High School Postsecondary Access Counselor

Position Reports to: Deputy Director of Postsecondary Access

Core Relationships: Postsecondary Readiness Teacher, Scholars High School Leadership Team and Faculty

Start Date: Immediate

Hours: 8:00AM-4:30 + some out of school time responsibilities; this is a 12-month role

Compensation: The salary for this role is $70,000 - 81,000 East Harlem Scholars Academies also offers a comprehensive benefits package.

FLSA Status: Exempt

Who We Are

East Harlem Scholars Academies are community-based Pre-K to 12 public charter schools operated by East Harlem Tutorial Program (EHTP). EHTP began in 1958 as a children's reading group and has since grown into a multi-site after-school program for traditional public school students and a network of public charter schools focused on significantly increasing the college graduation rate in East Harlem. We are on track to serve at least 25% of East Harlem students by 2025, with enrollment for this year at approximately 2200 students in our schools and after school programs. In 2020, 99% of our seniors were accepted to college, and our current scholars in college are on-track to graduate at eight times the national average of their peers.

At EHTP we also aim to serve as an agent of change and thoughtfully contribute to the national fight for racial equity. Through our organization-wide commitment to anti-racism work, we prepare our scholars to effect change, challenge the status quo, and thrive in the world around them. As staff members, we face our own racial identities and conscious and unconscious biases. With this in mind, all of our professional development, curriculum, organizational materials, and processes are designed with a goal of racial justice. Read our racial equity statement here.

We ground all of our work in racial equity, in our core values, and in our four guiding pursuits: the Revolutionary Pursuit of Love, the Radical Pursuit of Knowledge, the Responsive Pursuit of Healing, and in the Relentless Pursuit of Results. These pursuits inform and are reflected in our current four key strategic priorities: to increase high-impact, high-quality academic curriculum, programming content, staff capacity, and coaching; to embrace and advance our use of technology; to deepen our embodiment of ethical and equitable radical humanity; and to efficiently operationalize teaching, learning, community, and care.

For more information about Scholars Academies, please visit us at www.eastharlemscholars.org.

About the Opportunity

The Postsecondary Access Counselor will collaborate with other members of the Network Postsecondary Team and the larger Scholars High School community to support our graduates in the Class of 2024. The Postsecondary Access Counselor will work to create a culture of postsecondary success, create opportunities for college and career exploration and exposure, and implement a college and career readiness curriculum (i.e., exploring student's interests, skills, and postsecondary options). Additionally, the Postsecondary Access Counselor is the primary point person for a caseload of approximately 35-40 seniors throughout the postsecondary discernment process, ensuring successful scholar applications to colleges, job training programs, and financial aid as relevant.

What Qualifies You

• You have 2-3 years of professional experience in college counseling, college access and success programs, or related fields
• You have experience working with diverse populations of students and communities, including students with a broad range of academic profiles and financial resources.
• You have experience developing and facilitating workshops and classes for students, staff, and caregivers.
• You have knowledge of the postsecondary discernment process, with specific knowledge of CUNY/SUNY/NYS Opportunity Programs preferred.
• You are familiar with PowerSchool and SCOIR (or other college guidance management systems) to track and report on key metrics
• You have a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities of working with First Generation, Black, Brown, and/or economically-vulnerable college-bound students and caregivers
• You have strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
• You have experience working in and enjoy a fast-moving, and entrepreneurial environment
• You hold yourself to high professional and ethical standards
• You have a Bachelor's Degree
• You speak Spanish (preferred but not required)

Areas of Leadership

Direct Work with Scholars (60%)

• Support scholars in cohort with setting and achieving identified postsecondary goals after High School graduation, including successful completion of applications to college and career training programs and for financial aid, including New York State opportunity programs.
• Plan and facilitate Postsecondary Seminar for juniors and seniors, including both teaching regular whole-class lessons on critical postsecondary content and facilitating small group work sessions for students, with the support from other members of the Postsecondary Team.
• Develop relationships with caregivers and communicate regularly around the postsecondary discernment process, including leading caregiver workshops.
• Support Postsecondary Success staff with transitioning seniors into the Success program during the summer months through programming and individual check-ins.

Tracking Postsecondary Progress (20%)

• Develop and implement school-wide systems for tracking student application data, financial data, and school documents in collaboration with the Deputy Director, Postsecondary Access and Data Team.
• Ensure that transcripts, counselor recommendations, school reports, and other required school documents for scholars in caseload are sent before deadlines in collaboration with the Postsecondary and Data Teams.
• Accurately input and regularly update data for scholars in caseload on a weekly basis, including but not limited to institutions and programs applied to; financial documentation, financial aid eligibility and application completion; financial aid packages; selection for scholarships, honor programs, and opportunity programs; and application and matriculation decisions.
• Communicate regularly with the Inclusive Learning Team to ensure scholars are successfully supported in transition planning.

Facilitating Postsecondary School-Wide (15%)

• Build and sustain a school-wide culture of postsecondary planning in conjunction with the Network Postsecondary Team in alignment with schoolwide vision on postsecondary success for all.
• Lead team-wide efforts in coordinating postsecondary representative visits, including from college and workforce development programs and FAFSA completion
• Support Deputy Director, Postsecondary Readiness with developing and delivering professional development for SHS staff, including around postsecondary messaging and letters of recommendation.
• Support a small group of juniors in the spring who are interested in and eligible for Posse, Questbridge, or selective Early Decision admissions.

Partnerships and Professional Development (5%)

• Seek out and develop partnerships with postsecondary programs, businesses, and non-profit organizations to support resources for scholars.
• Leverage external best practices and relevant research in the field to inform Postsecondary Access programming.
• Participate in professional development organizations (eg: NYSACAC, CACNY), as schedule allows.

Thank you for taking the time to submit your application.