2025 Learning Director - DC Metro

Higher Achievement, a nationally acclaimed nonprofit organization partnering with middle school scholars as they pursue their ambitions, is seeking a Learning Director at the DC Metro Affiliate. An ideal candidate is an engaging leader in an upbeat after school environment, can work extremely consistently and collaboratively with internal staff, school leadership, families, and external stakeholders, and is able to build connection and reliability through fun, safe and consistent structures for scholars!

Summary & Timeline:

The Learning Director hired will have the privilege of leading the relaunch of our Ward 8 Achievement Center for the 2025-2026 Afterschool Academy year at Achievement Preparatory Academy in Washington, DC.

• Summary of Duties Upon Start through August 2025:
  • Reporting to the Executive Director throughout the Spring Semester of the current 2024-2025 Afterschool Academy program year, the Learning Director will focus on building a strong and collaborative relationship with key personal at the Ward 8 host site, Achievement Preparatory Academy. This will require regular meetings and visits to the school to establish a presence and increase Higher Achievements visibility.
  • Recruiting Achievement Prep scholars to start the program in September 2025 will also be a primary area of focus and our recruitment efforts will be planned, organized and implemented with the support and input of Achievement Prep leadership. Recruitment events will consist of presenting to students, teachers and families, as well as hosting events at the school.
  • As a primary focal point, this individual will observe and support 5 active DC Metro centers as a way to become more familiar with Higher Achievement culture and programming.
  • The person in this role will be leading the planning and preparation for the launch of the Ward 8 Achievement Center in the fall of 2025.
  • This position will transition to reporting to the Director of Program Operations during the summer months in 2025.

• General Summary of Duties: Learning Director, reporting to the Director of Program Operations, ensures Higher Achievement scholars achieve academic and social emotional learning (SEL) goals and outcomes, working towards our anchor indicator of preparation for and placement in college preparatory programs. The Learning Director has the incredible opportunity and responsibility of ensuring that all of the components of our program model and all of the supporting staff and volunteers are effectively driving towards academic gains, social and emotional development and preparation for high school.

Program Model:

Higher Achievement showers our scholars with academic opportunities through a proven year-round program model that includes afterschool programming from September-May or June (depending on center) and summer initiatives such as college trips and summer meetings with all Higher Achievement families. Core programming that takes place within Afterschool Academy consists of learning blocks, mentoring, community meeting, electives and field trips.

• Learning Blocks: Scholars receive academic support, including HW help, HS application prep, or supplemental work aligned to in-school content
• Mentoring: In small groups of 3-4 scholars, scholars work with a Mentor as they complete our High School Readiness curriculum which focuses on community exploration, learning about high schools, goal setting, and high school application preparation
• Community Meeting: Scholars engage in activities, challenges, and projects focused on relationship-building and SEL skills
• Electives: Multiple times a week scholars have the opportunity to participate in enrichment opportunities that vary across sites. Examples of electives are art, yoga, chess, dance, sports, cooking and robotics
• Field Trips: Field trips are exposure opportunities for scholars and they are offered 3x during the year: fall, spring, and summer (college trip).

Job Details:

• Start Date: anticipated to start February 17th, 2025
• Supervisor: Executive Director through May 2025, Director of Program Operations effective June 2025
• Directly Manages: 1-3 Part Time Staff and Volunteers
• Indirectly Manages: n/a
• Works closely with: Senior Manager of Volunteers and Curriculum, the Mentor and Volunteer Manager and Program Support Fellows
• Position Status: Full-Time, Exempt

• Remote Status: Hybrid (In-person for all center operational hours, for two in-office days and for any mission critical activities and relationship building events)
• Schedule/Hours: Works Monday through Friday. Occasional weekend availability is required. During Afterschool Academy program, on center days (3 days a week) works on average 11:00 am to 7:00 pm schedule; on non-center days, works a standard business schedule, 9:00 am- 5:00 pm and Friday hours are 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. During the summer, works on average Monday-Thursday, 9:00 am- 5:00 pm and Friday, 9:00 am 1:00 pm. All hours are excluding an up to 30 min lunch break (optional).
• Location: This position must be within commuting distance of our DC Metro Higher Achievement office.
• Travel: Candidate must have the ability to travel in between main office and Achievement Center(s) on a daily basis via reliable transportation and attend events in the location area on a regular basis. Occasional weekend availability is required, as well as availability for one annual three day overnight college trip each summer.
• Compensation & Benefits: The pay for this DC Metro position is $64,274.87 annual salary. Higher Achievement offers competitive benefits, including:

Insurance Plans:

• 100% Higher Achievement paid insurance for the employee (medical, dental, life, and long and short-term disability insurance, virtual health & wellness support through CALM and CareFirst), eligible from the date of hire; dependents can be enrolled on medical and dental and Higher Achievement pays 50%.
• Vision insurance and supplemental insurance (critical illness and accident) available, eligible from the date of hire; paid for 100% by the employee for the individual and all dependents

Paid Leave Options:

• Six weeks (240 hours) of paid annual leave per fiscal year that can be used for vacation, sick, or personal days, accruing at the rate of 9.23 hours per bi-weekly pay period.
• Paid Breaks and Early Closures: Winter (1 Week) & Summer Break (1 Week) & 1 PM Closures on Fridays! (Fiscal Year 2024-25)
• Twelve (12) official paid holidays each calendar year
• Five Year Recess: One month off (160 hours). Five years of continuous full-time employment required.
• Parental Leave: Two work weeks (80 hours). Must be used for the birth of an employees own child or the placement of a child with the employee in connection with adoption or foster care.

Additional Benefits:

• 403 (b) Retirement Plan with company match: Employees are eligible to participate from the date of hire. At the end of the employee's second year of full-time employment, Higher Achievement makes a one-time match up to $3,000 of the employee's contributions. After that, Higher Achievement offers an ongoing annual contribution of 5% of the employee's salary. Employees can participate voluntarily at any time.
• Tuition advancement funds and Professional Development Funds

What Youll Do! Key Duties and Responsibilities

Focus During the Spring Semester 2025 (Start Date- May 2025)

• Observe programming and support as needed across 5 different DC Metro achievement center locations through the end of Afterschool Academy 2024-2025
• Work with Executive Director to build relationship with a host school site for launching of the Ward 8 Achievement Center
• Network and build partnerships within the Ward 8 district community to build out a strong programming for the launching of the Ward 8 Achievement Center
• In collaboration with Achievement, Prep, build & initiate a scholar recruitment plan to recruit 5th and 6th grade scholars, between 25-30 total

Post May 2025, this role will focus on all planning and preparation duties for the 2025-2026 Afterschool Academy program year, assuming all general Learning Director duties listed below.

Scholar and Family Support

• Ensure scholars are meeting academic and social and emotional learning (SEL) targets that prepare them for college-preparatory high school programs. This includes ensuring scholars maintain A/Bs; or improve their grades in core courses. maintain or improve SEL indicators, and successfully apply to college preparatory programs their eighth-grade year
• Use data to provide ongoing assessment of scholars performance, including in-depth academic evaluations and evaluations of scholar attendance, participation, and social development; make recommendations for programmatic changes based on data when appropriate
• Support scholar recruitment efforts led by the DPO and retain a pre-determined scholar roster
• Maintain consistent communication on scholars academic and SEL progress, and attendance with parents, host school staff and volunteers
• Facilitate orientations for scholars and parents
Ensure scholar information such as attendance, grades, behavior, parent communication and contact information is stored accurately on Salesforce

Staff and Volunteer Management

• Effectively manage the team of staff and volunteers that together meet the academic and SEL needs of all scholars
• Ensure programming is of high quality by providing instructional and SEL coaching to staff and volunteers. This includes conducting regular observations and sharing constructive feedback to volunteers and staff on a regular basis
• Develop a strong understanding of the district clearance process and support staff and volunteers as they complete the necessary requirements
• Directly manage between one and two full-time employees' year- round, the Learning Coordinator(s) and an AmeriCorps Achievement Fellow (depending on the location), and implement Higher Achievement management practices
• Based on scholar rosters, manage part-time staff and volunteers, where applicable, including recruitment, hiring, training, coaching, performance management, and compliance

Center Management

• Ensure the center operates safely, smoothly, and follows Higher Achievements program model. This includes creating a center culture that develops a love of learning, builds on Higher Achievements social justice pillars, voice, freedom, justice, and solidarity, and is youth-focused
• Director oversight and responsibility of four core components of programming: Learning Blocks, Community Meeting, Electives and Field Trips
• Responsible for program quality regarding Learning Blocks, Community Meeting, Electives and Field Trips
• Plan, lead and facilitate Community Meetings. Learning Coordinators are available to co-lead and assume responsibilities during this portion of the evening as long as its planned and agreed upon.
• Ensure center staff is following scholar safety risk management procedures, including behavior management, scholar transitions, arrival and dismissal
• Coordinate schedules and logistics between Higher Achievement, host school, and outside partners
• Maintain oversight of the achievement centers supplemental budget as it relates to daily expenses and supplies

What Youll Need! Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Commitment to the mission and work of Higher Achievement

• Bachelors degree or post-secondary certification (related field) required

• Minimum of three years experience working directly with middle school youth in an educational setting required; teaching experience a plus

• Experience directly managing staff and/or volunteers required

• Experience in community building, mentoring and youth development strongly preferred

• Strong skills in planning, organizing, attention to detail, written and oral communication strongly preferred

• Experience building relationships and/or working with diverse community stakeholders, including families, schools/community partners, and corporate partners, including making public presentations and organizing community outreach efforts preferred

• Strong skills in technology such as Microsoft Office Suite and Salesforce and data analysis preferred

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred; candidates are fluent in English and strongly prefer applicants able to have conversations with families in Spanish

• Background & Clearance Check: This position requires a criminal background check prior to hire to include state/local municipalities, school district clearances and grant required checks. All clearance checks are paid by Higher Achievement

• Covid-19 Vaccinations: Higher Achievement requires proof of FULL Covid-19 vaccination for all Higher Achievement employees. Staff who are eligible to receive a booster shot as per current CDC guidelines will need to provide proof of receiving first Covid-19 booster shot, in addition to proof of having received the primary vaccination series. Unless an accommodation has been granted by HA, proof of vaccination is required before employment may begin.

Higher Achievement Core Values:

• Scholar-Centricity: The organizations work is focused on empowering the scholars we serve. We make every decision with them in mind. We foster authentic relationships with scholars and their families, where we create opportunities with them, not for them.

• Striving for Excellence: We set high expectations for ourselves and our scholars. This begins by recognizing the talents that people bring to the organization and utilizing them. We continually learn and improve through the use of a range of qualitative and quantitative data sources and thoughtful reflection in order to help our scholars, staff, and organization achieve their goals.

• Power of Community: We collaborate with our communities to develop and cultivate mutually beneficial and authentic relationships. We embrace learning, celebrate the uniqueness of each community, infuse joy within each of the communities we serve.

• Voice and Inclusion: We recognize the power of voice in an inclusive environment. We create spaces where everyone feels respected, valued, and has a sense of belonging. We acknowledge the power that is held in the voices of all of our stakeholders: staff, board, supporters, volunteers, partners, scholars and their families and elevate those that have been marginalized. We invite all voices into the conversation, authentically incorporate them into the decision-making process, and foster spaces for mutual listening and learning within our communities.

• Racial Equity: We address and acknowledge the systems of oppression that impact our scholars and families, and we work to provide them with tools to advocate for themselves to combat racial inequities. As an organization, we constantly confront our own biases and work to eliminate practices, policies, and messages that perpetuate inequalities. With an ongoing commitment to closing the opportunity gap, we seek justice and commit to taking action at the individual, interpersonal, organizational, and systemic levels.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

Work is regularly performed in a school setting. Employee may spend long periods of time sitting, standing, and walking, and climb stairs. Employee regularly lifts, carries, and positions objects weighting up to 20 pounds. Regular use of a computer and keyboard, telephone, and face-to-face communication in small and large group settings with youth and adults; ability to communicate clearly and professionally. Visual, auditory, and physical ability to respond quickly to incidents involving students and act in an emergency situation. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Organization and Our Mission

Higher Achievement, founded in 1975, closes the opportunity gap during the pivotal middle school years. Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. By leveraging the power of communities, Higher Achievements proven model provides a rigorous year-round learning environment, caring role models, and a culture of high expectations, resulting in college-bound scholars with the character, confidence, and skills to succeed. Higher Achievements model delivers academic enrichment grounded in social justice principles. Our afterschool program for 5th-8th grade scholars in Washington, DC, Alexandria, VA, Baltimore, MD, Richmond, VA, and Prince Georges County, MD combines small-group, high-impact tutoring with social-emotional skill building, culminating in placement in college preparatory high schools. More information about Higher Achievement may be found at: http://www.higherachievement.org

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Higher Achievement made a concrete commitment to racial equity, diversity and inclusion following the murder of George Floyd: Higher Achievement aims to be an anti-racist and inclusive organization where we aggressively work to improve equity and inclusion in all aspects of our organizational culture and operations, as they are pivotal to the success of our mission. These efforts are outlined in our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Plan which is renewed yearly, with oversight by our Director of DEI. The DEI Plan's Strategic Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are 1) to foster an inclusive and identity-affirming culture that reflects our Core Values; 2) demonstrate a prioritization of learning and develop inclusive training and tools that support, inspire, and engage staff; and 3) bring a DEI focus to policies and procedures from Center tours to staff recruitment and promotion, and beyond. We truly believe that to be an organization that intentionally and sustainably centers DEI, all staff members and partners must embed DEI into their daily work.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

Higher Achievement is a proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an workplace where opportunities are available to all team members and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to building a team that represents diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better we will be.

To Apply: Interested applicants are encouraged to apply immediately with resume via our Job Board by going to http://www.higherachievement.org/careers. Priority deadline is January 3rd, 2025, 12 midnight. Applications submitted after priority deadline may be considered after all priority applications. Please, no phone calls, emails or recruiters.