Beacon School Director

ABOUT US
The mission of New York Edge is to help bridge the opportunity gap among underserved students by providing programs designed to improve academic performance, health and wellness, self-confidence, character and attitudes for success in life.
Our Vision to the Beacon Program Model: To partner and collaborate in an even deeper way with schools to ensure high quality education, support and opportunities are made available to youth, families and the community.
New York Edge as the CBO Partner: New York Edge works towards building a collaborative environment with each school partner resulting in the best approach for each school community. To support this approach, New York Edge established a department that works exclusively with our schools partners to build capacity and ensure that strong outcomes are obtained for students, their families and the communities we serve.
Beacon Programs offer a holistic approach to supporting families by strong, collaborative partnerships among principals, parents, teachers, community resources, co-locators and sub-contractors. In Beacon programs, parents are real and active partners in their children's education, the school climate is joyful and positive, and expanded learning opportunities are available to the entire family and immediate community.
Beacons are a strategy to organize resources and share leadership to integrate social services into the fabric of the schools. Beacon Programs are equipped to better serve the needs of families and the community.
An integral part of this approach is the integration and alignment of school- and community-based services and resources throughout an expanded day (such as health, mental health, counseling and academic enrichment). Critical to ensuring this alignment and coordination is a full-time staff person in the school building - the Beacon School Director (BSD). The BSD should establish a visible presence within the school building and community assuming a strong leadership role.
Summary:
The Beacon Program Director (BD) has overall accountability for the growth, quality and success of the Beacon program, operation, its students, families, and staff. The primary responsibility of the BD is to manage the day-to-day operations in order to ensure that New York Edge's quality standards and guidelines are met and that the program is meeting all contract requirements. The Beacon Director works in conjunction with key school personnel and New York Edge staff to implement the Beacon Program Model. He/she fosters an atmosphere of fun and learning utilizing a broad range of sports and arts related activities where the concept of teamwork and sportsmanship can flourish and serve as a role model to all participants. The BD always conducts him/herself in the utmost professional manner and always maintains appropriate boundaries. He/she will also be responsible for assessing community needs, developing and implementing new programs/services, and overseeing and managing the overall operations of the programs serving children and their families. The position is strong on relationship building, oversight of participants and staff while adhering to numerous administrative responsibilities.
Essential Job Functions:
Programmatic Oversight

• Responsible for all site activities including those during various operational shifts.
• Accountable for ensuring New York Edge maintains an emotionally and physically safe environment for youth and families that meets all compliance and safety requirements set forth by the organization, DOE, DOH, DYCD and applicable labor laws.
• Establishes a combination of program activities to provide academic tutoring, GED, ESL, Immigration, and Legal services all geared to promote growth and learning among participants. Additional services will include Adult Education programs, medical support, skill-driven sports, fitness and wellness activities, and visual and performing arts instruction for youth and adults.
• Organizes special and culminating events, including showcases that highlight participant achievement.
• Responsible for the development and implementation of innovative and age appropriate curriculums, enrichment and educational activities, taking into consideration participant needs and abilities.
• Creates and distributes schedule of all activities and ensures appropriate record keeping and reporting of all participant attendance.
• Familiar with and adheres to all New York Edge procedures for trips, transportation, and events.
• Ensures youth and their families are properly informed and prepared for all special events.
• Prepares and distributes written materials, including flyers, brochures, newsletters, and posting on the school's bulletin board.
• Promotes positive character development in all youth, and young participants.
• Resolves any participant related issues as they arise.
• Responsible for recruitment and supervision of participants. This may include calling, e-mailing, and posting announcements, holding information sessions, and other strategies to motivate participants to enroll and continue participation on a consistent basis.
• Working with the school leadership team, New York Edge HR Department; responsible for recruitment and supervision of dedicated staff that meet the highest standards of qualifications in being able to carry out the New York Edge mission and goals of the Beacon Program.
• Provides site based support, development and recognition for all staff in the Beacon program in order to ensure success in the implementation of program objectives.
• Takes photographs of site activities and provides to New York Edge's Development, and Communications Department.
• Build relationships and mechanisms to effectively link the school day to expanded learning opportunities for families and members of the community.
• Collaborates with Chief Program Officer and School Leadership Team on all subcontract and co-located activities performed at site prior to commencement of any services.

Relationship and Partnership Management

• Cultivates and forges positive relations with Principal, Assistant Principals, school district administrators, teachers, parents and parent coordinators and other key constituents in the community while actively seeking to raise awareness of the Beacon program.
• Establishes parent involvement in areas of advocacy, special events, daily operations, education, and trips.
• Promotes the Beacon program in the community through flyer distribution, school visits, and attendance at meetings.
• Creates and distributes program updates, attends outreach events and establishes successful communication as the organization's lead ambassador.
• Identifies and utilizes community resources, including other schools, libraries, community and local government agencies.
• Keeps Principal and New York Edge informed of pertinent site information, including any challenges in fulfilling responsibilities.
• Serve as an advisor to the principal, providing leadership for coordinating the work of different partners within the school, and aligning the work of school-based partners with the Beacon staff, co-locators, and subcontractors including but not limited to organizing and leading CBO providers meetings.
• Organize and oversee assets and needs assessments and seek input from teachers, school staff, parents and students to determine ongoing needs of students and families.
• Serve as a point person for agencies and programs interested in partnering with the school, and help broker new partnerships that are aligned with Beacon goals and community needs.
• Work with the Parent Coordinator to ensure that families have meaningful opportunities to participate in the Beacon program.
• Facilitates alliances and partnerships with City agencies and non-profit partners to establish a continuum of services for students.
• Support New York Edge, school, and partner agencies with resource management and development, including fund development and grant maintenance.
• Participate in school governance, community school team meetings, and specialized meetings such as Beacon Advisory Council.

Operations

• Ensures the site is compliant with DOE, DOH, and DYCD regulations and timelines.
• Monitors and ensures all program compliance, including but not limited to participant registration, ratios, attendance tracking, IDs, and building permits.
• Ensures that participant attendance information is being properly collected and entered into DYCD online data portal.
• Ensures that new hires have taken appropriate steps prior to beginning work assignments (i.e., DOE background clearance, attended and completed required trainings, and all required HR paperwork completed).
• Ensures timesheets are accurately completed and submitted on ADP on time.
• Maintains accurate records on site (i.e., file box, staff files, program flyers, materials, schedule and curriculum).
• Reports site injuries via appropriate forms and immediately communicates incidents with school, New York Edge, and DYCD.
• Ensure budget compliance and submission of any required documents or reports to DYCD and New York Edge.
• Tracks and cares for all equipment and supplies used by Beacon Program.
• Manage program administrative requirements such as workscope development and reporting schedule to satisfy funder requirements.
• Attend training and development sessions as deemed by management and conducive to the needs of the organization and ongoing professional development.
• Ensure staff attend training and professional development as offered by the organization.

Required Skills:

• Passion for New York Edge mission and community development.
• Reliable, organized and punctual
• Knowledge of effective sports, arts, and academic programming
• Expert understanding of New York City and New York State education requirements in an urban setting
• Minimum of five years experience managing a community based program.
• Strong leader and team-builder
• Ability to resolve conflicts and negotiate solutions
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with program staff, school partners, and community partners
• Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills with proven ability to interact with a diverse range of individuals both in person and over the phone, applying tact and discretion as situations demand.
• Must have excellent organizational, time management and follow-up skills.
• Must be able to clearly articulate outcome requirements and provide the necessary and appropriate resources and support for Beacon staff to successfully deliver on objectives.
• Responsible and professional conduct that serves as role model to staff and families.
• Exhibits strong character traits and exercises patience and creativity while seeking win-win scenarios.
• Ability to set priorities and meet deadlines.
• Must demonstrate ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and Word.
• Ability to skillfully work with a variety of stakeholders and possess an innate ability to "codeswitch" when communicating with students, parents, teachers, administrators, CBO personnel, community leaders and members.
• Experience in staff development and proactive supervision techniques.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required with preference in Education, Psychology, or Social Work.
• At least 18.0 credit hours from an accredited college or university in the field of Education.
• Knowledge of DYCD goals and their impact on the Beacon school initiative.
• Prior work experience in urban education, including supervisory experience.
• Teaching and afterschool management experience preferred.
• Case management experience with a deep understanding of how a referral process can be implemented among partner programs.
• Demonstrated work experience in building relationships to advance program goals and objectives, preferably in a community development setting.
• Ability to maintain calm during tense situations and negotiations with a strong ability to create consensus and persuade diverse constituents.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex budgets.
• Knowledge of language and cultures of program participants and their communities; ability to integrate this knowledge into service delivery.
• Systems thinker, data-driven decision maker with data utilization know-how.
• Minimum of five years of supervisory experience.
• All Beacon Directors are required to complete a mandatory 15-hour OCFS Health and Safety Classroom course within three (3) months of employment to maintain Department of Health and Mental Hygiene compliance at site.

To apply, please visit our website at newyorkedge.org/careers
At time of offer and acceptance, the job requires safety and security clearances through the Department of Education and Department of Health.
New York Edge is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
Disclaimer: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee in this position. These statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of a person in this position.