to have the ability to lift up to 50 pounds frequently.

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