FRAMINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS

OFFICE OF EQUITY, BELONGING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Early Childhood Alliance of Framingham

ParentChild+ Home Program

TITLE:

Early Learning Specialist

0.55 FTE - Up to 19.50 hours per week

2024-2025 School Year

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Early Childhood Alliance of Framingham (ECAF) is a department of the Framingham Public Schools, partially funded through the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Coordinated Family and Community Engagement grant program and administrated through the Framingham Public Schools. The ECAF implements the ParentChild+ Home Visitation Program, a nationally recognized, innovative home-based early literacy, family education, and school readiness program honoring the parent as the child's first and most important teacher and advocate. In addition, the program offers signature parent-child groups that prepare families with young children for school success by increasing language and literacy skills and enhancing social-emotional development. Must have strong communication skills with a strength-based mindset as well as general office and technology skills. 

OUR MISSION:

Framingham Public Schools is committed to excellence for all students. Our mission statement guides our work: Through a comprehensive education, we aim to create and empower free-thinking, responsible citizens who can participate equally in our rich and diverse community. FPS and the community stand united in our core values: Providing a safe, inclusive, culturally responsive teaching and learning environment; Engaging antiracist and responsible civic advocates; Respecting diversity of thought, learners, cultures, and community; Fostering learning and healthy growth of all students and staff; Ensuring every school will be an active, participatory, equitable community.

Diversity among teachers undoubtedly advances the academic achievement of students. Compliance obligations establish a baseline which we seek to exceed. As a district, Framingham Public Schools is committed to achieving, developing, and maintaining a workforce reflective of the rich racial, linguistic, and cultural diversity of our students. Framingham Public Schools aims to teach our children, and ourselves, to be culturally proficient and inclusive in order to live, learn, and work together in a vibrant and diverse world.  

Indeed, Framingham Public Schools is committed to inspiring our school community to be accepting and willing to learn from individuals with differing backgrounds. Our goal is to reflect the diverse community we serve and create a great place to work for everyone by embracing the individual skills, perspectives, and experiences our people bring to the workplace and harnessing these for high performance and improved service delivery. We want our employees to feel included, valued, and respected and have access to equal opportunity, which supports full participation at work. Framingham Public Schools seeks to retain the diverse talent in our workforce and support our people to maintain a long and productive working career.

Framingham Public Schools is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment and strongly encourages applications from persons with disabilities and who identify as members of historically underrepresented groups.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

Early childhood education, family support and education, outreach, social work, preferred.

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

Background in early education, sociology, psychology, health care, or community service preferred. Experience in coaching, group facilitation, family education, and support, working with families of young children (in-home or group setting). Must have a valid Driver's License and access to a car. 16 + hours of paid training will be provided. Bilingual Portuguese or Spanish Speaker preferred.

Framingham Public Schools seeks candidates whose background, teaching, or service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of education. Also, we are interested in candidates who will bring to their professional practice the perspective that comes from a non-traditional educational background or an understanding of the experiences of those underrepresented in the educational field. Experience working with children in child-care required. Experience in mentoring, working with families of young children (in home or group setting) preferred. Must have a valid Driver's License and access to a car. Paid training will be provided.

SKILLS AND ABILITY:

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.

Ability to read and comprehend documents such as memos, safety rules, and procedure manuals; to express ideas clearly in written and oral communication; to work as a team member; to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, parents, staff and the community; to embrace a proactive and solution-focused approach to meeting student needs; to work with students of diverse backgrounds with diverse needs in an equitable and inclusive manner; and to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and School Committee policies.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as an illustration of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and is subject to change by the employer, as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.

• Facilitate parent-child groups Conduct bi-weekly thirty (30) minute home visits to young children and their families
• Develop curriculum plans as appropriate for parent-child groups
• Plan age-appropriate activities to stimulate learning and encourage parent-child interactions
• Collaborate and model as appropriate for parents ways to read and play with their child
• Respect the role of the parent as their child’s first and most important teacher
• Communicate with families in their native language
• Administer the Ages and Stages Questionnaire and other assessments
• Participate in program outreach, recruitment, enrollment, and attendance efforts
• Recordkeeping/data collection
• Participate in weekly staff meetings/training with supervisor Work independently as well as on a team
• Provide translation and interpretation Maintain confidential information Ability to translate program materials
• Ability to conduct home visits in person and/or virtually in English, Spanish, or Portuguese
• Ability to provide concise and timely documentation, plan curriculum, write reports in English after each visit and/or group

 CONDITIONS:

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. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to move about to provide services and may be required to occasionally traverse throughout the school Page 3 of 4 building. The other time is primarily sedentary, performed in an office setting. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, talk, and hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands; fingers; to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; and to stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl. The employee is occasionally required to sit and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include peripheral vision and close vision such as reading the typewritten material. The physical demands and 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. This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and is subject to change by the employer, as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.

REPORTS TO:  

ECAF /ParentChild+ Coordinator

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

None.

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA) CLASSIFICATION:

This position is classified as Non-Exempt (Hourly). Days and hours are flexible and the program follows the school calendar year.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Covered under Framingham Framingham School Committee.

Framingham Public Schools provides equal employment. opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Framingham Public Schools complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the District has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Framingham Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, ancestry, marital status, or veteran status.

Rev. 2023