POSITION DESCRIPTION:
The Youth Tutoring Program (YTP) is an after school tutoring program offering academic as well as social and emotional growth for students in Seattle's low income and public housing neighborhoods. We build strong relationships and maintaining communication with parents, schools and student's communities.
YTP values active participation by family members in a child's education and school life. This participation is based on building knowledge, mutual respect, interaction, trust, minimization of barriers and cultural relevance. Family involvement takes place when there is open and regular communication and trust among parents, students, school and community service providers who help make the school and its resources and activities accessible and understandable to all families. YTP helps facilitate family involvement through support of parents in regards to: parent-teacher conferences, school events and celebrations, written school materials, an awareness of student achievement, both in and outside the classroom, and in school-sponsored activities.
The YTP School and Education Support Specialist will work with a few target schools to enhance the relationship between the school, our program and families. This will include presenting YTP to school personnel, connecting with teachers and counselors regarding specific YTP students' needs, and bringing family members into the conversation.
Knowledge, Qualities and Skills:
Our ideal candidate is someone who feels comfortable connecting with school personnel at all levels -- including front desk staff, teachers, counselors and administrators. This individual will also be able to create strong connections with the families we serve. The ideal person for this position is aware of cultural differences between the families, communities and schools we serve, and is comfortable navigating these worlds. Crucial to this position is also a passion about education, experience working with youth and within educational settings, and an ability to lead center tutoring as well as to translate school communication and trends into suggested changes in program curriculum or assessments. A strong candidate would also be an individual with significant understanding of the immigrant and/or refugee experience. Significant knowledge of East African languages and cultures is particularly relevant to this position. The ideal candidate can also track and understand data well.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES:
1. Connect with Schools
a. Develop and enhance relationships with key Seattle Public School partners across the district; develop relationships with school personnel at all levels to ensure strong relationships.
b. Coordinate school communication activities throughout the program.
c. Facilitate communication between classroom teachers, parents and Center Supervisors to support youth's academic growth.
d. Partner with schools to help program succeed in goals to improve student academic outcomes, including supporting studying for standardized testing, on-time grade promotion and graduation, and ensuring students take courses needed to be ready for college entrance without the need for remedial courses.
e. Coordinate with family support workers and act as a liaison with parents, teachers and counselors to make sure all are on the same page regarding student needs.
f. Alert school staff regarding specifically targeted families and their need for success.
g. Develop an understanding of school systems; support program-wide school connections.
h. Connect with targeted YTP student's teachers, collaborating on the best approach for each student.
i. Ensure program-wide understanding of school information gained through partnership.
2. Liaison with Families
a. Offer basic case management to select students and their families to help them access the resources they need such as physical or mental health services and additional afterschool programs; encourage parents and students to participate in additional activities as they meet family needs.
b. Support parent/teacher communication; attend parent/teacher conferences and IEPs as needed.
c. Offer parent workshops and individual sessions on understanding the SPS school system, the Source, report cards, tips and tools to support learning at home, how and why to advocate for students in school, as well as other topics as they arise.
d. Maintain communication with families about student progress and needs.
e. Support times for parents to use tutoring center computers to check student Source information.
f. Offer parent information sessions and school tours for parents and students as they transition between elementary and middle, or middle and high school.
3. Lead Tutoring Center activities
a. Lead tutoring centers twice weekly to allow Program Supervisors flexibility in supporting staff and program.
b. Act as a substitute in tutoring centers as needed.
c. Provide academic tutoring as well as supervision and support to community volunteers who tutor at-risk youth one on one or in small groups.
d. Take on tasks and support activities for Program Supervisors as needed.
4. Data management activities
a. Help gather, input and monitor school data including MAP scores, report cards, online grades and tests and assessment information.
b. Work with Youth Services Fund Development Coordinator to identify target areas for new data collection.
c. Gather raw data and initial analysis for Program Supervisors.
d. Monitor student skills mastery; work with centers to ensure various types of mastery are tracked.
e. Monitor student school absenteeism.
f. Support centers in monitoring grade progression and high school courses to ensure students are on-track to graduate and ready for college.
5. Assessments and curriculum
a. Update assessments annually based on program and funding requirements.
b. Take on leadership role in getting assessments prepared, formatted and ready for Center Supervisors.
c. Input any assessment data needed, conduct initial analysis.
d. Update and create program curriculum as needed.
JOB CONDITIONS:
This position requires the employee to work in an office environment where there may be interruptions and a moderate amount of noise from telephones and conversations among employees. Extensive use of computers and related office equipment is typical of this position.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ACUITY REQUIREMENTS:
The requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
1. Able to hear telephone rings, and phone and face-to-face conversation, doorbells and emergency alarms.
2. Able to speak clearly in person and on the telephone.
3. Able to hand write legibly.
4. Able to read normal size print and handwritten notes.
5. Able to occasionally lift and carry up to 25 pounds.
6. Able to concentrate on task and sustain moderate to extensive attention to detail.
7. Able to sit for sustained periods of time.
8. Mobility/dexterity of hands/arms to enable use of computer and other office equipment.
9. Regularly able to perform duties as assigned.
10. Able to make independent decisions and apply sound judgment in performing job duties.
11. Able to perform other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Great communication skills: ability to connect to individuals from various backgrounds, professions and age groups.
2. Ability to synthesize information and communicate key components to a variety of different learning or understanding styles.
3. Understanding of Seattle Public School System policies/protocol.
4. Two years of combined experiences in the following areas:
a. Experience and skill in collecting, inputting and assessing data and other information
b. Classroom experience preferred.
c. Experience assessing students' academic needs and developing strategies to address those needs.
d. Demonstrated ability and experience working effectively with children from diverse ethnic and income backgrounds.
5. BA in education or similar preferred; equivalent relevant experience may substitute.
6. Vehicle and WA State Driver's License strongly preferred.
7. Bilingual in language relevant to tutoring program highly preferred.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Send résumé and cover letter to:
Catholic Community Services
ATTN: Human Resources Department
100 -- 23rd Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98144-2302
Email: Jobs-KC@ccsww.org
Please visit our website: www.ccsww.org
Please let us know if you need special accommodations to apply or interview for this position.
- Location: Seattle WA
- Compensation: $15.95/hr DOE,37.5hrs/week, full benefits: medical, dental, vision and LTD
- This is at a non-profit organization.
- Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
- Phone calls about this job are ok.
- Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.
