College And Career Coach

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 600+ schools and employing approximately 40,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments - student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.
The Network College & Career Coach is responsible for driving College and Career preparation strategy and activities within designated high schools, as well as monitoring and managing OSCPA key performance metrics. The Coach is responsible for implementing strategies that prepare Chicago Public School students for postsecondary opportunities. Chief among the responsibilities is to provide direct service to every high school student using a set of curricular and enrichment strategies delivered through the domains of awareness, readiness, access and success to promote long-term preparation for postsecondary transition.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:
Direct School Support

• Spearhead and support College and Career exploration and awareness activities
• Educate students on comprehensive set of College and Career options (college & career, in & out of state, 2-year & 4-year, corporate and entrepreneurial) through college & career exploration activities.
• Facilitate meetings between college representatives and students
• Serve as school-level point person for district-wide exploration and awareness activities.
• Establish and oversee school-based College and Career resource centers - includes scheduling, publicizing open hours (office hours), events
• Spearhead and support College and Career readiness activities
• Coordinate Work-Based Learning (WBL) activities with counselors, teachers, students, Partnership Development Team, Central Office
• Identify work-ready students and facilitate work-based learning experiences (site visits, job shadows, internships, guest speakers) during the school year and summer months
• Coordinate job shadow, career speaker and Career service events that promote College and Career preparation
• Support supplementary soft skill workshops
• Coordinate workshops that focus on writing, time management, technology and study skills
• Associated monthly metrics:
• % of students participating in soft-skills training
• Identify and connect students to enrichment activities (e.g., Summer Quest, TREO)
• Conduct ongoing college access workshops and coordinate college access activities for all grade levels that advises students about College and Career opportunities
• Meeting with students individually and in groups to discuss individual College and Career choices and College and Career access activities.
• Drive financial aid access activities school-wide.
• Conduct monthly workshops that informs and prepares students in 9-12 for financing their college education including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Drive scholarship activities school-wide.
• Prepare and process scholarship materials; establish, organize and meet with scholarship committees, make scholarship applications available, guide through the process
• Maintain information on institutions that offer scholarships
• Track scholarships received
• Associated monthly metrics:
• % of students completing at least 1 scholarship application
• Working with counseling team to track applications and maintain records on seniors, including GPA's and transcripts

Marketing and Outreach

• Facilitate parent outreach
• Keep parents, students and staff informed through regular communication (i.e. newsletter for parents, letters/emails/phone calls about test dates, application deadlines, college events, and financial aid)
• Conduct and/or coordinate College and Career informational presentations to parents
• Educate students and parents about career exploration and choice as well as colleges, the college admissions process, trends, procedures
• Promote College and Career going culture (share best practices and lead related PD for school-based staff)
• Establish productive relationships to ensure common understanding of OSCPA objectives and achieve shared goals at each school

Support the Naviance College and Career Planning/ Implementation and Usage

• Conduct comprehensive workshops preparing students for Naviance goal setting
• Monitor Naviance utilization at school level

Teamwork and Integration

• Participate in ongoing coach and counselor integrated support strategies using the American School Counselors (ASCA) implementation plan
• Participate in scheduled school planning sessions to develop key tools and strategies that promote the departments work
• Attend monthly OSCPA Coach professional development meetings

Supervision (where applicable):
The College and Career Coach position is full-time and reports directly to the Office of School Counseling and Postsecondary Advising (OSCPA) within the Office of College and Career Success, with the specific responsibility of directly supporting one of more designated school Networks in achieving their postsecondary-related outcomes.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR JOB:
Skills and abilities:

• Possesses an unyielding commitment to continuous improvement and an unwavering belief that all students can achieve at high levels
• Possesses the knowledge, principles and practices of academic and college/career development
• Maintains the ability to establish effective working relationships with students and parents; school, network and central office staff; and representatives from universities, businesses, government and community-based organizations
• Strong communicator: speaking, listening and writing
• Has a proven track record leading large-scale programs and/or projects
• Demonstrates a sense of urgency in accomplishing goals and objectives to ensure success
• Proficient in Windows Operating System and MS Office; strong internet skills
• Planning and budgeting capabilities
• Team player
• Ability to develop and maintain partnerships
• Must have a car, valid driver's license, and availability to work occasional evenings and weekends

Experience and Education Required:

• Possess a BA degree with 3-4 year of youth development and programming experiences.

Conditions of Employment
As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.
• Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 - Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. "Up-to-date" on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.