Position Title: Summer Counselor, Bridge to College Organization: Stamford Public Education Foundation, (SPEF), & Stamford Cradle to Career Location: Stamford, CT Classification: Short-term, hourly Compensation: $50.75/hour (Teacher Union Rate as of July 1, 2023) Assignment: 10-15 hours/week, tentative hours to vary between 9am-7pm, June 20, 2023 – August 21, 2023. This position will require both virtual and in-person meetings with students and weekly team meetings. Attendance required for onboarding, training, and planning in late May/early June at times mutually agreeable to counselors and potentially at kick-off events to be scheduled in late May/early June. Additional flexible hours will be needed through September for data close out, program review, and feedback. Reporting to: Bridge to College Head Teacher, Stamford Public Schools, & Rose Velazquez, College and Career Readiness Manager, Stamford Cradle to Career Required Certification: School Counselor, State of CT Certification About SPEF Founded in 1996, the Stamford Public Education Foundation (SPEF) is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization focused on delivering educational programs and resources that elevate student, educator, and parent success by bridging the gap between needs in the Stamford Public Schools and resources in our community. In pursuit of its mission, SPEF focuses on delivering programs & resources in four areas: · College and Career Readiness · Enrichment · Family Engagement · Kindergarten Readiness With help from hundreds of volunteers, SPEF provides educational programming to all 21 of Stamford’s public schools, including tutoring, mentoring, book distributions, parent leadership training, Pre-K experiences, and more. SPEF Belief Statements We believe all students have the right to benefit equally from a quality public education. We believe SPEF has a responsibility to eliminate barriers that hinder students’ success. We believe SPEF has strategic relationships and unique insight to support students in their pursuit of happiness. Vision We envision a community in which every student is prepared and inspired to thrive. Mission Our mission is to elevate student success by delivering educational programs and solutions that promote equitable access to quality public education in Stamford. Program Overview The Summer Counselor position will support the fifth year of the Bridge to College initiative of Stamford Cradle to Career (SC2C) and Stamford Public Schools. SC2C is a city-wide collaborative partnership focused on ensuring equity and excellence in education for all youth in Stamford so all youth can succeed in education, career, and life. SC2C is partnering with SPEF, the Stamford Public Schools, Westhill High School RISE Network, local colleges, and other community partners to reduce “Summer Melt.” “Summer Melt” is a phenomenon used to describe graduating high school students who have made a commitment to attend college but end up not transitioning to college in the fall. Summer Melt is even more prevalent for students from a low-and moderate-income background, first generation, and have the greatest need for access to a school counselor. As a part of this collaboration, school counselors will be hired to support a cohort of students who have been identified as needing additional support throughout the summer to complete the college enrollment process. The Bridge to College initiative is modeled after a national program that has demonstrated success in ensuring more graduating seniors matriculate in college the fall following their spring graduation. Position Description Summer Counselors hired for this exciting initiative will be responsible for providing individual and small group counseling services on an as needed basis in support of a cohort of recent high school graduates in Stamford. This includes communicating regularly with partners including Stamford Public Schools, SC2C, local colleges, and other community partner organizations. General Responsibilities
· Provide comprehensive counseling services to a diverse body of students to support successful enrollment and matriculation to college. This counseling will take place on an individual and small group basis.
· Meeting one-on-one with students virtually and in-person in various locations as needed – Stamford Government Center, the library, coffee shops, local colleges, etc. – including ability to travel to these locations.
· Use various modes of communication and technology to communicate with students and colleges including Signal Vine texting service, supporting group text communication and individual responses.
· Assist students in navigating college required enrollment documentation and work with students to meet deadlines. Connecting students to college campus resources as needed.
· Collect and analyze student level data, including maintaining written records of counseling services, including number of contacts with each student, length of interactions, content of support areas needed, etc.
· Provide supportive counseling to students and their families, as needed.
· Collaborate with assessment process to track and analyze both program process effectiveness and program impact, which will include regular (weekly) meetings.
· Other duties as assigned by Head Teacher and College and Career Readiness Manager.
Required Experience
· Demonstrated experience in working with the targeted population of students: high school students, first generation college students
· Understanding of working with diverse student populations
· Understanding of the financial aid/FAFSA process
· Experience with Stamford Public Schools data systems (Naviance, PowerSchool)
· Strong verbal and written communication skills
· Strong organizational skills
· Strong technology skills and access to reliable internet/wi-fi
· Evidence of the ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with staff and partner organizations
· Enthusiasm and commitment to his/her work
· Recommended: multi-lingual, preferably Spanish, and/or demonstrated comfort working with translation services
How to Apply A resume and cover letter must be submitted to apply. Applications will be accepted until April 16, 2023, OR until the positions are filled.Disclaimer
SPEF is an equal opportunity employer, in compliance with state and federal statutes, we prohibit any form of unlawful harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, status as a veteran, or status in any group protected by state or local law where we operate.