Community Schools Director

This is a full time position at APEX Academy. 

ABOUT ASPIRE

Aspire Public Schools operates a network of high-performing, college preparatory charter schools serving scholars in communities across California. Founded in 1998—in an effort to transform the inequitable racial, social, and gender outcomes that our communities persist through—Aspire is one of the largest and most forward-thinking open-enrollment public charter school systems in the nation.

Our purpose is to prepare our scholars for success in college, career, and life. At Aspire, we set a foundation for our scholars to gain knowledge, skills, and power to access and make choices for their families and post-secondary lives. Every day, our community of students, families, teachers and staff comes together to learn, work, and play in an environment grounded in our values of Bienestar (Well-Being), Culture of Belonging, Community Partnership, Agency & Self-Determination, and Joy.

GENERAL SUMMARY

The Community School Director will be responsible for the design, implementation, and supervision of the California Community Schools Partnership Program preventions, interventions, and enrichment activities designed to support the holistic development of students and will co-design, develop, and facilitate/support all community school programming in the school. 

The Community School Director will develop relationships with school leaders, parents/families, and community organizations in order to successfully implement a community school strategy aligned to the California Community Schools Partnership Program.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Collaborate with the Principal, School Leadership Team, teachers, and student support staff to identify and coordinate academic, socio-emotional, and health resources for students and their families.
• Identify, cultivate, and formalize partnerships with community-based organizations and government agencies in the community that enrich the school environment and will provide services for children and families (e.g., mental health, afterschool, summer camps, arts, sports, health/dental, adult programs, mentoring, etc.).
• Facilitate the communication between and among the various community school stakeholders (students, families, school administration, teachers, student support staff, and community partners) to ensure open and transparent communication and information-sharing in order to support collaborative decision-making.
• Facilitate expanded health and wellness services at the school, including behavioral and mental health.
• Partner with school site leadership to increase and strengthen family support services, family engagement initiatives including English Learner Advisory Committee, School Site Council, and community building.
• Support attendance interventions and initiatives including partnering with external organizations to minimize barriers to attendance.
• Facilitate and support enrichment activities including those that occur during the school day, after school, and summer. 
• Collaborate with the School Leadership Team as well as Aspire Public Schools’ regional and home office staff to track programming progress and evaluate the effectiveness of activities.
• Lead the review and update process of the Community Schools Implementation Plan so that it reflects the progress and needs of the school, legislative updates to the California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) grant at the state level, and course corrections informed by a continuous improvement and school community engagement processes.
• Chair the school’s Community Schools Advisory Committee, which has broad representation from the school community, including the Principal, Assistant Principal, After School Program Director, Business Manager, teachers, student support staff, parents, and at least one representative from each external community schools partner
• Collaborate with the Principal to assure the high-quality functioning of other community school programming, including both internal interventions and through partnerships with current and new community partners.

Additional:

• The Community School Director will also sit on Aspire’s Regional Community Schools Advisory Group, which will be responsible for supporting the development and implementation of each school in the region’s priorities for the community schools project, reviewing data across the school sites to identify trends, and cultivating and leveraging regional and community resources so they are efficiently distributed where they are most needed.
• Demonstrate knowledge of, and support, the Aspire Public Schools mission, vision, value statements including antiracism, policies and procedures, operating instructions, confidentiality standards, and the code of ethical behavior 
• Actively seeks to improve and simplify Aspire’s approach to particular job functions
• Comfortable with utilization of technology in a remote environment
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES 

• Excellent relationship-building and management skills
• Strong communication, presentation and interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to write clearly and persuasively and interact effectively with different audiences
• Strong organization, time management and follow-up skills; high sense of urgency; demonstrated ability to successfully handle multiple projects concurrently; ability to work as a team
• Bilingual – Spanish speaking and writing
• Experience with leadership, including demonstrated strength in culture-building and leading peers
• Knowledge of Aspire procedures and policies related to students
• Demonstrated commitment to students and learning

Educational level:

• Associate’s degree or successful completion of 48 units of college credit required 
• Bachelors’ and/or Masters’ preferred

Experience required:

• A minimum of 1 year as a teacher, teacher intern, or teaching assistant preferred 
• Management experience in a nonprofit, school, or service business preferred

Physical requirements:

• Moving self in different positions to accomplish tasks in various environments including tight and confined spaces.
•  Remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods.
• Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another.
• Assessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned.
• Communicating with others to exchange information.
• Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers.

Work authorization requirements: 

• Clear the Department of Justice background screening
• Authorized to work in the United States
• Provide health (TB) clearance (must be renewed every four years)

Compensation:
Aspire Public Schools is dedicated to our teammate's well-being! In addition to a competitive base salary that is benchmarked against local districts and charter schools, we offer employees exceptional benefits, including paid time off, 100% core health benefits coverage on select plans, life insurance/long-term disability, participation in a CA state retirement plan, tuition reimbursement plan, and adoption assistance program. Our salary schedule based on years of experience for this position type is reflected here: 

Salary Range:$74,824-$105,015

Aspire Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. Aspire promotes affirmative action for minorities, women, disabled persons, and veterans. 

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