Reading Partners AmeriCorps Program Coordinator (2022)

Dallas & Fort Worth, TX

Reading Partners is a national literacy nonprofit that engages community volunteers and AmeriCorps service members to support elementary-aged students on their path toward reading proficiency. Our dedicated volunteers come from diverse backgrounds and life experiences and provide bi-weekly one-on-one tutoring to students, either in person or through our new online tutoring system. Our traditional, in-person program is proven to help children master the reading fundamentals necessary to become confident learners across all subjects. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Reading Partners urgently evolved program delivery to ensure students continue to receive the critical literacy tutoring in any learning environment. Our people are the heart and soul of our organization; we are all passionately engaged in a common mission to help all children become confident, lifelong learners. Reading Partners is also committed to building a culturally competent and representative team to advance social justice through our service in schools and communities. In joining Reading Partners, you'll be part of a stellar team leading the charge to pursue equity in education and expand a research-validated literacy program that works. Join Reading Partners and leave a legacy in schools and communities that will last long beyond an unforgettable and life-changing term of service. Learn more about us at readingpartners.org. 

AmeriCorps engages more than 80,000 Americans in intensive service each year at nonprofits, schools, public agencies, and community and faith-based groups across the country. Since the program’s founding in 1994, over 1 million AmeriCorps members have contributed more than 1.4 billion hours in service across America while tackling pressing problems and mobilizing more than 2.3 million volunteers for the organizations they serve.

At Reading Partners we have the opportunity to mobilize 350 AmeriCorps members to serve in various positions across the country.  This AmeriCorps service opportunity is supporting and implementing the Reading Partners mission while at the same time exemplifying the AmeriCorps motto of “getting things done.” Reading Partners strives to recruit AmeriCorps members dedicated to a year of service in the community. Read on for more details about our service opportunities!

Additional Information

• All AmeriCorps members, regardless of role, will conduct or perform the essential functions of this role in schools and/or in designated locations where programming may be delivered, such as a Reading Partners regional office or another Reading Partners-approved location where volunteers may be convened to tutor students using our remote tutoring system, unless when under shelter in place orders or if schools/offices are otherwise closed to Reading Partners. 
• Should the need exist in the 2021-2022 school year, all AmeriCorps members will be provided with any necessary PPE (personal protective equipment).
• Due to the changing nature of serving in public education, AmeriCorps members may, at any time, be asked to transition to another Reading Partners AmeriCorps position in the same region.
• In the event of a local, state, or federal disaster declaration, AmeriCorps members may be asked on a volunteer basis OR be required by AmeriCorps, the federal agency, or our state AmeriCorps commission to assist in disaster response and recovery activities within their communities.  This may involve virtual service opportunities or in-person service opportunities. This may include service opportunities outside of the member’s standard service hours or in place of their standard service duties. Commissions and/or AmeriCorps would provide us with specific guidance as needed in the event of an emergency. 

The Role

Interested in direct service in one or multiple elementary schools? Check out our school-based AmeriCorps opportunity below!

The AmeriCorps Program Coordinator is the face of Reading Partners in elementary schools, responsible for implementing our traditional and distance learning programs, or a hybrid of the two, in partnership with other AmeriCorps members and/or Reading Partners staff. They accomplish this by leading the full-time program coordination, operations, and relationship development at their school. The Program Coordinator also serves as the site’s full-time lead for family, student, and volunteer engagement support, ensuring their success in the Reading Partners Traditional or Reading Partners Connects (RPCx) program. They accomplish this by coordinating and coaching tutors, communicating with, coordinating, and supporting families, observing tutoring sessions for student needs, and maintaining data systems. 

This is an exciting opportunity to serve directly with kids, coach volunteers, build partnerships with faculty and staff, and gain hands-on-experience with a literacy program that works! Our top Program Coordinators are ambassadors for service, demonstrate strong leadership and communication skills, and strongly believe in our vision and values.  Note that this role may shift as-needed based on how individual school environments shift given Covid-19. This is not a remote position except when mandated by local and/or organizational Covid protocols.

What you’ll do & how you’ll do it:

Program Implementation & Support - Traditional, In-person Program

Coordinate the day-to-day operations of Reading Partners’ program at a partner school to ensure the Reading Partners’ program and curriculum meet students’ learning needs.  

• Leading program implementation is a huge responsibility! As the head of a reading center, Program Coordinators demonstrate a strong understanding of our program and can effectively coach volunteer tutors through the curriculum. Superb organizational skills are paramount in meeting student enrollment goals (an average of 40-80 students), coordinating constantly changing schedules, managing accurate student and tutor data records, and tracking student progress through regular assessments. Program Coordinators also serve directly with students to provide ongoing tutoring throughout the year.

Program Implementation & Support - Distance Tutoring Program

Lead or co-lead student support to implement the distance tutoring program at an assigned school. 

• Delivering a distance tutoring program takes agility, flexibility, patience, and comfort in a fast paced environment. Program Coordinators will manage tutoring schedules and support student success by developing a strong understanding of our curriculum. This knowledge is key to ensuring students and tutors have successful distance tutoring sessions in order to meet student growth outcome goals. Program Coordinators focus on providing additional targeted tutoring support to students and coaching to volunteer tutors to improve program quality.
• Program Coordinators will also provide direct technical support, as needed, to students and families while implementing the distance tutoring program. 

Relationship Management & Communication

Forge and maintain positive relationships with student families, tutors, and with AmeriCorps peers to create welcoming environments for students, caregivers, faculty & staff, and volunteer tutors.

• Strong relationships are a cornerstone of the Program Coordinator’s success. Because Program Coordinators interact with a significant number of students, school staff, families, volunteer tutors, and Reading Partners staff across the region, the ability to foster trust and positive relationships is a must. The ability to motivate kids in their learning and to manage their behavior is also a significant responsibility, as is the ability to train, guide, coach, and provide feedback and ongoing support to volunteer tutors. 

About You!

You’ll be successful in this role if you:

• Are dedicated to national and community service
• Root your service in our vision & values
• Can problem-solve through challenges and failures
• Are flexible given the ever-changing environment of serving in public schools, and are adaptable in both work style and work environment
• Understand this position is an AmeriCorps service commitment
• Are dedicated to successfully completing a full term of service.
• Demonstrate a passion for working with children
• Possess a natural ability to connect with people
• Are eager for a dynamic schedule
• Pay strong attention to detail and manage competing priorities effectively
• Boast a deep belief in and passionately promote our mission
• Demonstrate a love for relationship-building and public speaking
• Demonstrate an eagerness to train and manage volunteers
• Take initiative in meeting goals and seeking professional growth
• Can quickly learn new technology systems like Salesforce and have a high level of comfort with Google Apps and Zoom Conferencing 
• Possess a high school diploma or GED
• Hold US Citizenship or Permanent Resident Status
• Have not completed more than three (3) prior AmeriCorps or VISTA service terms

Bonus Points if you:

• Are an AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alum/alumna
• Have experience volunteering with other community-based or education programs

What we offer:

• AmeriCorps members earn a living allowance totaling $9,428.64
• AmeriCorps members are eligible for medical, dental, and vision coverage at no cost for our members; childcare assistance is available through AmeriCorps for those who qualify. 
• Eligible AmeriCorps members can earn an education award of $3,172.50 after successfully completing their service term
• You may be eligible for student loan forbearance on federal student loans. 
• We offer an exciting and dynamic culture, and we commit to investing in and supporting our amazing people to grow their careers with us. As such, we provide ongoing professional development opportunities such as quarterly AmeriCorps webinars, monthly trainings, and networking opportunities. 
• We offer scaffolded support to help navigate these and other service benefits

The Other Things You Need To Know:

• Service Terms:  AmeriCorps members serve full-time (approximately 40 hours/week) from January or February, 2022 through June or July, 2022 and must commit to a service term of 900+ hours. 
• Commuting: AmeriCorps members regularly travel to school sites throughout the week and need access to reliable transportation on a daily basis. AmeriCorps members also make occasional trips to regional offices and service day events.
• National Days of Service: AmeriCorps members at Reading Partners join thousands of other members across the country to serve each year on 9/11, MLK Day, and during AmeriCorps Week. This is another opportunity to participate in the service movement across the country, and to directly support our communities in a variety of service projects.
• Reading Partners AmeriCorps Vaccination & Testing Policy: In the interest of keeping our students, AmeriCorps members, staff, and community safe, all members serving in school and community based roles are required to mask when in-person and are strongly encouraged to receive the COVID-19 vaccine unless a reasonable accommodation is requested and approved. Members who are vaccinated are able to serve in person immediately, provided they comply with the organization and service site’s mask requirements. Members who are not vaccinated, but will be serving in-person, will be asked to be vaccinated or submit to regular weekly COVID-19 testing. Individual districts may have additional COVID-19 requirements that AmeriCorps members must also abide by.

We look forward to hearing from you!

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Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Position will remain posted until filled. No phone inquiries. If you have any questions at all about this role, AmeriCorps, our program, the region, or any of the next steps, please don't hesitate to email americorps@readingpartners.org!