Bronx Education Specialist

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Job description

Overview:
About Rising Ground

Founded as an orphanage in 1831, Rising Ground has been at the forefront of evolving community needs. Driven by the belief that each of us can thrive when life has hope and opportunity, Rising Ground provides caring support and proven paths to positive change, helping children, adults, and families rise above adversity, and each year, Rising Ground is a positive force in the lives of more than 72,000 individuals annually. We do this through 101 programs across 138 sites, throughout New York City and Westchester. Our strong belief and commitment to diversity is shown not just through our work with supported persons but is integral to the building of a strong staff that reflects the communities we serve. Rising Ground is headquartered in New York City.

About the Role

The Education Specialist provides educational advocacy, conducts academic performance monitoring, and makes referrals to quality tutoring and extracurricular activities. The Education Specialist also provides individualized assistance with the middle school selection processes to all 5th grade students and their families. The Specialist will ensure that the list of middle schools the student is submitting. are quality, best-fit schools.

Responsibilities:
Work with elementary age students and their families, providing educational advocacy and ensuring students are receiving the support/services they need to succeed.

Build and maintain collaborative relationships with schools; provide advocacy on behalf of students.

Work with Case Planner, foster parent, birth parent/caregiver and tutor to address educational concerns.

As needed, request referrals for IEP evaluations and behavioral/academic supports within the school

Negotiate with DOE staff to ensure the implementation of recommended and appropriate educational services.

Ensure school stability if a student is relocating.

Collect, review, and track NYC DOE monthly data on attendance, grades, promotion status, school enrollment, tutoring history, etc.

Use data to identify struggling students.

Work with Case Planners and parents to ensure improved attendance, and/or provide additional academic support.

During the Middle School application process, the Education Specialist will ensure that when applying for middle school, the list of schools the student is submitting are quality, best-fit schools, and will record this list of schools in the online platform.

It is the responsibility of the Specialist to try to guide the process as much as possible. This includes establishing trust, explaining why the process is so important, and providing information/guidance when a selection may not be appropriate.

Follow up regularly with Tutor Coaches regarding the students' performance, needs, and any concerns.

Connect students to afterschool and summer extracurricular activities.

Consistently update the Care 4 platform with contacts, tutoring updates, and any relevant information regarding students, for example: how students are progressing academically, the outcome of IEP meetings, middle school application and/or promotion in doubt.

COORDINATING:

Birth Parents: It is the responsibility of the Specialist to outreach to birth parents for discussion about issues such as special education services, attendance concerns, behavioral issues in school, and school transfers.

Foster Parents: It is important for the Specialist to include foster parents in educational planning because they will often interact with school staff on a regular basis.

Case Planners: The Specialist should coordinate with Case Planners on the student's academic progress and follow up on any needs/concerns. The Specialist should provide a monthly report to the students' Case Planners that includes progress notes and key academic data.

The School: The Specialist will collaborate with the school to explore options for students to improve and benefit from services offered such as afterschool tutoring, special education services, and other supports. The Specialist should also schedule school visits for students in order to meet with the student and counselor together.

External Providers: The Specialist will work with community resources including tutoring programs, mental health services, and afterschool programs. Collaborating with these stakeholders allow for students to receive assistance and services on a broad spectrum that can foster continued success educationally as well as emotionally.

Short- term and Longer-term Advocacy: The Specialist offers both long-term individualized interventions for students with complex or ongoing educational needs and targeted short-term supports to ensure that every student has access to a particular service or opportunity.

Essential Functions

Ability to navigate complex educational issues, be resourceful, and work independently.

Ability to organize their time and prioritize responsibilities in order to plan and carry out all duties.

Ability to effectively collaborate in team settings and build relationships with external partners.

Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Strong time-management, organizational skills, and attention to detail.

Competencies

Tenacious, independent, and resourceful.

Proactive.

Can follow detailed procedures.

Engaging, strength-based, and collaborative.

A love for working with children, youth, and families.

Excellent interpersonal skills and easily builds relationships with children, families, and school partners.

Values and promotes diversity.

Able to remain calm during moments of tension and stress.

Qualifications:
Your Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree and at least two years of experience working with at risk youth preferably in the area of education.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Supervisory Responsibility

Yes/No

Work Environment:

Clinic/Field/Corporate Office

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:
This is a full-time position with an annual salary of $50,000.00. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday 9am-5pm or 10am - 6pm at: 424 E 147th Street, Bronx, New York.

Additional Requirements:

Authorized to work in the U.S.

Ability to work in-person in the Bronx for at least 3 days or more per week.

Ability to travel to other Rising Ground sites (if required)

Our Commitment to Diversity, Fairness, and Belonging

Rising Ground is comprised of unique and valued individuals who together make the organization effective in assisting the children, adults and families who come to us for support. We believe that only when all employees contribute fully as their true selves can Rising Ground's true strength, vision, and values come to fruition. We recognize the ubiquitous social biases and structures that impact and shape the experiences of all people, including our own staff and people supported. Among the many biases present in our society that shape our personal and professional experiences race, gender, sexual orientation, and gender expression are all factors that can present hurdles. As such, Rising Ground is committed to being an anti-racist and inclusive organization that will actively strive to overcome both systemic and interpersonal biases that perpetuate oppression.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

It is the policy of Rising Ground that the Agency wholly complies with equal treatment of all employees and applicants for employment without unlawful discrimination as to an individual's perceived or actual race, creed, color, national origin, alienate, citizenship status, gender, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, partnership status, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or veteran status in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, layoff and termination and all other terms and conditions of employment.

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