School on Wheels Massachusetts seeks 3 academic coaches for pilot program

Commonwealth Corps
Service Position Description

School on Wheels of Massachusetts
Tutoring Program
Commonwealth Corps Academic Coaches

The mission of the Commonwealth Corps is to engage Massachusetts residents of all ages and backgrounds in service to strengthen communities, address unmet community needs, and increase volunteerism.

Commonwealth Corps members with School on Wheels of Massachusetts will serve 10.5 months in a half-time capacity. What they have in common is a desire to put their talents and ideas to use in the service of their communities and the Commonwealth.

School on Wheels offers one-on-one tutoring and mentoring for students impacted by homelessness in kindergarten through 12th grade. These students experience greater incidences of repeated grades, placement in special education programs, and dropping out of school than do children who have never experienced homelessness. We have tutoring sites in Brockton, Stoughton, Norwell, Middleboro, and New Bedford. We are recruiting three Commonwealth Corps members for next year, to serve as Academic Coaches. These members will help School on Wheels develop and launch a new student assessment system to monitor student academic progress.

Responsibilities:

Essential

• Complete a minimum of 750 hours of service, serving through June 27, 2015.
• Attend all required Commonwealth Corps trainings and service events held by MSA and School on Wheels of Massachusetts, including a new member orientation on August 14 & 15, 2014.
• Participate in a minimum of 30 minutes of MSA-related activities each week (in person or virtually).
• Administer, enter, and analyze student assessments
• Create Customized Academic Plans for students
• Communicate with parents, tutors, and Site Coordinators
• Model activities for tutors and students
• Present 15 minute on-site trainings for tutors

Marginal

• Attend professional development opportunities
• Administer pre and post surveys to students

Qualifications:

Required

• Massachusetts residency and legal authorization to work in the United States
• 18 years of age or older
• Experience with or interest in volunteerism and community engagement
• Ability to balance service commitment with other family/work/school/community commitments in a sustainable way
• An interest in serving with children and the homeless population
• Strong organizational and communication skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and internet research

Preferred

• Teaching or tutoring experience
• Experience with children
• College Degree

Member Benefits:

• Stipend of $217.39 every other week while in service, up to $5,000, minus taxes and withholdings;
• Completion award of up to $1,000 upon successful completion of service, minus taxes and withholdings;
• Training and other professional development opportunities;
• Limited reimbursement for travel to Corps-wide MSA-sponsored activities;
• Limited travel reimbursement from their host site for certain service-related travel away from their usual service location, according to that agency’s policies;
• The opportunity for at least 5 part-time days of planned absences (may include holidays); and
• Opportunity to join with others with a common sense of purpose as part of the Commonwealth Corps.

Please note that receipt of these stipends/benefits may impact an individual’s eligibility for certain public benefits.

Term of Service:

• Position Start Date: August 14, 2014
• Position End Date: June 27, 2015
• Service commitment will include a combination of required hours and flex hours, which will average 20 hours per week during the following days/times:

REQUIRED HOURS
Monday 5:00-7:45pm
Tuesdays 5:00-7:45pm
Wednesday 5:00-7:45pm
Thursdays 5:00-7:45pm
One Saturday a month 10:00am-3:00pm

FLEX HOURS
In addition to the required hours, there will need to be an additional 8 hours throughout the week that will be scheduled once all academic coaches are selected and schedules options are reviewed.

Application Instructions:

• To apply, submit a cover letter and resume by June 1, 2014 to Jacquelyn Hylton at Jackie@sowma.org.

Accepted members will be required to undergo a criminal offender and sexual offender background check.

School on Wheels of Massachusetts will recruit and select persons in all positions to ensure a diverse and inclusive climate without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, color, political affiliation, creed, national origin, marital status, or any other status as protected by federal, state, and local laws.  School on Wheels of Massachusetts welcomes applications from individuals with disabilities and will make reasonable accommodations for interviews and for service upon request.

School on Wheels of Massachusetts
790 West Chestnut Street, Brockton, Ma 02301