Inspiring Minds Job Description
Job Title: KidsBridge Program Coordinator
Range $20-$30 per hour
Status: Seasonal, part-time April-May, Full-time June-August
Location: Providence Public Elementary School
Reports to: Program Director
About Us: Inspiring Minds is a non-profit education agency founded in 1963. We are a student-centered organization, ensuring our programs promote positive outcomes for the youth we serve.
Inspiring Minds Mission: Inspiring Minds empowers students to succeed and thrive in school and life by developing trusted relationships with community members who are knowledgeable of the culturally responsive, academic, and socio-emotional needs necessary for student success.
Vision: Inspiring Minds is an antiracist organization committed to closing equity gaps based on race, ethnicity, first language, and economic status that impact RI students and families. We believe in the power of relationships, and that caring and committed adults can empower our students to achieve with the right guidance, training, and support.
Inspiring Minds delivers effective programs that build academic and social-emotional skills using a developmental relationships framework. We serve a diverse population of exceptional, intelligent, and resilient students. We believe all students deserve an educational environment that fosters a sense of belonging and purpose shared with everyone who is part of the school community and the community at large.
We recognize the impact that systematic barriers such as racism, poverty, housing insecurity, and hunger have on learning, especially in under-resourced schools. Therefore, we partner with school districts, higher education institutions, civic groups, and the community to provide quality programs that empower students to succeed and thrive in school and life.
Only extraordinary people work here. Our goals are ambitious but achievable. We have high expectations for ourselves, our students, and our volunteers. We do whatever it takes to achieve our mission ethically. Our ideal candidate is someone who works hard and will have fun while dreaming big.
MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Program Coordinator oversees the daily operations of the KidsBridge Summer Learning program. During the months of April through June, they assist the In-School Tutoring and Mentoring Program Director in hiring, training, and preparing teachers, teacher assistants, and youth development workers, as well as preparing materials for the summer program, and coordinating enrichment and scheduling. The Program Coordinator works in collaboration with the Family Engagement Coordinator to recruit and enroll students. During the summer learning program, the Program Coordinator will always be on-site at the school, supporting classroom staff with implementing the KidsBridge curriculum, and the Family Engagement Coordinator with attendance data collection to ensure the program meets agreed-upon deliverables.
Relationship Building
- Establish and maintain appropriate relationships with students, parents, staff, school personnel, and community members with tact, courtesy, and confidentiality.
- Maintain a professional appearance and demonstrates behavior that is conscientious and responsible.
- Do not engage in discriminatory practices, including race, origin, gender, socio-economic status, disability, religion, or political beliefs.
Recruitment and Enrollment (April-May)
- Support the Program Director in actively recruiting qualified teachers, teacher assistants, and youth development workers.
- Familiarize with the KidsBridge schedule, curriculum, standard operating procedures, and program policies and protocols.
- Become familiar with the KidsBridge deliverables, including student outcomes, attendance targets, and family engagement targets.
- Prepare KidsBridge materials and curriculum. Work with the Program Director to purchase new supplies and consumables as needed.
- Work with Program Director and Family Engagement Coordinator to establish a schedule and administrative flow for the summer to utilize the summer staff capacity best.
- Coordinate established enrichment providers and field trips.
- Support the Family Engagement Coordinator with family information sessions, recruitment events, and enrollment processes.
- Staff the office and respond to walk-in registrations. Answer phones and enroll students in the computer system.
- Attend USDA food service training.
Summer Program Responsibilities (July and August)
- Work onsite supporting KidsBridge teachers, teacher assistants, and youth development workers to establish and maintain a high-quality summer program aligned with RIELDs standards and the KidsBridge curriculum.
- Manage daily classroom staff scheduling. Recognize the need for additional classroom support in the absence of a teacher or teacher assistant or due to the environment or student needs. Assign and manage support staff in filling those needs. Fill the role of teacher, teacher assistant, or additional support staff member when needed.
- Ensure health and safety protocols are met.
- Ensure the site environment cares for the social-emotional well-being of staff and students. Work with program staff to respond to situations and challenges that may arise.
- Communicate with Program Director about any challenges and situations that arise. Problem-solve with their consultation as needed.
- Ensure appropriate documentation is kept on-site, including attendance, injuries, incidents, and concerns.
- Ensure adherence to daily schedules and communicate the need for changes to the Program Director.
- Establish and maintain positive relationships with community partners sharing the school building, including working collaboratively to ensure that schedules using shared spaces (cafeteria, gym, playground) meet both programs’ students’ needs.
- Support the Family Engagement Coordinator in collecting and entering attendance data into the district spreadsheet.
- Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
Other Required Responsibilities
- Participate in antiracist and department professional development. Recognize vulnerability, both in yourself and in others.
- Adhere to organizational policies and protocols. Challenge them by lifting your voice and the voice of the community.
- Listen and learn from our community. Research and implement best practices.
- Support the organization’s fundraising events. Inspiring Minds pays all staff for working at fundraising events.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- You believe all students can succeed with the right resources and support.
- You exemplify our core values of continuous learning, antiracism & equity
- You can describe your personal and professional racial equity journey related to undoing racism and dismantling oppression in marginalized communities. You can readily share your learnings from various resources that have most profoundly led you to learn about antiracism and anti-oppression.
- You are skilled at lifting up the power and promise of marginalized groups vs. focusing on the problems and pathologies put on them by the dominant society.
- Work collaboratively and approach all work with positivity and determination.
- Are goal-driven, problem solver, and embody a can-do spirit and strong work ethic.
- HS Diploma or GED
- Fluency in Spanish and English preferred.
- RIELDs training strongly preferred.
Experience:
- At least two years’ experience working with students ages 3-6 in in-school, early childhood, out-of-school time, or summer programs.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
- You have excellent verbal and written communication.
- You know how to slow down and help your colleagues pause to disrupt any false sense of urgency or push for productivity at the expense of personal and collective well-being.
- You are skilled at prioritizing and setting boundaries so you can focus on each project with clarity and a feeling of accomplishment.
- You have a working knowledge and application of appropriate early childhood teaching strategies and methods.
- You can demonstrate excellent verbal and written skills.
- You have basic computer skills. In this role, you must be able to produce documents, flyers, and presentations.
- You can build effective relationships and communications with co-workers, vendors, students, parents, the general public, and others having business with Inspiring Minds.
- You can show respect for all children and families.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
- Attend and actively participate in pre-service training. Attend weekly staff meetings.
- Follow RI DOH and CDC COVID guidelines.
- Must be able to pass background clearance checks.
- May be required to work outside normal working hours.
- Participate in additional activities, including daily enrichment time, parent-engagement events, and other required programs as needed throughout the program.
- Submit bi-weekly timesheet for approval.
To Apply: Email your resume and cover letter to jobs@inspiringmindsri.org.