Center Aide

Higher Achievement is a nationally acclaimed youth development organization focusing on high school placement opportunities for middle school scholars. We are seeking a Center Aide for the 2024-2025 academic year! If your passion is working with youth and making a difference through culture principals of respect, spirit, collaboration, and excellence, Higher Achievement is for you!

Bilingual staff (English/Spanish) strongly encouraged to apply!

Paid Training provided! Higher Achievement invests in our staff. Attend a multi-day orientation and training preceding Afterschool Academy's start. Periodic trainings and professional development opportunities throughout the Academy are part of our professional development model. Hours are supportive of school curriculum, current college students encouraged to apply.

Program Model: Higher Achievement showers our scholars with academic opportunities through a proven year-round program model that includes afterschool programming from September-May (precise dates vary by center) and summer initiatives such as college trips and summer meetings with all Higher Achievement families.  Core programming that takes place within Afterschool Academy consists of learning blocks, mentoring, community meeting, electives and field trips.  

• Learning Blocks: Scholars receive academic support, including HW help, HS application prep, or supplemental work aligned to in-school content 

• Mentoring: In small groups of 3-4 scholars, scholars work with a Mentor as they complete our High School Readiness curriculum which focuses on community exploration, learning about high schools, goal setting, and high school application preparation 

• Community Meeting: Scholars engage in activities, challenges, and projects focused on relationship-building and SEL skills 

• Electives: Multiple times a week scholars have the opportunity to participate in enrichment opportunities that vary across sites. Examples of electives are art, yoga, chess, dance, sports, cooking and robotics 

• Field Trips: Field trips are exposure opportunities for scholars and they are offered 3x during the year: fall, spring, and summer (college trip). 

Job Details:

• Start Date: anticipated to start August 12, 2024
• Supervisor: Learning Directors
• Position Status: Part- Time, Non Exempt
• Hours: 3-4 days per week, Monday-Thursday, approximately 3:30-6:30 pm. Approximately 1-2 additional monthly hours of planning time may be required. Specific hours dependent on center placement.
• Duration: Indefinite, work available during Afterschool Academy Year, which runs September/October through May/June, dependent on center placement.
• Remote Status: Onsite work required
• Compensation: $20 per hour
• To Apply: Interested applicants are encouraged to apply immediately with resume, to https://higherachievement.org/about/careers/ with a priority deadline of July 15, 2024, 12 midnight. Apply to each city of interest.  The position will remain open until all spots are filled.

Center Location Openings:

DC Metro Area (Prince Georges County, MD & Washington, DC)

1. Brookland (Ward 5) Center: Brookland Middle School: 1150 Michigan Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20018
2. Greenbelt Center: Greenbelt Middle School: 6301 Breezewood Dr, Greenbelt, MD 20770
3. Ward 4 Center: Ida B Wells Middle School:  405 Sheridan St NW, Washington, DC 20011
4. Ward 6 Center: Eliot-Hine Middle School: 1830 Constitution Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002
5. Ward 7 Center: Kelly Miller Middle School: 301 49th Street NE, Washington, DC 2001

Baltimore:

1. Highlandtown Center: Highlandtown Elementary/Middle School: 231 S Eaton St, Baltimore, MD 21224
2. Lakeland Center: Lakeland Elementary Middle School: 2921 Stranden Rd, Baltimore, MD 21230
3. Mount Royal Center: The Mount Royal School: 121 McMechen St, Baltimore, MD 21217

Richmond, VA

1. Dogwood Center: Dogwood Middle School: 1701 Floyd Ave, Richmond, VA 23220
2. Boushall Center: T.C. Boushall Middle School: 3400 Hopkins Road, Richmond, VA 23234

What you’ll do! Responsibilities

Instructional

• Effectively manage an intensive and structured classroom (Learning Block) of up to 15 scholars
  • Ensure that homework is completed by all scholars to a high degree of quality.
  • Assist scholars in preparing for upcoming quizzes, tests, and projects and coach them to develop strong study skills
• Support and guide any classroom volunteers to assist scholars with any homework and/or upcoming assignments. Classroom volunteers typically consist of high school students who are alumni or college students
• Answer questions and re-teach basic, necessary concepts to scholars
• Provide supplemental work or other academic activities for scholars who complete their homework or who have been identified as needing additional help
  • Other academic activities may consist of completing supplemental assignments or activities on an online platform, assisting scholars with their high school application, or creating opportunities for scholars to work in groups to complete a passion project
• Reinforce Higher Achievement's philosophies and positive work culture by holding scholars to high expectations and reinforcing the center behavior management and incentive systems
• Create a positive and supportive classroom environment where scholars feel comfortable asking for assistance
• Track scholar progress using the center's established tracking mechanisms
• Reinforce Higher Achievement culture principals of respect, spirit, collaboration and excellence

Stay Organized! Administrative

• Support center staff in completing various administrative tasks including greeting and checking-in scholars, setting up and serving dinner, data entry, making phone calls to parents and families, preparing materials for the day, and ensuring that host site space is left clean and in good condition
• Supervise scholars during transitions and other center activities, such as Community Meeting and recess
• Communicate with families regarding their child’s progress during Higher Achievement
• Uphold and enforce Higher Achievement's culture of high expectations and positive learning environment
• Attend scheduled center staff meetings

Get Creative! Elective Management

• Determine an engaging elective that you will facilitate multiple days a week
• Design the activities to be included our elective, outlining objectives and activities on a monthly basis
• Be prepared with a daily plan to facilitate activities to ensure engagement, safety and structure
• Communicate supply needs to Learning Director in a timely manner
• Provide supervision and behavior management support to scholars during activities
• When possible and appropriate, incorporate students' ideas for activities into elective

Shuttle Chaperone Responsibilities (WARD 1 AND 7 CENTERS ONLY)

• After center, travel with designated scholars on the shuttle to ensure their safety
• Maintain daily records of which scholars ride the shuttle
• Communicate with the Learning Director about behavior concerns
• Communicate with the Learning Director about concerns with transportation company/shuttle driver
• Implement the center's incentive and behavior management systems during shuttle travel
• Wait with scholars until they are picked up by a designated adult
• Call the Learning Director each evening to indicate that all scholars have been dropped off safely

What you need! Requirements

• Commitment to the mission and work of Higher Achievement
• High school diploma or equivalent required; current college students encouraged to apply
• Experience with data entry and/or administrative tasks strongly preferred
• Experience working with youth required; experience working with middle school students in a classroom setting is strongly preferred
• Experience managing groups of up to 15 middle school students is strongly preferred
• Strong oral and written communication skills with ability to communicate professionally and effectively with staff, scholars, and families
• Comfortable with technology
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) candidates strongly encouraged to apply
• Background & Clearance Check: This position requires a criminal background check prior to hire to include state/local municipalities, school district clearances and grant required checks. All clearance checks are paid by Higher Achievement

Core Competencies: Higher Achievement values our core competencies, and as such, we expect that competitive applications will be able to demonstrate strengths in these areas: Relationship Building; Candid Communications; Pursuit of Excellence; Growth Mindset; Solutions-Oriented

Physical Requirements and Work Environment: Work is regularly performed in a school setting. Employee may spend long periods of time sitting, standing, and walking, and climb stairs. Employee regularly lifts, carries, and positions objects weighting up to 20 pounds. Regular use of a computer and keyboard, telephone, and face-to-face communication in small and large group settings with youth and adults; ability to communicate clearly and professionally. Visual, auditory, and physical ability to respond quickly to incidents involving students and act in an emergency situation. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

About Higher Achievement

Higher Achievement believes that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. We’re passionate about providing opportunities to close the achievement gap for motivated students. We’re committed to students during the critical transition to middle school by providing year-round, multi-year support for students in the 5th – 8th grades. As students prepare to graduate from our program in the 8th grade, we support their transition to successfully advance to high school programs that keep students on track for continuous education. We’re proud to share that 95% of Higher Achievement scholars graduate from high school.

Founded in 1975 in Washington, DC, as a grassroots effort to create learning opportunities for children, Higher Achievement has impacted the lives of more than 10,000 young people and currently operates Achievement Centers in Washington, DC, Alexandria, VA, Baltimore, MD, and Richmond, VA. Higher Achievement’s award-winning model of rigorous academic mentoring, individualization of services, and comprehensive academic support is guided by leading research for effective out-of-school time programs. More information about Higher Achievement may be found at: http://www.higherachievement.org.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion  

Higher Achievement made a concrete commitment to racial equity, diversity and inclusion following the murder of George Floyd: Higher Achievement aims to be an anti-racist and inclusive organization where we aggressively work to improve equity and inclusion in all aspects of our organizational culture and operations, as they are pivotal to the success of our mission. These efforts are outlined in our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Plan which is renewed yearly, with oversight by our Director of DEI. The DEI Plan's Strategic Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are 1) to foster an inclusive and identity-affirming culture that reflects our Core Values; 2) demonstrate a prioritization of learning and develop inclusive training and tools that support, inspire, and engage staff; and 3) bring a DEI focus to policies and procedures – from Center tours to staff recruitment and promotion, and beyond. We truly believe that to be an organization that intentionally and sustainably centers DEI, all staff members and partners must embed DEI into their daily work.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

Higher Achievement is a proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an workplace where opportunities are available to all team members and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to building a team that represents diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better we will be. 

To Apply: Interested applicants are encouraged to apply immediately with resume, to https://higherachievement.org/about/careers/  We are accepting applications and scheduling interviews on a rolling basis. Apply to each city of interest.  The position will remain open until all spots are filled.