What are the responsibilities and job description for the Student Recruitment and Retention Specialist position at Friendly Academy?
The Opportunity Friendly Academy is a new K-5 charter school in St. Louis, MO. Friendly Academy's mission is to equip students with a quality and holistic education rooted in love. Partnering with the community and families, Friendly Academy empowers all students to live purpose-driven lives by using their gifts and talents to make a positive difference in their families, their communities, and the world. As we prepare to launch strong, our goal is to begin the school year with 100 students and grow by 75 students annually. To achieve this, we are seeking a Family Recruitment and Retention Specialist who will serve as the bridge between our school and the community, ensuring we meet our enrollment goals while fostering meaningful relationships with families. This role is critical to establishing and maintaining the trust and engagement of the families we serve.
Description
Position: Family Recruitment and Retention Specialist
Organization: Friendly Academy
Location: St. Louis, MO
Work Model: In-person/10 Months
Salary: Starting at $50,000
The Opportunity
Friendly Academy is a new K-5 charter school in St. Louis, MO. Friendly Academy's mission is to equip students with a quality and holistic education rooted in love. Partnering with the community and families, Friendly Academy empowers all students to live purpose-driven lives by using their gifts and talents to make a positive difference in their families, their communities, and the world.
As we prepare to launch strong, our goal is to begin the school year with 100 students and grow by 75 students annually. To achieve this, we are seeking a Student Recruitment and Retention Specialist who will serve as the bridge between our school and the community, ensuring we meet our enrollment goals while fostering meaningful relationships with families. This role is critical to establishing and maintaining the trust and engagement of the families we serve.
Who You Are
- Passionate Community Advocate: You are enthusiastic about education and committed to promoting Friendly Academy’s mission to families and the wider community.
- Engaging Communicator: You excel at building relationships, connecting with diverse families, and sharing the value of our school’s offerings.
- Organized Planner: You thrive in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple outreach initiatives and events to meet ambitious enrollment and retention goals.
- Detail-Oriented and Technically Proficient: You are highly organized and possess strong technical skills, enabling you to effectively track progress, manage data, and follow up with families and stakeholders.
- Family-Centered: You prioritize the needs of families, ensuring they feel welcomed, supported, and loved throughout their experience with Friendly Academy.
Responsibilities
Family Recruitment
- Develop and implement strategies to achieve the enrollment goal of 100 students in year one and an annual growth of 75 students thereafter.
- Conduct outreach initiatives, including events, school tours, and partnerships with community organizations, to attract prospective families.
- Represent Friendly Academy at community events and fairs to promote our mission and programs.
- Oversee the management of social media platforms to support student recruitment and family engagement by creating and sharing content that highlights school events, programs, and achievements, and by interacting with prospective and current families to build a strong online presence.
- Support the planning, organization, and execution of the student lottery process, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and transparent communication with families.
- Engage with student recruitment consultants to align on strategies, share insights, and implement best practices to achieve enrollment goals.
Family Retention and Community Engagement
- Build strong, lasting relationships with enrolled families to foster a sense of belonging and engagement.
- Create and organize family engagement events and initiatives to strengthen connections between families and the school community.
- Act as a liaison between families and staff, addressing concerns and facilitating resolutions.
- Assist families in identifying and accessing wraparound services within the community, such as housing assistance, mental health resources, childcare, and employment support, to help address barriers to student success.
- Develop partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and stakeholders to enhance recruitment efforts.
- Serve as the primary contact for inquiries from prospective families, providing personalized and timely responses.
- Assist with conducting home visits to build stronger relationships with families, assess student needs, and provide resources or support to ensure student success and well-being.
Administrative Support
- Assist the Director of Operations with student registration processes, including ensuring families submit necessary documentation and complete forms accurately.
- Provide support for enrollment data entry, maintenance, and verification in student information systems.
- Participate in meetings and trainings related to the Common School Application process to ensure a thorough understanding of application procedures and provide accurate guidance to prospective families.
- Respond to parent inquiries regarding enrollment, registration, and school policies, ensuring a welcoming and efficient process.
- Track enrollment data, outreach activities, and family engagement metrics.
- Provide regular reports to the Director of Operations on progress toward recruitment and retention goals.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g., communications, marketing, education, or social work) preferred, but equivalent experience will be considered.
- Demonstrated experience in family engagement, recruitment, or community outreach, ideally within an educational or nonprofit setting.
- Proficiency in using data management systems, customer relationship management (CRM) tools, student information systems (SIS), and social media platforms for outreach and engagement.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to connect with diverse families and community stakeholders.
- Deep understanding of and sensitivity to the cultural and socioeconomic diversity of families
- Alignment with Friendly Academy’s mission and values.
What we offer you
- Join a school community where love is the center of our education model without deprioritizing academic rigor and excellence.
- A school culture that promotes wellness by serving the whole child and adult through community partnerships and monthly wellness days.
- The opportunity to innovate and be a part of a founding team that creates the landscape for strong student outcomes.
- Professional development based on growth areas and interests.
- Earn competitive compensation, pension, health, dental, and vision benefits.
Employment Status
Full-time, exempt position. Reports to the Executive Director.
Contact
careers@friendlyacademy.org
Friendly Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression), citizenship, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, military status, veteran status, genetic information or any legally protected status in any of its employment practices, educational programs, services or activities. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties.
This job description is intended to accurately reflect the duties, responsibilities and requirements of the position. It is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of all the responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position. The Board reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and assign other duties as necessary.
Salary
$50,000 - $65,000 per year
Salary : $50,000 - $65,000
