Career & Life Coach (Social Worker/Counselor)

Acceleration Academies is passionate about improving student outcomes. We provide two capabilities that drive student success. Our dropout recovery and student re-engagement program (Acceleration Academies), is an innovative education partner helping young adults overcome real-life challenges to earn their high school diploma tuition-free through partnerships with state or local school districts across the country. Our technology platform (Incite®) enables data-driven teaching and learning. These offerings are both rooted in our belief that every student deserves access to the best instruction, tools and resources possible.

Position Title: Career and Life  Coach

Reports To: Academy Director

Location: Sarasota Acceleration Academies

Compensation: $26-$32 an hour

Employment Type: Part-time

Benefits: 401(k) with up to 4% company match

Role Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Years of Experience: 3-5 years
• Certification: FLDOE educator's license with School Counseling or Social Work endorsement 
• Background Check: Appropriate state and federal criminal history clearance 

Role Responsibilities

Enrollment

• Support new GC enrollment through recruitment and engagement efforts
• Assist with the implementation of GC Orientation
• Lead in the development of Personalized Learning Plans(PLP) for GCs
• Guide the GC in the development of his/her schedule to meet attendance requirements
• Assign courses in accordance with the PLP for GCs

Retention

• Collaborate with other staff to ensure that GCs are in attendance as scheduled
• Actively participate in the Retention Cycle Protocol
• Assist with addressing barriers that impede the GC from attending the academy
• Advocate and support site-level incentive programs

Academics

• Demonstrate skills in analyzing and using data for instructional decision-making
• Document and track GC progress, assign academic interventions, support on time course completions as determined by the PLP for GCs
• Maintain all required documentation for graduation including course completion, GPA, and standardized testing requirements
• Schedule and coordinate all aspects of state standardized testing as well as NWEA, ACT, SAT exams
• Develop and monitor post-secondary plans for each GC to support their success in life beyond Acceleration Academy
• Implement career pathway partnerships that provide opportunities for job fair participation, job-shadowing and internships for GCs
• Implement weekly workshops that focus on non-academic and career planning topics
• Provide guidance and feedback on of resumes, cover letters, and strategies for job interviews for GCs
• Assist the GC with career and college planning

Advocacy

• Facilitate communications with community organizations to support the removal of non-academic barriers for GCs (health, social services, mental health, law enforcement)
• Complete all required data formulation for all AA reports, including local, state, and federal compliance of all ESE and ELL programs
• Participate in academy meetings and other community events
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Preferred Qualifications

• Bilingual preferred (Spanish)
• Proficient understanding of ESE (Exceptional Student Education), ELL (English Language Learner), and behavior intervention practices
• Experience working in a non-traditional school setting and/or with youth who may be considered at-risk
• Demonstrates a commitment and passion for supporting high school aged youth, who have disengaged from a traditional school setting, by creating opportunities for academic and personal breakthroughs
• Experience reviewing transcripts and general understanding of graduation requirements
• Experience  providing supports,  interventions, and counseling services with high school aged youth
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of and comfort with the use of technology in an educational setting.
• Experience with any of the following: project-based learning, instructional coaching, portfolio assessment, a competency-based education model, cooperative learning, integration of technology and cross-disciplinary learning, alternative assessments and integrating school to career experiences into the curriculum

Additional Qualifications

• Displays ability to diplomatically diffuse tension and deal with intense situations
• Adapts to changing conditions in a fast-paced setting
• Demonstrates the ability to work well independently and as part of a team
• Communicates and builds relationships with internal and external constituencies
• Identifies and implements strategies to improve individual and group productivity and content mastery
• Uses excellent listening, observation, reading, verbal, nonverbal and writing skills
• Demonstrates superior time-management, organizational skills, and accurate record keeping
• Accepts personal responsibility and seeks feedback from colleagues and administration
• Respects personal privacy and maintains the confidentiality of privileged information
• Thorough knowledge of the following:
• Microsoft Office Suite of applications
• Google Suite of applications, e.g., Google mail; Google drive, etc.
• Mobile technologies, e.g., smart phones, tablets, etc.
• Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Upholds Acceleration Academies’ policies and follows guidelines and procedures Develops positive rapport with staff, GCs, and the Acceleration Academy community

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands to touch, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

Work Environment and Work Demands

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may occasionally be exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is consistent with that of a collaborative school environment.

Acceleration Academies is an Equal Opportunity Employer

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed and are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. It is understood that other related duties may be assigned. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform all aspects of the position, described below satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Salary : $26 - $32