SUSAN TEFFT
Early Childhood Education Specialist
Shoreline,WA
Summary
Diligent Childcare Director with 24 years of experience directing enrichment activities, curriculum and caring for children in licensed childcare facility. Oversees staff and operations to meet Washington state licensing standards and contract requirements resulting in successful inspections and monitoring reviews. Cultivates safe and nurturing environment for children while maintaining profitability and business growth.
Overview
8
8
Certifications
2
2
years of post-secondary education
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Education Site Manager
Edmonds College/ Head Start And Early Head Start
Everett, WA
07.2019 - Current
- Complied with safe operating practices and assessed operational procedures against best practices.
- Oversaw employee attendance record, handled payroll and ordered new materials for sites.
- Established employee work schedules to properly staff 14 positions.
- Kept sites compliant with OSHA, federal, state and local regulations to prevent unnecessary delays.
- Delegated assignments based on plans, project needs and knowledge of individual team members.
- Resolved issues between employees and customers using company policies.
- Attended weekly meetings with Regional Manager to discuss safety procedures, compliance issues and facility maintenance.
- Organized and facilitated monthly parent support group meetings.
- Addressed behavioral and learning issues with parents and daycare management.
- Observed children to identify individuals in need of additional support and developed strategies to improve assistance.
- Maintained inclusive learning environment to enable students to gain maximum benefit from lessons.
- Documented student behaviors, interventions and outcomes to enable lead teacher to address pertinent issues.
- Prepared instructional materials for group and one-on-one use to comply with established curriculum.
Lead Teacher/Preschool Director
Creative Kids Seattle, Seattle Preschool Program
01.2015 - 01.2018
- I create and utilize lesson plans, based on Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP), High Scope, Teaching Strategies Gold and ECERS-3, which reflect parental/cultural influences, and promotes the children’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.
- I establish daily and weekly goals, which promote individual and group educational plans and include parental involvement.
- I share information regarding child progress with team members.
- I assist other classroom staff in providing a variety of ways to ensure frequent and consistent contacts with families, such as newsletters, telephone contacts and face to face conversations as well as conduct quarterly parent teacher conferences.
- I maintain accurate written records; including but not limited to: assessments, screening instruments, and anecdotal observations and portfolios.
- I Assess individual child and group needs, and make appropriate referrals as well as supervise 13 staff members; providing scheduling, maintaining teacher child ratios, MERIT record maintenance, meeting and exceeding licensing and Early Achievers standards, and teacher trainings.
Head Start/ GSRP Lead Teacher
Community Action Agency
01.2011 - 01.2015
- I created and utilized lesson plans, based on Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP), Creative Curriculum Gold and HSPPS, which reflect parental/cultural influences, and promotes the children’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.
- I am familiar with and adhere to the Head Start Program Performance Standards, State of Michigan licensing requirements, Education and Children’s Services (ECS) policies and procedures and agency personnel policies and procedures.
- I maintain an open, friendly, professional relationship with all staff and families, to include respect for culture, diversity and ethnicity; assisting families as needed to ensure quality and comprehensive services.
- Maintaining confidentiality at all times.
- I provided one-on-one assistance to help individual classroom staff on training needs, and took a leadership role in delegating classroom responsibilities.
Special Education Assistant Teacher
Centreville Public Schools
01.2009 - 01.2011
- I was responsible for Interacting with and instructing children with varying abilities in a way that provided them with dignity and respect.
- I worked with children ages 4 -10 teaching them reading, asking them open-ended questions, listening carefully to their answers, and being aware of non-verbal cues and understanding each child’s individual communication style.
- I was responsible for sharing information and assisting other classroom staff in maintaining accurate written records; including anecdotal observations and records on each child.
Superintendents Secretary
White Pigeon Community Schools
01.2005 - 01.2007
- As the Superintendents Secretary I provided administrative-level support services and handled multiple tasks simultaneously.
- I worked independently to manage my job responsibilities.
- I worked to advance the district’s professional image and maintained open/effective communications with administrators, staff, the school board and the public.
- I used multiple problem-solving techniques to tactfully address and resolve questions/concerns.
- I prepared all of the computer documents that were necessary for elections, school board meetings, special meetings and the superintendent to perform his duties effectively.
- I processed enrollment applications, school of choice documents and made updates to board policy and administrative procedure manuals.
- I prepared the annual report and district calendars as well as federal and state reports as directed.
- I greeted and assisted office visitors and answered and directed all incoming phone calls.
- I had to help prepare and distribute bid packages and prepare materials for public votes.
- I am Proficient in office protocols, data entry, spelling, proofreading, and the correct use of grammar; as well as accurate with my ability to compute and record mathematical data.
- I gave careful attention to details and effective customer-service.
Local Branch of Service Representative
Branch, St.Joseph, Hillsdale Community Health Agency, LBS Rep. Children’s Special Health Care
01.2003 - 01.2005
- I would assist families with coordinating coverage’s and making referrals for specialty services, based on their child's special health problems.
- I assisted the LBS Nurse with providing family-centered services to support caregivers in the role of primary caretaker of their special needs child/children by: providing community-based services to help them care for their child at home and maintain normal routines.
- I provided culturally competent services that demonstrated an awareness of cultural differences and maintained records of services received as required by the State of Michigan.
Director and Michigan School Readiness Preschool Teacher
Community Child Care Center
01.1997 - 01.2003
- I was responsible for Monitoring and evaluating the programs and general operations of the Agency’s grants and staff for ongoing efficiencies and effectiveness.
- I had to ensure compliance with funding source requirements and other applicable federal, state or local licensing laws.
- I created and utilized lesson plans that were based on Developmentally Appropriate Practice and Michigan School Readiness guidelines.
- I maintained an open, friendly, professional relationship with all staff, a board of directors and families.
- I directly supervised 8 staff in an accredited licensed facility for 128 children ages 0-12.
Case Aide
Department of Human Services
01.1993 - 01.1999
- I assisted in the prevention efforts of Social Workers to keep children from entering the foster care system by providing families with parenting education and resources to avoid removal of children from their home.
- I helped families locate resources for adequate housing, food, clothing and other basic needs.
- In the case of removal from the home or termination of parental rights I provided foster care visitation supervision and transportation.
Education
MA ECE - Admin. Management and Leadership
Walden University
BA ECE SPED – Bachelors - Early Childhood Education, Special Education
Kendall College
Assoc - General Studies
Glen Oaks Community College
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Sturgis High School
Ph.D. - Early Childhood Education
Walden University
Minneapolis, MN 01.2019 - Current
Skills
Early Childhood Education
Staff Training
Curriculum planning
Policy Development
Education staffing
Collaboration
Compassion
Clerical
Reading comprehension
Planning and Coordination
Conflict resolution
First Aid and CPR
Operations management
Project Management
Teacher Trainer
Certification
Healthy Families Certified
Affiliations
National Association of the Education of Young Children
St. Joseph County Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Council
Accomplishments
- Used Microsoft Excel to develop inventory tracking spreadsheets.
- Supervised team of 14 staff members at multiple sites.
- Collaborated with team of 6 in the development of Head Start Policy and Procedure Manuel.
- Collaborated with Grants and Compliance Manger to do the Community Needs Assessment for St.Joseph, Branch, and Hillsdale County in Michigan.
- Executive Director for Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Council, St. Joseph and Branch County Michigan
- Licensed Foster Parent
- Parent Educator for Foster Care Licensing
- Certified Trainer for Washington Merit
- CDA Observation Specialist
- First Aid and CPR Certified
Timeline
Education Site Manager
Edmonds College/ Head Start And Early Head Start
07.2019 - Current
Ph.D. - Early Childhood Education
Walden University
01.2019 - Current
Lead Teacher/Preschool Director
Creative Kids Seattle, Seattle Preschool Program
01.2015 - 01.2018
Head Start/ GSRP Lead Teacher
Community Action Agency
01.2011 - 01.2015
Special Education Assistant Teacher
Centreville Public Schools
01.2009 - 01.2011
Superintendents Secretary
White Pigeon Community Schools
01.2005 - 01.2007
Local Branch of Service Representative
Branch, St.Joseph, Hillsdale Community Health Agency, LBS Rep. Children’s Special Health Care
01.2003 - 01.2005
Director and Michigan School Readiness Preschool Teacher
Community Child Care Center
01.1997 - 01.2003
Case Aide
Department of Human Services
01.1993 - 01.1999
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Sturgis High School
Assoc - General Studies
Glen Oaks Community College
BA ECE SPED – Bachelors - Early Childhood Education, Special Education
Kendall College
MA ECE - Admin. Management and Leadership
Walden University