Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Before and After School Educator

🎯 Role Definition

A Before and After School Educator provides safe, engaging, and developmentally-appropriate care for school-age children during before- and after-school hours. This role designs and delivers structured enrichment activities, supports homework completion, models positive behavior, communicates with families and school partners, and ensures a secure environment that promotes social, emotional, and academic growth. Ideal candidates combine practical experience in childcare or youth services with strong communication, classroom management, and curriculum-facilitation skills.

Keywords: before and after school educator, out-of-school-time (OST), after-school program, homework help, enrichment activities, child supervision, youth development, classroom management, family communication, program compliance.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Camp Counselor or Summer Program Staff
Classroom Aide / Teacher’s Assistant
Youth Mentor or Community Youth Worker

Advancement To:

Lead Before & After School Educator / Lead Teacher
Site Coordinator / Program Supervisor
Program Director or OST Program Manager
Early Childhood or Elementary Classroom Teacher (with certification)

Lateral Moves:

Paraeducator / Instructional Assistant
Youth Services Coordinator
Afterschool Enrichment Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Supervise arrival and dismissal periods, ensuring safe transitions between school, program space, buses, and parent pick-up; maintain vigilant child headcounts and secure sign-in/sign-out procedures to uphold safety and licensing requirements.
Design, plan, and implement daily lesson plans and activity schedules that incorporate structured enrichment, homework support, physical activity, arts, STEM exploration, and social-emotional learning for diverse groups of elementary-aged children.
Provide individualized homework assistance and academic support, working collaboratively with classroom teachers to reinforce curriculum objectives and help students complete assignments accurately and on time.
Manage classroom behavior using positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS), de-escalation techniques, and consistent expectations; document behavioral incidents and follow up with families and program leadership.
Build strong, respectful relationships with children to promote trust, emotional regulation, cooperation, and peer conflict resolution skills through role-modeling, guided practice, and restorative approaches.
Maintain health and safety protocols including first aid, emergency response procedures, incident reporting, medication administration (as authorized), and daily safety checks of the environment and equipment.
Communicate proactively and professionally with families about student progress, attendance, behavior, and program updates via in-person conversations, phone calls, email, or program communication platforms.
Facilitate structured group activities that encourage teamwork, leadership, creativity, and problem-solving, adapting activities for varied developmental levels, cultural backgrounds, and learning needs.
Monitor attendance, track participation data, and complete accurate daily logs, sign-in sheets, and program paperwork required for funding, licensing, and grant reporting.
Implement inclusion strategies and provide reasonable accommodations to support children with special needs or individualized education plans (IEPs), coordinating with special education staff and families as needed.
Prepare, serve, and supervise healthy snacks and light meals in accordance with program nutrition and food-safety guidelines, including food allergy protocols and sanitation practices.
Coordinate and chaperone field trips and community experiences, conducting risk assessments, obtaining parental permissions, and managing student safety and group behavior off-site.
Collaborate with school personnel and external partners to align out-of-school programming with school-day objectives and community resources, ensuring continuity and reinforcement of key academic and social goals.
Lead small group enrichment projects (e.g., robotics club, reading circles, arts workshops) and provide differentiated instruction to extend students’ interests and skills outside the classroom.
Conduct regular inventory, ordering, and maintenance of supplies, materials, and equipment; set up and break down activity spaces and ensure the environment is clean, organized, and inviting for children.
Uphold program policies and licensing regulations, participate in routine program audits, and implement corrective actions to maintain compliance with state and local childcare standards.
Model professional behavior, participate in staff meetings and trainings, and contribute to continuous program improvement through feedback, evaluation, and best-practice sharing.
Mentor and assist substitute staff, volunteers, and less-experienced team members in program routines, child management strategies, and activity implementation to ensure consistency across all shifts.
Respond calmly and effectively to behavioral crises and emergency situations, administering first aid or CPR when necessary, notifying guardians and program leadership, and completing timely incident reports.
Use basic technology tools (program management software, attendance systems, email, and digital communication platforms) to document student progress, communicate with families, and support program administration.
Plan for and implement culturally responsive activities that honor student diversity, promote inclusion, and engage families in celebrating cultural and linguistic assets.
Collect informal assessment data and observations to support program evaluation, contribute to grant deliverables, and inform programmatic decisions about curriculum and service design.
Maintain professional boundaries, confidentiality, and ethical practice when interacting with students, families, colleagues, and community partners.
Support transitions between activities and support students in developing routines, time-management, and organizational skills that prepare them for academic success during the school day.

Secondary Functions

Participate in outreach and recruitment activities to increase program enrollment and strengthen community partnerships with schools, community centers, and local nonprofits.
Assist with program evaluation by collecting participant feedback, contributing to outcome measurement, and preparing summary reports for supervisors.
Support fundraising and grant initiatives by documenting program impact, participating in site tours, and preparing success stories for stakeholder communication.
Help maintain facility cleanliness and basic maintenance tasks (e.g., tidying activity spaces, organizing supplies, and reporting facility issues).
Attend professional development workshops, certification courses (e.g., CPR/First Aid), and local conferences to maintain current knowledge of best practices in youth development and OST programming.
Provide translation or culturally responsive family engagement outreach where bilingual skills are available.
Support mentorship of junior staff through on-the-job training, observation, and constructive feedback to build team capacity.
Assist in creating promotional materials and social media content to highlight student accomplishments and program offerings.
Contribute to the development and updating of policies, handbooks, and operational procedures to reflect changing regulations and program goals.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Child supervision and safety procedures (headcounts, sign-in/out, emergency evacuations)
Lesson planning for out-of-school-time (OST) settings and curriculum adaptation
Classroom and behavior management techniques (PBIS, positive reinforcement, de-escalation)
Homework support and basic tutoring strategies in literacy and numeracy
First Aid, CPR certification, and ability to follow medication and health protocols
Knowledge of state and local childcare licensing requirements and documentation practices
Basic data collection and attendance tracking using program management systems
Food safety and allergy-aware snack preparation and supervision
Experience facilitating enrichment activities (arts & crafts, STEM, sports, drama)
Familiarity with inclusion strategies and accommodations for children with IEPs or 504 plans
Risk assessment and chaperone protocols for off-site activities and field trips
Proficiency with common communication tools (email, SMS, family portals, Google Workspace)

Soft Skills

Strong communication skills with children, families, and school staff; clear written documentation
Patience, empathy, and emotional intelligence in working with diverse youth populations
Conflict resolution and restorative practices to manage peer disputes and challenging behaviors
Adaptability and flexibility to manage changing schedules and last-minute program needs
Teamwork and collaborative problem-solving within multidisciplinary teams
Cultural humility and ability to design inclusive programming that respects diversity
Time management and organizational skills to balance supervision, planning, and administrative tasks
Observational and reflective practices to assess child progress and program effectiveness
Professionalism, reliability, and ethical judgment in safeguarding children and maintaining confidentiality
Initiative and creativity to design engaging activities and continuously improve program quality

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED required; equivalent experience in child care or youth services will be considered.

Preferred Education:

Associate's degree or Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Youth Development, Education, Social Work, or a related field preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Early Childhood Education
Child Development
Elementary Education
Youth & Community Development
Social Work
Recreational Education

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 0–3 years for entry-level roles; 2–5+ years for lead or senior educator roles.

Preferred:

Minimum 1 year experience working with school-age children in afterschool, summer camp, or related youth programs.
Experience implementing structured enrichment activities, homework support, and documented behavior management strategies.
Valid CPR/First Aid certification and cleared background checks (state fingerprinting and child abuse registry, as required).
Preferred bilingual candidates or those with experience supporting multilingual families.