Teacher Colorado Reading Corps & Corps for a Change
Job Description
Colorado Youth for a Change is recruiting for two (2) AmeriCorps programs to help us serve our mission to solve the dropout crisis. Positions are available in Denver & surrounding counties, as well as northern Colorado (Larimer and Weld county). Read below for more information on our specific programs and their benefits:
Colorado Reading Corps
Position Title: Elementary Literacy Tutor
Reports to: Program Coordinator/Manager and Internal Coach
Service Locations: Positions available in Denver Metro area and northern Colorado (Larimer County and Weld County)
Program Overview
Colorado Reading Corps is an AmeriCorps program with the mission of ensuring that all students in Colorado are reading proficiently by the end of third grade. Colorado Reading Corps is replicated from the successful Minnesota Reading Corps.
Nationally, the Reading Corps program is a breakthrough AmeriCorps program that is changing academic outcomes for thousands of students. With more than 1,900 tutors serving in 12 states and Washington D.C., Reading Corps is helping more than 40,000 students each year become successful readers. It combines the power of national service with literacy science to deliver proven approaches that help struggling learners transform into confident students – something that translates into all areas of their lives.
Because Reading Corps tutors are in the schools full-time, they are providing consistent, daily tutoring, which is the reason why this model has a greater impact on student success. Tutors commit to a term of service, and receive rigorous training plus ongoing expert literacy coaching throughout the year. With the use of rich data assessments, they ensure their efforts produce the desired results – helping children achieve grade-level reading proficiency.
Position Summary
The Elementary Literacy Tutor is placed at an elementary school to provide supplemental practice to children in kindergarten through third grade to develop their reading skills. The elementary literacy tutor will use scripted, evidence-based literacy interventions as guided by his or her coaches and will conduct weekly 1-minute assessments to ensure each student is on track to read at grade level. This is an AmeriCorps service member position with the AmeriCorps program, Colorado Reading Corps.
Essential Functions
Early Literacy Intervention and Assessment
Conduct one-on-one tutoring sessions with students using scripted, evidence-based literacy interventions provided by Reading Corps; achieve a high degree of fidelity to the scripted interventions.
Assist children in improving their reading skills and abilities to reach grade level expectations.
Provide opportunities for family literacy involvement for Reading Corps students, including implementing the Reading Corps family engagement literacy intervention – Read at Home! (RAH!).
Develop and maintain a weekly tutoring schedule for students which maximizes the number of students served (approximately 15-18 tutoring sessions daily) and maximizes the weekly dosage of 20-minute reading sessions for each child
Identify students who qualify for Reading Corps tutoring services based on a Reading Corps designed assessment with direction from the Internal Coach and Master Coach.
Assess, with a high level of accuracy, students’ continual progress using tri-annual benchmark assessments and ongoing progress monitoring assessments.
Provide complete, accurate, and timely documentation of students’ weekly progress scores and interventions using an online database; maintain confidentiality of all student data.
Regularly review student data with Internal Coach and Master Coach to gauge the effectiveness of the literacy intervention being used and determine if a change in strategy is necessary.
Participate in coaching sessions (includes observation of tutor); act on constructive feedback from coaching sessions.
Communication
Communicate and interact with students in an age and developmentally appropriate way.
Build professional relationships and communicate regularly with classroom teachers, Internal Coach, and the Master Coach regarding student schedules, interventions, student progress, etc.
Communicate effectively with Reading Corps staff and school site personnel.
Attendance
Regular, timely attendance during school hours Monday-Friday, along with before/after school hours as scheduled.
Commit to service for the full service term, serving the total commitment of hours (1,220 for tutors starting in the fall, reduced terms with proportionate benefits may be offered to tutors starting later in the school year) within the term.
Attend all required Reading Corps-sponsored training sessions, meetings, and coaching sessions, including peer professional development/cluster meetings, and member meet-ups; travel as necessary.
Secondary Functions
Attend site-sponsored activities (e.g., family night) and participate in site-sponsored meetings or other activities.
Attend service projects, as applicable, commemorating September 11, 2001, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and Cesar Chavez Day. These may include occasional evening and/or weekend hours.
Collaborate with other program participants to complete group service projects.
Complete and maintain hours plan to ensure completion of service hours in collaboration with the Internal Coach and Program Staff.
Complete additional tasks as part of an action or professional development plan as assigned by the Internal Coach, Master Coach, or Program Staff.
Complete Service Reflections, success highlights, and other outreach activities.
Service Conditions
The service is performed primarily in a school setting, however, there are a few service days that may be performed under other conditions, such as outside in a park, at a donations sorting center, or in a conference center for training and professional development.
Corps for a Change
Colorado Youth for a Change is hosting 25 AmeriCorps members for 2019-2020 who will engage with in and out of school youth to assist in combating the dropout crisis. AmeriCorps members will focus on interventions such as home visits, phone calls, tutoring, and addressing individual student barriers to improve attendance, reduce truancy rates, and re-enroll youth that are dropped out. The goal of the Corpsmember term of service is to engage students, improve attendance, and help support a path toward academic success. Members serve within our Attendance program.
Position Duties
Attendance Program:
- Quickly build relationships with youth identified with low attendance
- Monitor student attendance and conduct one on one meetings to support students in being successful in school
- Engage parents/guardians through phone calls, meetings, and home visits
- Tutor students in the classroom
- Address barriers to student learning by connecting them with local community service providers so they may focus on school
- Track all students’ progress within CYC’s database, school databases, and other spreadsheets
Service Location:
CYC AmeriCorps members will be placed at one main site during their term of service. This site may be a school or community organization. There will be monthly opportunities to connect as a larger team with your fellow Corpsmembers in addition to bi-weekly supervision with your CYC supervisor. Service locations sites are located in, though not limited to, Denver, Englewood, Commerce City, Aurora, Fort Collins, Greeley, Jefferson County, and Thornton.
CYC is committed to inclusion and prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, race, color, national origin, age 40 and over, religion, disability, or any other applicable status protected by federal, state or local law.
CYC, Colorado Reading Corps and Corps for a Change will make reasonable accommodation for otherwise qualified individuals with known disabilities or whose service requirements interfere with a religious belief unless doing so would result in an undue hardship or a direct threat to CYC/Reading Corps/Corps for a Change. Please contact Human Resources at 303.292.2779 to request accommodation or for questions/concerns regarding this policy.
Information for both CYC AmeriCorps programs
Hours and Term of Service
Members are required to serve during a typical school schedule, with some mandatory night and weekend hours. 1200 hours of service are to be completed between late August (August 19th, 2019 for Corps for a Change) and May 31st, 2020. Members are required to participate in monthly team meetings.
Requirements
- 18 years of age or older
- Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident
- Have a high school diploma or G.E.D; College degree or some college experience preferred.
- Not have served more than the allowed number of AmeriCorps terms previous to this term.
- Submit to a full background check, including a sex offender registry check, state criminal history registry check, and FBI fingerprint-based check. This position has recurring access to vulnerable populations and selection is contingent upon satisfactory results of these checks.
Preferred Qualifications
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Independent, self-motivated work style
- Excellent follow-through and strong organization skills
- Experience working with middle and high school age youth, especially disadvantaged youth
- Volunteer experience and interest in service learning
- Access to a reliable vehicle and valid driver’s license
- A passionate and committed belief that youth can rise above seemingly insurmountable obstacles and return to school, graduate, and enter into post-secondary education.
- Bilingual – Spanish/English a plus (Corps for a Change)
Benefits for AmeriCorps members at CYC
- Living allowance distributed semi-monthly up to $10,000 for the service term
- Eli Segal Education Award of up to $4,266.50 for the 1220 hour term (for tutors starting Aug-Early October), $3,047.50 for the 920 hour term(starts later in the fall), and $2,321 for the 700 hour term (starts January)
- Transit assistance for service related travel outside of normal commute (in the form of mileage reimbursement or public transit assistance)
- Federal Loan Forbearance
- Ongoing professional development
Minimum Qualifications
Must be 18 years of age or older by start date.
Must have at least a high school diploma or recognized equivalent by start date.
Must be either a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States.
Must pass mandatory pre-service background check.
Must not have served 4 or more prior terms of service with AmeriCorps.
Speak, read, and write English fluently.
Interest in education, specifically helping young children develop early language and literacy skills.
Dedication to community service.
Basic computer skills, including the ability to navigate online systems and email.
Energetic, results-oriented, student-focused style.
Strong planning and time-management skills.
Strong capacity to be flexible and adaptable to varied circumstances, paired with a conscientious commitment to adhere to the Reading Corps tutoring model with fidelity.
Consistent follow-through.
Ability to accept and incorporate constructive feedback from coaches and program staff.
Ability to work with diverse personalities.
Ability to adapt to a sometimes challenging and high-pressure environment.
Strong personal standards of excellence, ethics, and integrity.
Preferred: College degree or equivalent work experience.
Job Type: Full-time
Organization Overview
Colorado Youth for a Change (CYC) is an educational nonprofit organization with a statewide scope. CYC’s mission is to solve Colorado’s dropout crisis. CYC provides a continuum of services from Kindergarten through High School to help students find success through tutoring, case management, and outreach to help in-school youth remain in school or out-of-school youth return to school. Reading Corps is the first step along that continuum to support students.
