About the Position
Jumpstart Corps members have the unique opportunity to inspire young children to learn, serve in a local community, work on a team, and build professional skills.  All Corps members receive professional-caliber training to help them implement Jumpstart’s outcome-based program, promote children’s school success, and build family involvement.

Corps members have the following option for participation in Jumpstart:

Jumpstart School Year
Corps members complete 300 hours of service during the school year. This intensive commitment will make a substantial impact in the lives of young children. During the school year, Corps members serve part-time, 8-12 hours per week; communicate with children’s families and share strategies for supporting children’s learning; participate in intensive pre-service and on-going trainings; and attend periodic service days, often held on weekends.

Qualifications and Experience

Compensation and Benefits

 

About the Position
The team leader prepares a team of Corps members to provide educational activities to young children and families. Responsibilities include planning and implementing effective Jumpstart sessions, facilitating team meetings, working alongside classroom teachers to implement sessions and coaching Corps members to use developmentally appropriate practices with young children. The team leader plays a variety of roles, including coach, trainer, observer, and administrator, and is essential to making Jumpstart a high quality program. The Jumpstart team leader position is open to Jumpstart Corps members and alumni who have completed at least one year of service. In some cases, it is also open to undergraduate or graduate students who have early childhood education backgrounds and can serve in a team leader role.

Team leaders serve in Jumpstart:

• 300-hour term: serve part-time during the school year

Team Leader Responsibilities
School Success

• Lead planning, preparation of Jumpstart sessions 2 times per week
• Lead Jumpstart sessions 2 times per week
• Support Jumpstart’s ongoing assessment efforts
• Build strong relationships with preschool staff
• Ensure high-quality service delivered to children by Corps members
• Manage large group activities

Family Involvement

• Assist Corps members in developing strong relationships with children’s families
• Model appropriate interactions with children’s families
• Ensure that all Corps members communicate regularly with families and develop alternative means of communication (notes, newsletters, etc.) to support Corps members relationships’ with families
• Partner with preschool staff to support family involvement efforts

Future Teachers

• Support school year start-up, including Corps member recruitment and training
• Assist with various Corps member trainings, and facilitate ongoing reflection
• Participate in all Jumpstart Corps member training and additional team leader training

Communication and Administration

• Participate in weekly team leader meetings with site staff
• Facilitate a monthly meeting with classroom teachers
• Serve as communication link between site staff and Corps members
• Manage administrative tasks such as Corps member and child attendance and other documentation

Community Engagement

• Lead team during service days and other service events
• Represent Jumpstart at partner early childhood center and other community meetings

Time Commitment

• Serve 12-16 hours per week during the school year including:
• Jumpstart sessions with team, 4 hours per week (two times a week for two hours each)
• Team planning meetings, which include planning, reflection, and/or training, 3 hours per week (two times a week for an hour and a half each)
• 2-4 hours each week in a preschool classroom during the regular school day
• Weekly meetings with other team leaders and site staff
• 2-3 hours per week preparing materials for sessions and meetings
• Participate in intensive trainings, including September Leadership Institute (over a weekend)
• Attend periodic service days, often held on weekends

Qualifications and Experience
Team-building experience

• Ability to lead a team of diverse Corps members to effectively plan and implement Jumpstart sessions and various program elements
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to facilitate meetings and trainings
• Experience in a leadership role, preferably with college students
• Ability to form strong relationships with classroom teachers

Early childhood knowledge and practice

• Experience working in an early childhood setting and/or knowledge of early childhood development
• Ability to coach Corps members in working effectively with children and families

Commitment to service

• Community service experience
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds
• Ability to fulfill a yearlong community service commitment
• Enthusiastic and positive attitude toward helping others

Professionalism

• Dedication to Jumpstart’s mission and program areas
• Willingness to represent Jumpstart to outside groups
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds
• Maturity and good judgment in relating to Jumpstart peers, partners, and families
• Availability, dependability, and willingness to be flexible

Compensation and Benefits

• Potential to earn Work-Study award during term of service
• Potential to earn a stipend during term of service
• $1000 AmeriCorps education award upon completion of service term
• Extensive training in the field of early childhood education
• Unique opportunity to join a national network of individuals serving young children
• Invaluable opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young children