Early Learning Essentials
POSITION SUMMARY:
Assists the cook provide meal services for Head Start children, classroom staff, and volunteers
following the requirements specified in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP),
Head Start Performance standards, ELE policies and Procedures, local Health Departments
regulations and ensures services support the agency's school readiness plan. Also packages and
transports meals to assigned delivery sites.
Promotes the health, nutrition, and education needs of the children and attends to their safety and
welfare. Ensures the compliance of all regulatory standards in the preparation, storage, and
clean up of meals provided to/by Early Learning Essentials. This position is not eligible for
telecommuting as it is front-line work in nature working face-to-face with children and families.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Under the direction of the Head Cook, uses cycle menus for breakfast, lunches and
snacks. Ensures that menus served are in compliance with CACFP and Head Start
guidelines, insuring specific nutritional needs of children are met and that costs are
kept within budgetary limitations.
nutrition program to meet Head Start goals:
7. Responds to and follows up on Health Department Inspections and internal kitchen site
visits.
8. Demonstrates understanding of child abuse/neglect laws. Reports suspected child abuse
to the Family & Community Services Director.
9. Collaborates with other service areas to ensure seamless services to children and families
and ensures we are staying true to our mission and vision. Attends and participates in
staff and parent training sessions, as directed, i.e. pre-service, orientations, correlation
meetings, in-service training meetings and other agency activities asrequired.
10. Supports the achievement of in-kind goals by actively participating in the solicitation of
in-kind services and donations to the Head Start program including, but not limited to,
encouraging community members and organizational contacts to volunteer, provide
donations of professional services, supplies, and anything else needed to support the
Head Start program.
11. Expected to provide temporary assistance in the classrooms to meet minimum child
to staff ratios, or to ensure the safety of children, in the absence of sufficient
Education and Child Development Service Area staff. Staff from any service area
working or present at a center when the need arises will be called upon first, with
Administrative Office staff being utilized if insufficient staff is present on site.
12. Expected to assist the agency in maintaining safe and healthy environments for
children and staff by immediately reporting health and safety risks/concerns or
potential concerns to a leadership staff member and/or via our internal work order
system and follow up with appropriate staff in a timely or appropriate manner.
13. Other job-related duties as assigned may be necessary to carry out the responsibilities of
this position.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Assists the cook provide meal services for Head Start children, classroom staff, and volunteers
following the requirements specified in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP),
Head Start Performance standards, ELE policies and Procedures, local Health Departments
regulations and ensures services support the agency's school readiness plan. Also packages and
transports meals to assigned delivery sites.
Promotes the health, nutrition, and education needs of the children and attends to their safety and
welfare. Ensures the compliance of all regulatory standards in the preparation, storage, and
clean up of meals provided to/by Early Learning Essentials. This position is not eligible for
telecommuting as it is front-line work in nature working face-to-face with children and families.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Under the direction of the Head Cook, uses cycle menus for breakfast, lunches and
snacks. Ensures that menus served are in compliance with CACFP and Head Start
guidelines, insuring specific nutritional needs of children are met and that costs are
kept within budgetary limitations.
- Completes planned Meal Production sheets and compiles shopping list.
- Shops for lunch and snack foods, supplies and nutrition experiences on a weekly basis
and/or receives food deliveries. - Limits shopping for the purchase of foods necessary to prepare planned meals and
nutrition experiences to Friday's and/or before or after preparation and clean-up
times. - Prepares quantity of food to meet CACFP and Head Start standards.
- Prepare special meals following special meal plans for children that require
modifications and/or substitutions. - Makes food substitutions when needed following the CACFP meal pattern.
- Prepares meals according to the center schedule that has been determined by the
Teacher.
nutrition program to meet Head Start goals:
- Posts menus and advises staff of proposed changes.
- Prepares, delivers and picks up food carts from kitchen to Head Start classroom, as
needed. - Ensures meals are prepared and placed in appropriate serving containers to facilitate
serving meals family-style. - Assists in classroom snack and lunch procedures according to the predetermined class
schedule and as needed. - Supplies food related to nutrition experiences in the classroom; participates upon
request of teaching staff, in learning experiences for children related to nutrition - Occasionally eat meals with the children, assuring eating times are a positive learning
and social experience for the children and food is never used as a punishment or a
reward. - Prepares and packs meals for curriculum extender trips as necessary.
- Recruits and trains parent volunteers and substitutes for kitchen duties.
- Encourage parent input in recipes and menus when they visit the classroom.
- Submits food orders to the Nutrition Services Coordinator for approval every two
weeks. - Maintains daily records of number of meals served to children and adults, the CACFP
menu production worksheets both planned and actual, and cycle menus. - Maintains copies of special meals plans and documentation of food substitutions
made. - Keep all records pertinent to the Child and Adult Care Food Program, signs bills and
submits paperwork to the Nutrition Services Coordinator on the last day of the month.
- Prepares and store foods in a sanitary manner to meet all health codes.
- Washes and stores all dishes using proper sanitation procedures.
- On a daily basis, cleans and sanitizes the kitchen, stoves, carts, and work surfaces to
meet all requirements of the Health Code. - Once a week, cleans out refrigerator units.
- Demonstrates sanitary practices in relation to preparation of food and personal
hygiene.
7. Responds to and follows up on Health Department Inspections and internal kitchen site
visits.
8. Demonstrates understanding of child abuse/neglect laws. Reports suspected child abuse
to the Family & Community Services Director.
9. Collaborates with other service areas to ensure seamless services to children and families
and ensures we are staying true to our mission and vision. Attends and participates in
staff and parent training sessions, as directed, i.e. pre-service, orientations, correlation
meetings, in-service training meetings and other agency activities asrequired.
10. Supports the achievement of in-kind goals by actively participating in the solicitation of
in-kind services and donations to the Head Start program including, but not limited to,
encouraging community members and organizational contacts to volunteer, provide
donations of professional services, supplies, and anything else needed to support the
Head Start program.
11. Expected to provide temporary assistance in the classrooms to meet minimum child
to staff ratios, or to ensure the safety of children, in the absence of sufficient
Education and Child Development Service Area staff. Staff from any service area
working or present at a center when the need arises will be called upon first, with
Administrative Office staff being utilized if insufficient staff is present on site.
12. Expected to assist the agency in maintaining safe and healthy environments for
children and staff by immediately reporting health and safety risks/concerns or
potential concerns to a leadership staff member and/or via our internal work order
system and follow up with appropriate staff in a timely or appropriate manner.
13. Other job-related duties as assigned may be necessary to carry out the responsibilities of
this position.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Must have a High School Diploma or GED or be willing to enroll in a GED preparation
program leading to a GED. - Valid Utah Driver's license.