What are the responsibilities and job description for the GEAR UP Family and Community Coordinator | Position Grant Funded for Two Years position at Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools?
Background of This Position:
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is a federally funded discretionary grant program designed to increase the number of low-income students prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.
This position provides a variety of interventions to students and their families in grades six through year one of postsecondary education. Services include and are not limited to college visits, summer programs, career exploration, mentoring, job shadowing, tutoring, college advising, and financial aid workshops.
Nature and Scope:
Reporting to WS/FCS GEAR UP NC Liaison, the GEAR UP Family and Community Coordinator will be assigned to specific schools, to provide direct service and resources to students regarding post-secondary educational opportunities. The successful applicant must have a thorough understanding of the grant goals, objectives, and expectations. The position requires programmatic, evaluation, and counseling skills. The GEAR UP Family and Community Coordinator and local school district staff will work cooperatively to establish positive, sustainable family engagement and community partnerships for district GEAR UP schools.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Encourage eligible students to participate in GEAR UP NC activities.
- Assist students in establishing CFNC.org (College Foundation of North Carolina) to promote college access awareness and readiness.
- Implement and coordinate comprehensive pre-college programs for family members of GEAR UP students that include and are not limited to career exploration, academic planning and preparation, college visits, mentoring, and financial planning.
- Serve as a postsecondary planning resource for GEAR UP students and their families.
- Serve as a liaison between the GEAR UP NC staff, school personnel, parents, and the community at large; raising awareness of the benefits of post-secondary education.
- Leverage community partnership and support to assist GEAR UP students and families to establish and increase college savings accounts.
- Work cooperatively with families, community organizations, and district educators to provide student and family summer enrichment activities inclusive of academic awareness, job-shadowing, college visits, etc.
- Attend local and national GEAR UP meetings, institutes, and conferences.
- In cooperation with the Central Office liaison and other school administrators, prepare and submit comprehensive evaluative reports. Maintain data collection of GEAR UP family activities and record student progress. Provide continuous feedback to the WSSU GEAR UP administrative staff regarding project benchmarks and outcomes.
- It is essential for the GEAR UP Family and Community Coordinator to have a thorough understanding of the WSSU GEAR UP grant goals, objectives, and expectations.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Strong background in education/counseling.
- Prior successful work experience with pre-college students.
- Strong knowledge of educational and financial aid opportunities.
- Superior written and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to conduct effective workshops and presentations.
- Ability to work effectively with school personnel, parents, community leaders, and students.
- Strong interpersonal and networking skills.
- Commitment to the value of higher education.
- Ability to serve as a positive role model for students.
Education and Experience Requirements:
The successful candidate will have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree plus two (2) years of work experience in a school or community setting.
PREFERRED: Ability to speak, translate, and/or interpret multiple languages
Strong social media acumen
Pay Grade 68 - Full-Time - 12 Months - Minimum Monthly Salary $3,306
When applying, please make sure to include all prior experience in your application.
Please provide at least two references. One must be the current or most recent supervisor and the other a previous supervisor.