Community School Director-Queens, NY
The Home for Little Wanderers

Job Info

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The Community School Director (CSD) is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of Wediko NYC/The Home for Little Wanderers programming and all community school programming at Queens Satellite High School in Queens, NY. The CSD will facilitate the implementation and management of programs/activities within the scope of the Community School (CS) initiative. Working closely with the principal and SLT, s/he will be responsible for overseeing programs, services, activities, and events to engender student achievement, stronger families and school-centric community development.

The CSD is on-site at the school 5 days a week, and is responsible for management, integration, and coordination of all student and family support services at the school, as well as creating a solid network of sustainable resources available to members of the community. The annual salary range based on experience is $65-$77,000.

About Community Schools

The Community School (CS) strategy is driven by strong collaborative partnerships among principals, parents, teachers, and Community Based Organizations (CBOs). The model offers a holistic approach toward improving academic performance driven by parents who are real and active partners in their children's education. Each student is connected to a mentor, club, or social service. The school climate is joyful and positive and includes robust data monitoring and attendance taking practices. Community members spend time at the school, participating in activities ranging from participating in the School Leadership Team (SLT) to financial and parenting workshops. The model construct focuses on aligning regular school day curricula with Expanded and Extended afterschool or weekend classes. An integral part of the (CS) approach focuses on the school becoming a center of school- and community-based services embedded into the school day. These services can include but are not limited to health, mental health, counseling, and academic enrichment.

• Serve on the school administrative cabinet as an advisor to the principal, SLT and Community School Team (CST), and provide leadership for coordinating the work of different partners within the school, while aligning the work of partners with school faculty.
• The CSD will supervise staff, lead and facilitate relevant meetings, and will have decision-making abilities within the context of the community school initiative in partnership with the school principals, as well as administrators and pedagogical staff.
• Work with the CST as a sub-committee of the SLT to maintain a focus on results and track progress, including actively engaging in attendance improvement programs in partnership with the community school, its principal and pertinent staff members (i.e., Attendance School Aides).
• Collaboratewiththeprincipal,SLTandCSTto develop and oversee assets, as well as needs and resource assessments; develop and cultivate strong relationships and seek input from teachers, school staff, parents and students to determine ongoing needs of students and their families.
• Serve as a point person for agencies and programs interested in partnering with the school and help to broker new partnerships that identify relevant service enhancements and expanded learning and enrichment opportunities aligned with community school goals and needs.
• Work with the Parent Coordinator to ensure that families have meaningful opportunities to participate in the school; ensure full implementation of a transformative parent engagement initiative aligned with the CS strategy.
• Identify high-need students; coordinate with partners and teachers to target interventions; track and monitor impact of interventions. Is expected that the CSD will lead attendance supports.
• Assist with data collection, research, and preparation of relevant data to inform decisions made by the principal, SLT and CST in meetings; develop and manage the implementation of action plans.
• Establish protocols for ongoing and effective communication among key community players in the community school initiative, including local elected officials, administration, and staff, as well as, CBOs and health services organizations, parents, volunteers, consultants and community members.
• Oversee full implementation of the CS plan in partnership with the Principal and the SLT.
• Identify evidence and research-based practices and/or partnerships that address priority areas for the community school strategy, which may include, but not limited to, the following:
• Parent/Family Engagement
• Community Engagement
• Youth Development
• Academic Rigor and Instructional Practices
• Health, Mental Health, Tutoring, After-school Programming, Mentoring and early childhood.
• Develop, maintain and publicize a schedule of programs/activities offered at the school
• Organize a community school forum toinform school partners about CS reforms, while guiding parents, students, CBO representatives and communityresidentson how they could activelyand productively participatewithin the scope of the CS initiative.
• Promote participation in community school forums and monthly SLT and CST meetings to ensure a strong community voice in the development and implementation of the CS plan.
• Provide training and technical assistance to ensure cultural and linguistic appropriateness of service programs and communication efforts.
• Develop and implement ongoing mechanisms to illicit input from teachers, school staff, SLT members, parents and students to determine ongoing needs of students and their families.

Qualifications

• LCSW or M.S. Ed. preferred; ability to skillfully work with a variety of stakeholders and possess and communicate with students, parents, teachers, administrators, CBO personnel, community leaders and members.
• Knowledge of Department of Education (DOE) systems and language and their impact on the community school initiative.
• Master's degree in social work, education, health or related field, which includes four to six years of administrative experience preferably as a project manager in programs that has various funding sources; or, B.A. in appropriate discipline and seven years of experience as a project manager working with middle school students.
• Case management experience with a deep understanding of how a referral process can be implemented among teachers and partner programs.
• Demonstrated work experience in building relationships to advance program goals and objectives, preferably in a youth development setting.
• Ability to maintain calm during tense situations and negotiations with a strong ability to create consensus and persuade diverse constituents.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex budgets in excess of $300,000
• Knowledge of language and cultures of program participants and their communities; ability to integrate this knowledge into service delivery. Bi-lingual skills (Spanish) highly preferred.
• Systems thinker, data-driven decision-maker with data utilization know-how.
• Proven ability to energize, motivate and engage parents in community school initiatives.
• Excellent command of oral and written communications skills.
• MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint proficiency.
• Occasional Saturdays and evening hours will be required (as needed)
• Salary commensurate with experience.

What The Home Can Offer You

In addition to the chance to make a lasting impact on the lives of the youth we serve, The Home for Little Wanderers offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Generous time off including up to 20 days per year for new full-time employees, plus 11 holidays, 5 sick days, and 2 personal days
• Health and Dental Insurance that is effective immediately upon hire
• Extensive training to new staff
• Tuition reimbursement of up to $2,400 per fiscal year
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer match
• Employer paid Long-term and Short-term Disability Insurance, plus Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• And more!

Valuing Diversity

We are committed to excellence in diversity, equity, and inclusion, while simultaneously creating a culture that supports those values. We believe the differences we bring enhance our ability to provide exceptional service and care to diverse children, families, and communities. Moreover, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging align with our values and our mission to help vulnerable children and their families build permanent, positive change.

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