Candice Montoya
Thornton,Co
Summary
Dedicated and responsive mentor with adaptive teaching methods, behavior modification strategies, and individualized support. Strong focus on team collaboration and achieving results. Extensive experience in curriculum development and teacher mentoring for leadership roles in academic settings. Valued for integrity and professionalism. Skilled in instructional design and conflict resolution. Adds value to any organization by fostering collaboration and innovative learning. Goal is to maintain a growth mindset and inspire a love of learning.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Teacher Team Leader
Wild Plum Early Learning Center (Head Start)
12.2023 - Current
- Collaborated with colleagues to create interdisciplinary learning experiences, fostering a holistic educational environment.
- Served as a mentor for new teachers, providing guidance on effective classroom management strategies and instructional practices.
- Assisted in the organization of extracurricular activities that enriched students'' overall educational experience and promoted healthy lifestyles.
- Developed tailored lesson plans for diverse learners, ensuring individual growth and improved academic outcomes.
- Analyzed student data to identify areas of improvement, implementing targeted interventions to boost achievement levels.
- Enhanced student comprehension by implementing innovative teaching methods and techniques.
- Managed resources effectively, ensuring all students had access to necessary materials for success in the classroom.
- Participated in ongoing professional learning opportunities to stay current with educational trends and research-based practices.
- Worked with staff members and teachers to design comprehensive and individualized plans to optimize student education.
- Scheduled conferences with parents to discuss students' progress and classroom behavior.
Familytime Facilitator- contract
Griffith Centers
08.2023 - 10.2023
- Facilitating Visitation: To facilitate visitation between parents and children
- This involves supervising visits and ensuring a safe and supportive environment for family interactions
- Be present during these visits, providing guidance and modeling positive behavior
- Assist with behavior management and redirecting when necessary
- Parenting Skills Education: Offer psychoeducation to parents, helping them enhance their parenting skills
- Topics may include effective communication, setting boundaries, and promoting healthy family dynamics
- Life Skills Assistance: Support families in practical matters such as accessing services (e.g., Medicaid, SNAP, housing)
- Provide guidance on life skills, including budgeting, nutrition, and other essential aspects of daily living
- Documentation and Supervision: Timely completion of documentation related to client interactions
- Attend clinical supervision sessions to ensure client safety and progress
Infant Nursery Supervisor/ Education Coach/ Preschool Teacher
Treehouse Learning
05.2022 - 09.2023
- INS: Lead infant classrooms in developmentally appropriate practices, curriculum implementation, rules and regulations
- Supervise 6 education staff, coach, mentor and model best practice, infant care and best practice
- Provide feedback
- Responsible for all development forms, classroom paperwork, monthly/weekly reports, developmental checklist, all infant classroom operations
- Provide care, based on the individual needs of each child
- Maintain interpersonal relationships with parents and staff
- Consistent communication with staff and parents
- Education Coach: Working with department directors to ensure quality standards are implemented for children in the classroom
- Utilizing the curriculum rubric to identify areas of focus for each educator
- Implementing a Transformational Coaching perspective, introspect and intrinsic motivation to bring the best of the educator
- Working with individual teachers to set achievable goals, based on observation and measurable data
- Coaching through structures that document success and areas of work for each teacher
- This includes regular feedback, individual coaching techniques, facilitating professional development, and training/workshops for educators
- Ongoing learning, supporting teachers to provide a high quality early learning experience with a hands-on approach
- Preschool teacher: Developing and implementing age-appropriate and engaging lesson plans
- Establishing a safe and nurturing learning environment
- Supervising and monitoring the safety of children at all times
- Encouraging children to explore and learn through play
- Assisting with toileting, diapering, and other basic needs
- Communicating with parents and guardians about their child's progress
- Employing a variety of educational techniques, such as storytelling, educational play, media, etc
- Observing each child to help them improve their social competencies and build self-esteem
Parent/Youth Coach/ Behavior specialist
Cornerstone Programs Community Counseling Services
02.2022 - 05.2022
- Adapted instructional techniques to appropriate ages and skill levels of supervised students
- Evaluating students needs to provide helpful resources and support
- Demonstrated appropriate behaviors using behavior modeling and positive reinforcement techniques
- Collaborated with other educational personnel to provide inclusive activities or programs for children with disabilities
- Organized and prepared instructional materials, communication and reports to facilitate student learning
- Followed strict policies and procedures to maintain client confidentiality and keep data private
- Liaised between individuals, families and service providers to best manage treatment services
- Delivered high quality case management and therapy to children diagnosed with mental, behavioral, or emotional disorders
- Supported and directed families navigating the court system and obtaining needed treatment from local agencies
- Developed an individualized course of treatment for each client, consistently meeting mental health needs
- Monitored and documented status updates on health and well being of each child under care or assessment
- Assessed cases for instances of abuse and neglect and took appropriate action
- Met with clients to conduct needs assessments, recommending appropriate support and service offerings
- Analyzed behaviors and planned treatments, implementing coping skills techniques and optimizing case management for 10-13 clients
- Coordinated between various entities to manage cases
- Developed safety plans and activities for children
- Conducted intake interviews and bio-psycho-social assessments to determine clients' eligibility and suitability for the program
- Contributed to court proceedings by providing expert testimony and making recommendations for permanency planning
- Offered emergency response, family support and case management to meet individual child objectives
- Maintained updated progress notes and case record and documented children's progress in recreational activities, treatment plans and education
Preschool Lead Teacher
Adams County Head Start
07.2016 - 02.2022
- Develop, prepare, and implement daily, weekly and monthly instructional activities, considering the needs and ability of children in my care
- Participate in curriculum design and application
- Provide instruction to children involved in various classroom activities including educational programs to develop children's growth in socio-emotional, psychomotor, cognitive/language, health and personal hygiene skills, using DAP activities and best practices
- Observe, record, and evaluate each child's activity, performance, behavior and development; develop and modify individual education plans; identify and convey individual child behavior problems
- Adapt and individualize programs to meet the needs of each child; coordinate with consultants and attend IEP staffing
- Support ethnic/racial/cultural diversity in students
- Implement the nutrition program in the classroom
- Attend staff meetings, workshops, formal classes, and in-service training classes to continually advance teaching skills and knowledge
- Screen children in all areas of development (language, hearing, vision, and diagnostic screenings)
- Meet the individual needs of all children in the Head Start Program
- Attend and participate in staff meetings and program events as requested
- Ensure that the appearance, cleanliness, and safe environment of the classroom is appropriately maintained
- Direct the activities of other staff in the classroom to ensure the classroom functions in an orderly manner, including completion and monitoring of daily health & safety checklists
- Physically arrange the classroom into well-defined interest centers
- Schedule and conduct home visits and parent/teacher conferences with families
- Prepare various reports and performance appraisals for Assistant Teachers and Classroom Aides
- Maintain on-going contact with parents; encourage and promote parent involvement; work with parents in developing an understanding of their role as primary educator of their children; encourage parents in the reinforcement and transfer of concepts and behaviors from the school to the home setting; schedule and participate in parent conferences; visit parents; prepare home activities for parents and children
- Work with parents and local school districts to ensure a smooth transition from Head Start to public school
- Recruit volunteer parents to assist in the classroom
- Organize and direct field trips
- Attend parent meetings as required
- Assist in all forms of communication with parents
- Maintain parent board and other bulletin boards
- Ensure that all classroom/outdoor equipment is in good working condition and is used/maintained properly
- Ensure the accuracy and completion of daily health checks on all children
- Ensure the accuracy and completion of Health and Safety Checklists
- Ensure the accuracy and completion of Record of Meals, meeting SOP timelines
- Assist children with a family style mealtime and clean up, nurturing social/emotional and self-help development
- Accept temporary work assignments within Adams County in the event regularly scheduled personnel are not available
- Perform other related duties and responsibilities as required
- Work with families to support individual needs of children
- Collaborate with child find team to best support all needs of children on IEPs
Preschool Lead Teacher
RMSER Denver Head Start
03.2014 - 06.2016
Preschool Lead Teacher
Clayton Early Learning Center
10.2013 - 03.2014
TA/ Lead Teacher
Jefferson County Head Start
08.2009 - 10.2013
Education
Large Center Directors Cert. -
Masters of Arts Early Childhood Education - Early Childhood Studies
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, CO01-2027
Bachelor of Arts - Human Development And Education
Education And Human Development
01-2018
Associates Degree - Early Childhood Care And Education
Emphasis in ECE
01-2012
Skills
- Tutoring
- Counseling
- Behavior Modification
- Differentiated Instruction
- Parent/Teacher Collaboration
- Classroom Management
- Staff Coaching
- Creativity
- Flexibility
- Critical Thinking
- Instructional leadership
- Teaching strategies
- Literacy development
- Special education
- Critical thinking
- Verbal and written communication
- Relationship building
- Public speaking
- Small group instruction
- Curriculum implementation
- Differentiated instruction
- Student assessment
- ESL- english as second language
Accomplishments
- CU School Of Human Development 2018 Graduate of the Year
- Adams County Head Start- A Love For Teaching: Candice Montoya
- 2018- Adams County Employee of the Season
- 2019- Nominated for Adams County Employee Of All Season
Certification
- Preschool Curriculum & Assessment Credential– Offered by professional development organizations focusing on curriculum development and assessment strategies.
- Director's Credential – Aimed at those looking to run preschools, issued by various state agencies and educational organizations.
- First Aid Certification
- CPR Certification
- Initial Coaching Certificate- PDIS
- Level 6 credential
2018 Employee of the season- Adams County Head Start
After graduation I was nominated by my then supervisor Michael Hagar for Employee of the Season- Winter for my work with children while employed with Adams County Head Start.
Languages
English
Full Professional
Timeline
Teacher Team Leader
Wild Plum Early Learning Center (Head Start)
12.2023 - Current
Familytime Facilitator- contract
Griffith Centers
08.2023 - 10.2023
Infant Nursery Supervisor/ Education Coach/ Preschool Teacher
Treehouse Learning
05.2022 - 09.2023
Parent/Youth Coach/ Behavior specialist
Cornerstone Programs Community Counseling Services
02.2022 - 05.2022
Preschool Lead Teacher
Adams County Head Start
07.2016 - 02.2022
Preschool Lead Teacher
RMSER Denver Head Start
03.2014 - 06.2016
Preschool Lead Teacher
Clayton Early Learning Center
10.2013 - 03.2014
TA/ Lead Teacher
Jefferson County Head Start
08.2009 - 10.2013
Large Center Directors Cert. -
Masters of Arts Early Childhood Education - Early Childhood Studies
University of Colorado Denver
Bachelor of Arts - Human Development And Education
Education And Human Development
Associates Degree - Early Childhood Care And Education
Emphasis in ECE
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