Teaching Assistant / Group Leader

Imogen Roche Foundation•New York, NY

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Organizational Overview Imogen Foundation builds emotional resilience and supports the mental wellness of children and teens through project-based learning, youth leadership, community engagement, and literacy. Our afterschool programs center student choice, belonging, and compassionate relationships that help children thrive. Our middle school programs are designed to support young adolescents as they build independence, identity, leadership, and healthy relationships with peers and adults. Teaching Assistants / Group Leaders play an essential role in helping students feel safe, known, connected, and engaged after school. As some of the most consistent staff members in the program, Teaching Assistants / Group Leaders help create the daily culture of the site by supporting students during activities, transitions, snack, dismissal, recreation, and informal moments of connection. Position Summary Our programs support the social and emotional growth of participants through choice-based activities that elevate student voice and through staff practices that model compassion, understanding, and kindness. Teaching Assistants / Group Leaders in our SONYC middle school programs work closely with the Program Director, Assistant Program Director, Activity Specialists, Education Specialists, and other program staff to support safe, engaging, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate programming for middle school students onsite in a NYC public school facility. Teaching Assistants / Group Leaders support the implementation of enrichment, recreation, leadership, social-emotional learning, academic support, and community-building activities. They help supervise students throughout the program day, take attendance, support smooth transitions, assist with classroom and activity management, and help ensure that students experience the afterschool program as a safe, welcoming, and joyful place to learn, explore, and belong.

Requirements

Successful previous experience working with children or adolescents in an educational, youth development, recreation, camp, school-based, or afterschool setting preferred
Experience working with middle school students strongly preferred
Previous experience in an afterschool, youth development, school-based, or DYCD-funded program preferred
High school diploma or equivalent required; college coursework or degree in education, youth development, social work, psychology, recreation, the arts, or a related field preferred
Two or more years of classroom, camp, youth development, tutoring, coaching, or group facilitation experience preferred
Ability to build positive, respectful, and developmentally appropriate relationships with middle school students
Ability to support student voice, choice, belonging, leadership, and healthy peer relationships
Ability to supervise groups of students safely and actively in classrooms, gyms, cafeterias, hallways, outdoor spaces, and other school-based program areas
Ability to support program routines, transitions, attendance procedures, and dismissal procedures accurately and consistently
Ability to follow directions, take initiative, and work collaboratively as part of a site-based team
Ability to communicate clearly and respectfully with students, families, school staff, and program colleagues
Ability to deliver and receive constructive feedback
Ability to maintain composure in high-pressure situations and continue treating all people with compassion and kindness
Ability to protect confidential student, family, staff, and program information
Ability to be present onsite during program hours and move throughout the school building to supervise activities, respond to student and staff needs, and support safe transitions
Excellent problem-solving and interpersonal skills
Excellent oral and written communication skills

Responsibilities

Greet students warmly at arrival, snack, and other transition points, helping create a welcoming and organized program environment
Take accurate attendance and support daily attendance procedures as directed by program leadership
Supervise students during snack, recreation, activities, transitions, trips, and dismissal
Support safe and orderly transitions between activities, program spaces, and end-of-day dismissal procedures
Work with Activity Specialists, Education Specialists, and other staff to prepare, set up, implement, and clean up daily activities
Assist with youth development, enrichment, recreation, sports, leadership, social-emotional learning, and academic support activities
Lead or co-lead recreational, team-building, sports, group games, and community-building activities when appropriate
Support student engagement by encouraging participation, elevating student voice, and helping students make positive choices
Help create an atmosphere that encourages creative thinking, verbal communication, problem-solving, independent exploration, belonging, self-confidence, and awareness
Support positive behavior, conflict resolution, and restorative responses in ways that are calm, respectful, and developmentally appropriate
Work with the Program Director, Assistant Program Director, school staff, families, and appropriate consultants or specialists to support individualized student needs, including reasonable accommodations and inclusion supports
Help maintain a safe environment for students by following program routines, supervision expectations, and applicable DYCD, SACC, DOE, NYS DOH, and IF policies and procedures
Observe and communicate student needs, safety concerns, behavioral concerns, family concerns, and program issues to the Program Director or Assistant Program Director as appropriate
Maintain open and ongoing communication with the Program Director, Assistant Program Director, Activity Specialists, Education Specialists, Group Leaders, and other program staff
Participate in staff meetings, supervision, coaching, and professional development sessions
Model compassion, understanding, kindness, respect, and curiosity in interactions with students, families, school staff, and colleagues
Treat all people with compassion and kindness