Writers’ Room Program Assistant at John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science

826 Boston • Boston, MA

21d • Onsite

About The Position

826 Boston seeks a dynamic, communicative, and flexible individual to serve as the Writers’ Room Program Assistant at John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science. We are seeking a candidate who can ensure reliable, robust support for students while also building on the current strengths of the O’Bryant Writers’ Room Team. These strengths include, engaging students in meaningful writing opportunities, supporting students’ social-emotional development, partnering with teachers to enhance the writing instruction in their classrooms, and curating meaningful creative writing and leadership opportunities for students.

The John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science, also known as the O’B, is a 7th-12th grade school in Roxbury with more than 1,500 students. It is one of three college preparatory public exam schools in Boston, which means that students must pass an admissions test or meet specific criteria to be admitted. The O’B was the site of the first 826 Boston Writers’ Room, which opened in 2013.

Mission
826 Boston is a nonprofit writing, tutoring, and publishing organization where students in grades K-12 and beyond can share their stories, amplify their voices, and develop as leaders in school and in life.

Requirements

• The ideal candidate is a team player with a steadfast commitment to improving the quality of K-12 education, including adopting antiracist/anti-oppressive approaches, with a desire to work in a collaborative and inclusive culture, and a passion for youth empowerment through writing and publishing.
• Experience tutoring, mentoring, or working with students in grades 7-12 in an urban setting
• Ability to create engaging programming environments that encourage innovative, creative, and student-centered thinking; A love of developing fun and inclusive environments that center safety, learning, joy, and, most importantly, whimsy
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering community, building a strong sense of team, and embracing values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
• Knowledge of and fluency with social and racial justice, intersectionality, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ history, and historic/current systems of oppression
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency in organizational, time management, project management, and resource management skills
• Willingness to give and receive feedback with humility, regulation, and tact
• Experience with and/or open to learn Google Apps, Salesforce, Airtable, Canva, InDesign, and similar platforms as the organization’s needs evolve
• Experience with and/or willingness to learn high school-level STEM tutoring practices

Nice To Haves

• Experience with classroom management preferred, but not required
• Familiarity with the Boston Public Schools system, particularly the schools in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Jamaica Plain, preferred, but not required
• Proficiency in Spanish, Haitian Creole, or Cape Verdean Creole preferred, but not required

Responsibilities

• Serve as a tutor to students in grades 7-12 seeking writing support for class visits across all content areas (humanities and STEM); example assignments and publications include short-form text-based writing assignments, research papers, and college essays
• Support students’ writing development through one-on-one conferences, small-group collaboration, whole-class instruction, and humanities clubs and workshops
• Develop and lead 826 Boston-created programming, which can include stand-alone workshops, creative writing clubs, and publication projects. Example programming includes our school-wide literary magazine and student newspaper
• Assist with Writers’ Room volunteer coordination, including managing email communication and tracking attendance; leading pre-brief and debrief conversations; and planning and administering microtrainings
• Support students in developing social-emotional learning skills and processing life experiences through writing and other mediums
• Create and update wall programming including advocacy boards, writing contests, and student-facing opportunities
• Develop a bimonthly newsletter that summarizes the program’s notable highlights and 826 Boston events
• Assist with data collection, analysis, and results-sharing associated with the Writers’ Room, including tracking student visits and hours across different platforms, administering an annual writing assessment, distributing student and teacher feedback surveys, and participating in biannual team-wide reports
• Support publishing project design cycle, from giving feedback to student authors and copy editing the manuscript to designing the publication and planning the book release party
• Co-lead Student Editorial Boards for each publication project, ensuring students have the opportunity to inform book content, cover and interior design, and title selection
• Communicate project progress to staff supervisor and seek counsel when help is needed to execute goals
• Assist the Writers’ Room Manager with administrative tasks, the upkeep and beautification of the Writers' Room, and partner meetings or school-based professional development, as needed
• Support additional responsibilities during short-term Writers’ Room Manager absences by facilitating team meetings, tutor debriefs, and class mini-lessons
• Provide support at select outreach and fundraising events, including nights and weekends on rare occasions
• Support organization-wide summer programming

Benefits

• flexible work from home options
• generous paid time off (including 15 PTO days, accrued sick leave, 13 paid holidays, 6 Summer Fridays, and an organization wide two-week winter break)
• health, dental, and vision insurance (826 Boston covers 80% of premiums)
• parental leave
• paid sabbaticals

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed