Part-time Mentoring and Literacy Program Coordinator in Somerville

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Read to a Child Program Coordinator, Somerville, MA

Location:The Kennedy School, 5 Cherry Street Somerville, MA

Part-Time Role

Hours: 2 days a week, approximately 10 am to 1 pm from September through June. Also, availability outside of these times for data entry, communications, and meetings as needed. 6-10 hours per week

Hourly Rate: $19.00

Program Overview: Read to a Child’s Read Aloud Mentoring Program (RAMP) pairs a volunteer mentor with an elementary school student for a rewarding weekly read aloud experience either during the child’s lunch or other non-instructional time.

The Program Coordinator is responsible for the planning and the daily operation, including relationships, record keeping and scheduling at the Kennedy school. The Program Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that volunteer mentors, students, and school staff have a positive and meaningful experience.

This role is an on-site position working in school directly with students. Successful candidates must be comfortable working in an in-school environment and in keeping with all safety protocols required by the school.

This role is extremely important to the program's function and success and will be an integral part of a fun and collaborative team! Our Program Coordinators are truly the face of our program and make a real difference in the lives of our students every year.

Responsibilities may include some or all of the following, depending on the program's needs:

• Ensure that the program starts smoothly, including maintaining the partnership with the school/administration (relationships ,space, scheduling, absences, etc), solicitation of teacher referrals, student permission, re-matching or matching pairs, and other start-up
• Communicate regularly with Program Manager
• Notify students, teachers and potentially parents/guardians of volunteer mentor cancellations or schedule changes
• Communicate regularly with volunteer mentors, including monthly updates, and notification of student absences or changes in schedule
• Provide ongoing support and guidance to volunteer mentors on a general and case by case basis to address specific challenges as need arises (with input from supervisor)
• Provide volunteers with book ideas (both for virtual and in person volunteers). For our on site (i.e. not virtual),maintain an organized and inviting book cart for volunteers
• Provide logistical support to mentors with respect to virtual sessions
• Facilitate and monitor reading sessions to ensure smooth operation of the program
• Ensure that state and school guidelines for hygiene and safety are followed carefully and that rooms are left clean and orderly
• Document reading session attendance and participant information changes in the database
• Collect mid-year volunteer mentor surveys, and year-end surveys and assessments from volunteer mentors, students and teachers, as applicable
• Plan and implement year-end celebration (in person or adapted for virtual setting), as applicable. Assist students in making Thank You cards for their mentors.
• Attend required Program Coordinator meetings
• Support volunteer recruitment efforts
• Facilitate other activities or tasks as requested. Interested Program Coordinators may be able to take on some Program Assistant roles (virtually or in person) at other schools
• Submit timesheets accurately and on time
• Participate in Performance Evaluation and goal setting process

Essential Function: This position is in a school setting. This position requires the candidate to be able to constantly move throughout the building and designated session areas, frequently transporting reading materials and guiding students to their reading session. This may require occasionally ascending/descending stairs.

Key Qualifications

• Commitment to Read to a Child’s mission, viability and growth
• Experience working with young children
• Enthusiastic about children’s books, willingness to become familiar with the Read to a Child book collection
• Preferred - Experience managing volunteers
• Communicates well in person, virtually, on the telephone & via email
• Commitment to actively and continuously working toward achieving the organization’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion goals
• Extremely organized and adept at successfully managing multiple projects simultaneously and prioritizing according to the organization’s strategic plan -- with flexibility and a positive attitude
• Comfortable working with and hosting group video conference platforms (eg: Zoom and/or Google Meets)
• Proficiency working with various technological platforms: E-mail, Google Drive, word processing, spreadsheets, E-book sources, and some data entry
• Access to transportation

Diversity Statement: Read to a Child is committed to providing resources to children most impacted by systemic inequalities. We have faith in our students’ ability to thrive when they are provided with equitable resources and choose to focus on their strengths rather than the barriers they face. We are motivated to continuously act on our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion among reading mentors, staff, and board members so as to best reflect and support the students we serve.

To Apply: Send resume & cover letter outlining your suitability to the tasks and schedule outlined above to emily.zadeh@readtoachild.org

NOTE: Your application will NOT be considered without a COVER LETTER