POSITION: Director of Family Engagement & Support

REPORTS TO: Executive Director

WAGE/HOUR STATUS: 12-month, Exempt

Mission: Educating and inspiring a diverse community of K-12 learners by engaging them in rigorous real-world learning experiences which prioritize intellectual, social and emotional growth.

Vision: Tapestry is a vibrant, sustainable school that empowers learners and leaders to make a positive impact in our communities and beyond.

Values: Perseverance, Integrity, Respect & Responsibility (PIRR).

The Director of Family Engagement & Support (DFES) is responsible for engaging parents as partners with the school and building strong and trusting relationships between the school and families, and among our parent community. The DFES will design, direct, organize, and manage family engagement programs at our diverse K-12 school, will manage Tapestry’s Family Resource Center, in addition to managing and supervising Tapestry’s team of social workers and mental health counselors across our three schools.

The DFES is a member of the Compass Leadership Team, reports to the Executive Director and works together with other staff members including the building principals, assistant principals, counselors, social workers, deans, and shared leadership teams. This is a full-time position; hours for the position may vary from week to week due to the need to attend parent meetings that may be scheduled evenings, mornings, or on weekends.

Key areas of responsibility for the position are outlined below:

Strategic Leadership, Management and Development

• Recruit, hire, train, and supervise staff members within the Family Resource Center, including key members of the Tapestry Social Emotional Team, (specifically social workers and mental health counselors) ensuring alignment with program goals and objectives.
• Provide ongoing professional development and support to staff members, including coaching, mentoring, and performance evaluation.
• Meet regularly with counseling teams, student support teams to coordinate, plan, and offer professional learning.
• Foster a positive and collaborative work environment that promotes teamwork, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Provide recommendations to administration and staff on how to better meet social, emotional and academic needs of students.
• Provide recommendations to administration and staff on how to help families support students in the aforementioned goal.
• Collaborate with social workers, counselors, teachers, parents, and administration to find effective solutions for meeting learning and behavior needs.
• Participate in Climate meetings and Social Emotional Team (SET) meetings and meetings with teaching teams and disciplinary review meetings within the school as needed.

Program Management

Family Engagement Initiatives

• In collaboration with stakeholders, develop programs and activities designed to engage families in improving student achievement and in fostering a better understanding of the academic and social-emotional programs at Tapestry.
• Establish and work closely with both our school-based and community-based support teams that include diverse stakeholders from the school community that will develop a vision and plan for family engagement and the Family Resource Center.
• Work with the Compass Leadership Team to maintain and develop a calendar of school events and programs that seek to engage families from all grades, and from diverse backgrounds.
• Coordinate and communicate volunteer opportunities for families; support families in connecting with activities that match their interests and skills.
• Collaborate with school staff, community members, partners and families to develop programs and activities geared to reach families who are underrepresented because of social, economic, racial, and/or language barriers.
• Support and coordinate mentor programs, such as BIGS for MS/HS, EPIC, YMCA liaison, etc.

Family Resource Center

• Oversee all aspects of the Family Resource Center, including budget management, resource allocation, and program evaluation.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with community organizations, agencies, and stakeholders to expand resources and support services available to Tapestry Charter School families.
• Coordinate the delivery of services and programs offered through the Family Resource Center, ensuring alignment with identified needs and objectives.
• Provide support and resources to families to promote student success, including academic support, parenting workshops, and access to community resources.
• Establish mechanisms for gathering feedback from families and stakeholders to inform program development and improvement efforts.

Home-School Connections

• Provide training and support to teachers in developing strong partnerships with families and in enhancing communications.
• Encourage and support school outreach to families. Create ways for families and teachers to meet face-to-face and to know each other, such as class meetings, breakfasts with the principal, and getting-to-know-you activities for families.
• Participate as needed at SLCs (Student Led Conferences) and work with shared leadership teams to help coordinate and schedule all meetings and events.
• Work with social workers to design, implement and manage a home visit program for at-risk students and families.

Parent Leadership/Empowerment

• Encourage parents to participate on school committees and working groups to provide parent voice and ensure that parents have the background information and materials necessary to be informed team members.

Community Engagement and Partnerships

• Work with key community partners and families to identify resources for families in the community. Make sure that teachers and counselors have up-to-date referral information on community services.
• Seek resources and partnerships to support and continue to grow Tapestry’s parent engagement work.

Recruitment/New Families

• Work collaboratively and directly with the Director of Enrollment to implement a student recruitment plan to be approved by the Compass Leadership Team.
• Represent the school at recruitment fairs for prospective families; arrange opportunities to spread the word about Tapestry Charter School throughout the Buffalo community.
• With building principals, lead and coordinate plans for a series of open houses for prospective parents—assembling materials, ensuring coffee and refreshments are available, schedule notify staff of Open House dates.
• Ensure prospective families have what they need to make an informed decision.
• Communicate with new Tapestry families so that they know what to expect and are prepared for the transition to Tapestry and a strong start to the year.
• Work with Tapestry Community Association and school staff to plan welcoming events for new families including early childhood playgroups and meet and greets.

Communication

• Work with the Executive Director to produce a quarterly ‘Common Thread’ newsletter for parents and the school community.
• Monitor home-school communications and make recommendations as needed to ensure clarity and consistency.
• Keep school staff updated about family involvement activities in the school.
• Communicate regularly with school leadership about parents’ and families’ ideas and concerns.

Data Management, Reporting, Continuous Improvement & Documentation

• Oversee data collection, analysis, and reporting activities related to family engagement initiatives and program outcomes.
• Utilize data-driven approaches to monitor progress, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions to enhance program effectiveness.
• Prepare regular reports and presentations for school leadership, stakeholders, and funding agencies to communicate program accomplishments and impact.
• Design and implement tools to measure parent satisfaction and engagement and to evaluate the effectiveness of programs such as short event feedback forms, our annual parent survey, and focus groups, etc.
• Develop and manage a system for tracking and acknowledging parent volunteerism as well as recording attendance at parent events.
• Take advantage of professional development to learn new knowledge and skills.

Qualifications:

• Master's degree in social work, counseling, education, or a related field required; LCSW or equivalent licensure preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in family engagement, community outreach, or social services, with demonstrated leadership and program management experience.
• Strong understanding of trauma-informed care, culturally responsive practices, restorative practices, and equity-centered approaches to family engagement.
• Deep commitment to and demonstrated success planning, implementing and promoting community and family engagement in a complex and dynamic organization.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse populations.
• Proficiency in data analysis, budget management, and program evaluation techniques.
• Commitment to Tapestry Charter School's mission and values, with a passion for promoting student success and family well-being.

Tapestry Charter School is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with anti-discrimination law, it is the purpose of this policy to effectuate these principles and mandates. Tapestry Charter School prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Tapestry Charter School conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $70,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 403(b) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to Commute:

• Buffalo, NY 14216 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Buffalo, NY 14216: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person