Newcomer Program Advisor

Memphis Shelby County Schools•Memphis, TN

About The Position

Guides the daily operation of the Newcomer Center (NC) program. The Newcomer Center is a school within a school design that will offer orientation, support and targeted instruction for new immigrant students. Works directly with the ESL Manager and collaborates with ESL teachers to coordinate and facilitate intake, orientation, student placement, and instructional programs for one or more sites offering programs specifically designed for new immigrant students and their families. Coordinates parent outreach and collaboration with community partners and agencies.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education or a closely related field with ESL and administrative endorsements
A minimum of four (4) years of successful experience as a classroom teacher
A minimum of 3 years of experience working with people of other cultures and non-English language backgrounds
Any equivalent combination of education, training, and/or paid, exempt level directly relevant experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities for this position for a total of eight (8) years.

Nice To Haves

Master degree in ESL, Linguistics, or Foreign Language, or closely related field preferred.

Responsibilities

Provides direction to staff and faculty of one or more host school sites offering programs specifically designed for new immigrant students and their families.
Guides the operation of the Newcomer Center (NC) program. Coordinates the scheduling for teachers and staff, training for new staff, collecting of relevant data, and planning for professional development. Provides input for performance evaluations.
Collaborates with the ESL Guidance Counselor and NC faculty to develop student intake and initial English assessment procedures for new immigrant students including procedures, forms, and databases.
Collaborates with the ELS Guidance Counselor and NC staff to develop and implement instructional programs and individual learning plans for newcomer immigrant students. Observes curriculum implementation and ensures alignment with individual learning plans. Audits curriculum and makes adjustments throughout the school year.
Develops and implements outreach and support programs for new immigrant parents. Assists with the formation of a community advisory group made up of parents, community members, and other stakeholders for the purpose of identifying family needs and establishing networks of social support.
Oversees the development of cultural classes, ESL classes, family literacy classes, and communication assistance for new immigrant families.
Collects data, and monitors student progress for the preparation of reports required for local, state, and federal reports. Establishes practices for efficient data collection and analysis in collaboration with the NC faculty to be used for instructional planning and preparation of reports.
Serves as a liaison to host school administration, faculty, and staff. Addresses NC program administrative tasks such as scheduling, extracurricular activities, transitions, and faculty training with the host-school principal and staff.
Provides input on the design and implementation of professional development activities for teachers and staff to promote innovative instructional approaches and best practices. Plans individual professional development for ESL teachers.
Organizes monthly professional development for Professional Leadership Coach (PLC) meetings. Organizes pre-service orientation and training for new ESL teachers and content-area teachers in the host school and in-service training for ESL teachers and bilingual staff.
Builds internal and external partnerships to best leverage resources and support for students and families. Works with government and nonprofit community agencies to provide services for students and families. Establishes private sector partnerships in the community.
Collaborates with school and district leadership to ensure high quality program coordination and implementation. Conducts research to identify new curriculum needs for the Newcomer Program. Collaborates with Curriculum and Instruction to ensure the delivery of specific curriculum for newcomer students.
Performs other related duties as assigned or directed.