Program Director: Community School at PS 224

Good Shepherd Services is a leading multi-service agency with more than 85 programs that serve over 30,000 youth and families each year – and builds on their strengths to help them gain skills for success.  At Good Shepherd we respect the dignity and worth of every person and reject intolerance, inequity and injustice in whatever form it may take. Voted one of the top 100 places to work in NYC by Crain’s New York, Good Shepherd Services offers a fantastic work environment, a collaborative team dedicated to fulfilling our mission, and an amazing array of benefits. Join our team and help make a difference! 

For Full Time Employees Benefits/Perks:

• Tuition Assistance Program
• Generous paid time off (Including 5 Self-Care Days/Floating Holidays, 12 Sick Days, 15 Vacation Days, and 11 Holidays)
• Healthcare Plans (Medical, Dental, Vision, and Pet Care)
• 403(b) Plan (GSS contributes 3% of your salary to your 403(b) plan after 3 years of service, with contributions increasing over time) 

Candidates hired in this position will work in person but will have the flexibility to work remotely when program need allows

Salary:                  $65,000 - $70,000

Job Summary: The Program Director at The Community School at PS 224 will oversee all aspects of the development and execution of the community school model. Focus on developing and deepening relationships within the New York City Public Schools, and other community partners. Director will coordinate several core components of the community school initiative, which include attendance interventions, parent engagement activities, social and emotional wellness programs, and community outreach, as well as oversee all Good Shepherd programming. Working from a strength-based foundation, the GSS youth and family development model addresses the engagement and achievement needs of students with the goal of achieving consistent educational focus and progress. The Director will continually assess the needs of the school and coordinate internal and external resources to meet those needs. 

Major Duties:    

• Work closely with the school principal to provide leadership in coordinating the work of different partners and aligning the work of partners within the school.
• Oversee implementation of all aspects of the Community School model
• Work collaboratively with school administrators and staff to develop, implement, and assess the Community School initiatives within the school.
• Develop strong relationships with parents, students, and teachers. Ensure that all stakeholders understand what a community school is and how it supports student achievement- especially regarding developing, implementing, and assessing the Community School initiatives.
• Coordinate and co-facilitate interactive, experiential workshops and activities for GSS weekly school-day and after-school programs and ensure the implementation of quality programming.
• Work with New York City Public Schools counterparts to support the Parent Association, School Leadership team, campus safety team to support the development of the school's Community School Plan and/or community school components of the school's CEP.
• Identify the needs of chronically absent and high-needs students, apply interventions, track, and monitor the impact of interventions every week as part of weekly attendance meetings to determine the ongoing needs of students and families to address barriers to school attendance.
• Provide support, management, and supervision of staff, including daily tasks management, weekly staff check-ins.
• Manage and conduct attendance outreach, recruitment, and retention services, including attendance monitoring/data review, data entry, conferences, attendance incentive activities, and phone calls.
• Organize special events, including annual Community Forum, mini-conferences, parent nights, performances, and other events.
• Identify local community resources and broker new partnerships aligned with school goals and needs.
• Work collaboratively with central office departments (HR, Fiscal, Government Contracts, Facilities, IT, Development and PEP), providing data and reports as needed in a timely manner.
• Oversee all operational logistics of program:  hiring including clearances, schedules, check requests and petty cash, special events, etc.
• Meet contractual/funder requirements regarding statistical and written reports, database management and accountability. (NYCPS, and OCS)
• Take the lead in supporting partner schools in improving attendance by attending all school attendance meetings, developing metrics for analysis and communication, monitoring success in increasing attendance numbers, and analyzing attendance challenges through a strength-based and Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

Qualifications:  

• Bachelor’s Required.
• Must be able to engage in crisis intervention activities and demonstrate, lead, and teach a range of group activities.
• Must have a commitment to work from a strength-based and/or youth development perspective.
• Experience working within the New York City Public Schools and knowledge of policies and protocols.
• Experience in community organizing and/or community outreach.
• Experience supervising personnel and managing teams is required.
• Ability to work collaboratively and build strong relationships with school administrators, teachers, and community partners.
• Commitment to and understanding of working in culturally diverse settings and using antiracist pedagogical practices.

Good Shepherd Services is an equal opportunity employer that is proudly committed to becoming an anti-racist and multicultural organization that stands up for justice and equity. We welcome prospective employees from diverse backgrounds, for administrative support and direct service and leadership roles, who will join us on that journey, uphold our values and approach, and believe in our mission. Additionally, we aim to have a racially representative leadership and workforce that is reflective of the communities we work in partnership with.

Good Shepherd Services is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, participants, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of our activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and termination of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services.

We are committed to providing a workplace that is accessible and accommodating to employees with disabilities. As part of our commitment to providing a barrier-free recruitment and selection process, we will provide reasonable accommodations upon request for candidates with disabilities. If you require any accommodations to participate in the hiring process, please inform us of your needs in advance. We value diversity and inclusivity in our workplace and encourage applicants of all abilities to apply.

Salary : $65,000 - $70,000