Substitute Aide / Assistant Teacher (16-29 Hours/Week)

Status: Per diem, as needed

Location: Floating across four Early Childhood Education sites in SW and NW Portland

Hours: A minimum of 16 hours per week availability is required, with a maximum of 29 hours per week (program hours are Monday \- Friday, 8:00 AM \- 4:30 PM)

\This position is not benefits eligible.\

About Neighborhood House

Neighborhood House is a non\-profit agency providing social services for children, families, seniors, and people experiencing food and housing insecurity. We have been engaging in anti\-poverty work for 120 years, offering a safety net to ensure that our community has the support they need to thrive.

Our Head Start Program

Neighborhood House’s Head Start program provides an opportunity for participants to learn, grow, and thrive in an environment that emphasizes parents as primary teachers, a co\-operative environment between families, teachers, family advocates, home visitors, and other staff, connection to community resources, and learning through child\-led play. Our program is designed to meet the needs of and to provide school readiness skills to all eligible children, including those with special needs and disabilities, so our community’s children and families are stronger for life.

Purpose of this Role

The Substitute Teacher supports the mission of Neighborhood House’s Early Childhood and Head Start programs, providing high\-quality, developmentally appropriate care and education for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years.

This position serves as a flexible classroom support, filling in for classroom staff as needed at any of Neighborhood House’s four licensed sites, housing 13 classrooms, across West Portland Multnomah County.

Substitutes may be called on short notice to provide coverage for staff absences, ensuring continuity of care and compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards and Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) Child Care Licensing Regulations. While hours are not guaranteed, substitutes must maintain availability for at least two (2\) days per week, including the ability to work up to 8 hours per day when called in.

Primary Responsibilities

Responsibilities are as follows:

• Support and maintain a positive, inclusive, and safe classroom environment that aligns with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) strategies and Head Start Performance Standards.
• Follow established lesson plans, routines, and transitions created by the classroom teaching team.
• Engage actively with children through play, conversation, and intentional learning experiences that foster curiosity, problem\-solving, and social emotional growth.
• Ensure the safety and well\-being of all children by maintaining active supervision and adhering to all agency health and safety procedures.
• Assist with daily routines including mealtime support, cleanup, rest time, diapering, and toileting following Oregon licensing standards and Head Start health policies.
• Support documentation of attendance, meal counts, and other daily classroom records as directed by assigned classroom staff or Site Supervisor.
• Maintain classroom materials and support a clean, organized, and welcoming learning environment.
• Support curriculum implementation consistent with Creative Curriculum and Head Start Performance Standards under direction from regular classroom staff.
• Foster meaningful interactions with children that promote language development, emotional regulation, and early learning outcomes.

Required Qualifications:

• Child Development Associate Credential (CDA), Preschool or Infant/Toddler or an Early Childhood Education Certificate, or Equivalent qualifications placing candidates at Step 7 or higher on the Oregon Registry (ORO)
• Minimum 1 year of experience teaching children 0\-5 in an early childhood setting
• At the time of hire,
must be enrolled in the Oregon Child Care Division Central Background Registry (CBR) and maintain active enrollment during employment
• Obtain within 30 days of employment: Adult and Pediatric CPR \& First Aid Certification and Food Handlers Card (paid by the organization)
• Successful completion of pre\-employment physical exam and TB test prior to start date
• Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Access to reliable transportation
• This position requires the ability to bend, stoop, twist, reach, run, kneel, crouch, walk, stand, and sit on the floor, as well as lift up to 50 pounds.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working directly with parents.