Coordinator, Services

School District of Philadelphia•Philadelphia, PA

About The Position

The School District of Philadelphia is the cornerstone provider of public education in Philadelphia. For forward-thinking administrators and educators, opportunities abound. Over 131,000 students entrusted to the District arrive at school every day with an extraordinary range of needs and aspirations. We are committed to delivering on their right to an excellent public school education, and we are particularly focused on ensuring every student has access to exceptional educational opportunities. Equity is our mandate. Will you join us? Job Summary Coordinates a wide array of services and programs for children in the area of specialization. For the Educating Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness specialty, coordinates with all Local Education Agencies within the region as well as local, regional and state agencies to eliminate barriers for children and youth who are experiencing homelessness. For the Foster Care specialty, coordinates a wide array of services and programs for foster children. Acts as primary point of contact for Foster Care Services for the School District of Philadelphia. Responsible for the coordination of services for the entire Philadelphia Region. Interprets law and legal responsibilities to ensure educational stability for all students of the School District of Philadelphia.

Requirements

Master’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Five years of full-time, paid, professional experience which has included providing or coordinating social services, family counseling, serving as advocate of school aged at risk youth, community outreach work, performing probation work with a school-age population in an urban setting
OR
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Seven years of full-time, paid, professional experience which has included providing or coordinating social services, family counseling, serving as advocate of school aged at risk youth, community outreach work, performing probation work with a school-age population in an urban setting.
Demonstrated knowledge of:
the current social, economic and various other problems and needs affecting urban families and children and their specific impact on disadvantaged families and children.
the problems and needs that affect children who experience homelessness and their families.
fiscal planning and budgeting.
the methods and techniques used in effective program planning, design, and administration.
federal and state laws, guidelines and regulations governing the management of grants.
counseling and intervention techniques.
Skilled in: o professional workshop development and presentation.
Ability to: o conduct comprehensive needs assessments. o learn and interpret the School District policies governing student enrollment and registration.
learn and determine services and programs provided by the District that address the needs of children experiencing homelessness. o coordinate the provision of educational and social services to a transient student population.
assign, supervise, and evaluate the work of subordinates.
communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Responsibilities

Completes annual application for Emergency Funds through the Christopher Ludwick Foundation; distributes grants to eligible students and maintains records for compliance and auditing purposes; updates and sends Emergency Fund Resource Guide to all District schools.
Identifies homeless children and youth as defined by McKinney-Vento, including doubled-up homeless in collaboration with the Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE), all public and charter schools and shelter/transitional housing providers in Philadelphia; serves as a liaison between schools and providers to improve communication and increase knowledge of legal responsibility to homeless students.
Expedites enrollment when there are disputes and ensures full participation for homeless students in all school activities through removal of any barriers by providing school uniforms, school tokens, school supplies, and other school expenses (for example, unpaid fees, graduation fees).
Troubleshoots and advocates for students and families in enrollment in school of origin or neighborhood school; supports and assists schools, shelter providers, and families to ensure the timely enrollment of students in school to maintain and increase attendance and truancy initiatives.
Drafts resolutions and contracts for Office Supportive Housing for alternative education site and shelter providers for after school and summer enrichment programs; monitors programs and visits shelters and transitional housing sites to stay abreast of homeless conditions and needs; provides supplemental materials and supplies to programs to reinforce the District’s core curriculum; assists in the grant writing for application of funds from the Department of Education with the Office of Grants and Support, Office of Management and Budget and the ORE.
Plans and implements professional development, workshops, and training; creates brochures, distributes literature to school administrators and staff, community organizations, and parents to raise community awareness of the phenomenon of homeless children and youth and understanding of laws and policies that impact their lives; distributes and collects surveys from school counselors, shelter directors and parents.
Coordinates existing services (early childhood programs, special education services, gifted and talented services, and the Comprehensive Student Assistance Process (CSAP) for homeless students as well as facilitates dispute resolution when these services are denied or conflict arises.
Provides training for homeless parents and shelter staffs around McKinney-Vento Law concerning the rights of homeless children and youth; increases collaboration and interagency partnerships to assist in the education and plight of homeless families; attends interagency meetings that promote an end to the cycle of homelessness and support the holistic well being of homeless families.
Solicits educational, GED, vocational programs and after school/summer jobs for homeless teens to promote independent life skills and self esteem; facilitates entrepreneur programs to encourage creativity and motivation to start and operate a business.
Provides technical assistance and training; ensures that all requests for emergency/homeless assistance and follow-up to major concerns are done in a timely fashion.
Coordinates annual events including but not limited to awareness events and holiday and supply drives.
Provides support for walk-in intakes as needed.