Description

Associate, College and Career Access

Role Type: Full-Time

Location: Washington, DC

FLSA Status: Exempt

Who We Are

DC Prep is a network of public charter schools serving over 2,100 preschool through 8th grade students across six campuses in Wards 5, 7, and 8. The PrepNext Alumni Support program serves DC Prep alumni for ten years after middle school graduation, through high school and college and into career. While we’re proud to be one of the highest performing public charter networks in Washington, D.C., we recognize that how we support our students to be successful is as important as the results we achieve. That pushes us to reflect on questions such as how we can facilitate our students’ academic, social, and emotional development; how we can support our team members’ professional growth and personal ability to do this work long-term; and how we can engage our students’ families as our own.  While this work is hard, it’s worth it-- we believe in the transformative power of education, the agency of our students and staff, and the joy that comes from engaging in meaningful work with people we care about and trust.

Sound like a team you’d like to join?  Check out our website to learn more!

The Opportunity

In order to deliver on DC Prep’s mission and commitment to students and families, the PrepNext team provides holistic support to graduates of DC Prep as they pursue success in high school and college. Beginning in the spring of students’ 8th grade year, PrepNext works with students and families to support a strong transition to 9th grade; continued academic and personal success through high school; and robust college access counseling. PrepNext’s post-secondary team then continues to support students’ success through college. We are successful if our students build the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead self-sufficient, choice-filled lives. Achieving this goal requires an incredible team, and we need a dynamic Associate of College and Career Access with a wide set of skills and passions to support our team as we evolve as a program.

The Associate will provide holistic support to a caseload of 11th and 12th grade students at high schools across the DC region, working closely with the Associate Director to deliver evidence-based college access interventions and programming. The Associate will think creatively and proactively about how to best reach and impact our students, while leveraging college access experience to ensure that all advising is nuanced, accurate, and effective. Together, the Associate and Associate Director will  deepen our students’ understanding of their higher education options and support our students in developing strong, financially feasible, and individualized post-secondary plans to be implemented upon high school graduation. 

Key Responsibilities Include:

Providing intensive, individualized college and career counseling, as well as high school graduation support, to a caseload of approximately 120 seniors and juniors, primarily in person through high school visits and at various locations accessible to families, requiring ability to move easily through the area.
Support provided to juniors and seniors should result in a strong, financially feasible, and individualized post-secondary plan upon graduation that continues to build their skills and provides a solid foundation for their future career aspirations.
Building trust and engaging with parents and guardians as partners throughout the college application process.
Tracking and analyzing caseload data consistently in Salesforce to build weekly action plans that maximize student impact and lead to strong student outcomes. 
Collaborating with school-based partners to ensure students receive effective support as they work toward high school graduation and their post-secondary plan.
Planning and delivering college and career access group programming grounded in a research-based approach and reflecting current trends, including the facilitation of key workshops for students and families on topics such as financial literacy and FAFSA, college essays, and the broader post-secondary landscape. 
Staying up to date on current college admissions and financial aid processes and trends to accurately coach students through the college application, admissions, and financial aid processes.

Requirements

Who You Are + Qualifications

2+ years of college access experience, including financial literacy and college application knowledge, as well as an understanding of the high school and post-secondary educational landscape.
Passion for working with young people and their families, and a willingness to provide deep, nuanced support grounded in an understanding and commitment to uprooting historic and current racial and economic injustices.
Comfort taking initiative and thinking creatively to provide strong, scaffolded support to students; and the ability to thrive in circumstances involving ambiguity and nuance.
Strong written and verbal communication with comfort utilizing a variety of communication platforms; interpersonal, analytic, and organization skills to support strong relationships and program delivery.
Careful attention to detail.
Ability and willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings for meetings with students and parents.
While flexible, this role requires the applicant to be based out of DC and to be physically present across the DC area daily, primarily for high school visits.
Familiarity with DC education landscape, history, and communities preferred
A deep belief in DC Prep’s mission and values and in the power of all young people.
A bachelor's degree.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 

All DC Prep staff perform clerical duties related to instructional supplies, student reports and records, attendance reports, assessments, etc.
DC Prep staff regularly perform morning, lunch, and afternoon duties as assigned by their principal
Additional responsibilities may arise during the school year.  This could include: attending staff and student field trips, after school events, family-teacher conferences, home visits, and other events involving parents and students, as needed. This list is not exhaustive. DC Prep will communicate mandatory events outside of school hours with ample notice.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands and environmental conditions described below are representative, but not exhaustive, of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the role.  All of these physical requirements should be able to be performed with clarity, coherence and connectedness to DC Prep’s vision.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Must be able to sit and work at a desk/computer for extended periods of time
Must be able to spend the majority of the day standing or mobile throughout the classroom, as well as talk, hear, grasp, reach and lift up to 30lbs with or without accommodations
Ability to concentrate in active and noisy environments such as cafeterias and playgrounds, to more moderate situations such as classrooms or large group professional settings
Must be able to have repetitive wrist/hand/finger movement to work on computer and/or related office equipment
Ability to handle potential high stress conditions

JOIN US

Do you believe that Learning Has No Limits? Are you eager to join a supportive, innovative, and collaborative community of educators? Are you committed to growing your strengths as an educator through individualized professional development and coaching? Apply today!

We’re an equal opportunity employer and hire without consideration of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability. We strongly encourage diverse candidates to apply.