College Preparatory Coordinator, La Vida, Inc.

Organization Link
La Vida, Inc.
Position Description

The Board of Directors of La Vida, Inc. is seeking an experienced professional to serve as the College Preparatory Coordinator of the La Vida Scholars program and to develop and deliver college prep services for La Vida Youth Enrichment Services.

The Organization

La Vida, Inc. has been helping immigrant families in the Latino community of Lynn since 1996. La Vida serves the spiritual and material well-being of area Latino youth and adults by providing programs such as ESOL and citizenship. In 2001 it started its first after-school program called Youth Enrichment Services (YES) to help middle school and high school students do better in school and life. Since 1998, students have come to La Vida on an open enrollment basis for supervised homework, remedial instruction, and tutoring in English, Math and ESL. Other La Vida programs include English as a Second Language, citizenship and Adult Spanish Literacy classes.

In 2007, La Vida created the La Vida Scholars (LVS) program to provide a path to college for Latino honor roll students. It began with fifteen high school sophomores who were competitively selected. Family involvement is required, and parents sit on the Advisory Board which sets policy. Families are challenged to make monthly deposits into a college savings program to be matched by La Vida. Programmatic activities include:

* Completing college and scholarship applications * Visiting colleges * Talks by college admissions staff as well as successful Lynn citizens * SAT and MCAS classes * Counseling * Receiving instructional support in maintaining high grades * Leadership training * Community service including tutoring peers in the La Vida YES program * Monthly workshops for parents on college preparation

The program presently has two cohorts of fifteen students each (10th and 11th graders) with each cohort meeting twice a week for three hours a day. A third cohort is about to be selected which will bring the program full capacity of up to fifty students in the fall of 2009, with 12th graders attending open office hours for one-to-one advising.

Funding for the program comes from private donations to La Vida. An application is in process to complement this funding with public funding under the Independent Development Account (IDA) program.

The Challenge

Nearly half of the 13,300 students in the Lynn public schools are Hispanic. As in many other Massachusetts communities, Latinos in Lynn struggle to finish high school. Last year's four-year graduation rate for them was 66 percent, about 15 percent below the overall state average. Nationally, 47 percent of Hispanic students last year earned bachelor's degrees six years after enrolling in college, almost 10 percent below the average for all students according to US Department of Education data.

The Position

The full-time College Preparatory Coordinator works closely with students to encourage and mentor them in committing themselves to attend college while challenging them to find a college that best fits their needs. The family-centered approach requires regular contact with parents to increase their involvement to ensure their child's success in the program including maintenance of monthly education savings deposits.

S/he will report directly to the Executive Director and will assist her in raising funding for the program and in administering the college savings program. The Coordinator will work closely with all La Vida staff and its advisory board.

Key responsibilities for LVS include but are not limited to:

* Create and adhere to program work plan
* Recruit 10th grade students each year in a competitive selection process
* Prepare Scholars for college through academic and social/emotional support
* Assist students in maintaining honor roll status by providing tutoring
* Arrange classes for MCAS and SAT instructors to prepare students
* Oversee selection and completion of college and financial aid applications for each student
* Research and distribute information about available college scholarships for Scholars
* Maintain accurate and timely records of students' and program progress
* Manage the La Vida Scholars Advisory Board
* Develop and maintain relationships with colleges including admissions, financial aid and support staff
* Coordinate visits at colleges
* Supervise the LVS Assistant Coordinator
* Follow up with students during their college years as they draw down their education savings fund
* Strategize and implement methods to promote and maintain alumni engagement in LVS

Key responsibilities for YES include but are not limited to:

* Adapt the LVS college prep module for the YES program
* Prepare and deliver the sequence of lessons to YES students
* Train, mentor and supervise YES instructors and tutors
* Manage the college preparatory module
* Conduct program assessment
* Serve as liaison to the YES Advisory Board
* Network with staff of other comparable afterschool programs

Qualifications

* Passion for the mission and ability to involve others
* Bachelor's degree in education, social work or related field
* College prep experience with knowledge of all types of college opportunities and demonstrated ability to provide college prep advising to first generation students and families
* Professional experience as a teacher, manager, college counselor or college advisor
* Bilingual in Spanish preferred
* Experience working with Latino youth preferred
* Ability to multi-task and organize
* Good oral and written communication skills; ability to write and present well
* Willingness to work in a faith-based (Catholic) organization
* Proficiency with Microsoft Office - Word, Excel, and Power Point
* Willingness to complete CORI check
* Willingness to periodically work evenings and on weekends

Health care benefits are available

To apply, please send cover letter, resume and salary history to Susan Egmont at:

segmont@egmontassociates.com (attached files only in Microsoft Word) or at Egmont Associates,
85 East India Row #24F
Boston, MA 02110.

E-mail is preferred.

Compensation
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