Director of College Counseling and Alumni Affairs

Job Description

Capital City is looking for innovative, experienced, and passionate staff members! 

At Capital City, we challenge the status quo every day. Our staff are skilled, compassionate, solutions-oriented, and unwavering in their commitment to give children of all ages, all backgrounds, and all abilities the education they need to thrive. If you want to help prepare the next generation of changemakers, apply today!

Why work at Capital City?

• Work hard and achieve results, together! At Capital City, staff members work on collaborative teams that grapple with challenges, celebrate successes, and support and learn from one another.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t just buzzwords. We believe the diversity of our staff and the students we serve is our greatest asset. We take seriously the responsibility to achieve equity for our students and build a culture where staff engage in dialogue about race and work to build an inclusive culture.

About the Position:

The Director of College Counseling and Alumni Affairs is a critical role at Capital City’s Upper School. Capital City will be graduating its first graduating class of seniors in 2012 and many of our graduates will be the first in their families to attend college. The Director of College Counseling and Alumni Affairs has primary responsibility for ensuring all of our students apply and are accepted to colleges and universities. Reaching this goal involves helping each student to explore their interests and talents and develop a personal plan for applying and being admitted to college. Involving and educating parents will be critical. This job description is meant to provide an outline for the many and varied responsibilities of the position. There may be additional responsibilities as the program develops and needs arise. The Director of College Counseling and Alumni Affairs reports to the Upper School Principal and works closely with the Head of School, Director of Student Services, and Development Director.

This is a 12-month position which is exempt and therefore not eligible for overtime pay under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

In the following areas, the Director of College Counseling and Alumni Affairs is responsible for: 

College Counseling and Individual Support  

• Providing individualized support to students in selecting schools and navigating the application process. 
• Setting up a college and career office where students can access information and resources. 
• Setting up student accounts on Naviance® and ensuring its effective use. ▪ Working with the Director of Student Services to support students with disabilities and language needs in preparing for college admissions and transition 
• Writing an official school recommendation for each senior. This will optimally be done in the summers and may involve gathering information from students, teachers, parents and school records. 
• Collecting and disseminating information to students and their parents on summer opportunities and encouraging and supporting students in making summer plans. 

Curriculum and Instruction

• Teaching a class for juniors focused on academic, social and emotional readiness for college along with preparation for SATs and college applications. 
• Training students to use Naviance® and using Naviance® tools for instruction. 
• Working with teachers to develop an advisory curriculum of college readiness with goals and activities for all grade levels. Securing and organizing curriculum resources. 

Parent Education and Communication  

• Providing information sessions and support for families in understanding the college application process and financial aid. 
• Providing focused outreach and support to first-generation college families. Providing or arranging interpretation and translation support as needed. 
• Supporting students and families in finding scholarships and college funding 
• Creating a College Search Handbook, a key resource for families and students. 
• Keeping parents informed through regular communications that might include a 
• newsletter, web portal and/or monthly mailing. A communication plan will be developed and approved by the Principal and Head of School. 
• Training parents to use Naviance®. 

Assessments/Admissions Testing 

• Maintaining and disseminating information about standardized tests such as SAT, ACT, and TOEFL. 
• Coordinating and supporting test preparation activities including summer and after school or weekend classes. Any contracts with outside organizations must be approved by the Principal and Head of School. 
• Helping register students and administer AP and PSAT exams, serving as the testing coordinator. 
• Working with the Director of Student Services to arrange for extended time on tests for eligible students with disabilities. 

Outreach to Colleges and Universities  

• Introducing our program to colleges and universities and fostering partnerships. 
• Compiling a school profile, as well as information on grading and course offerings. This letter will be reviewed and approved by the Head of School. 
• Setting up college visits and tours for students in partnership with grade-level teams. Arranging for college admissions representatives to visit our campus and facilitating meetings between college representatives and our students. 
• Serving as a liaison with college admissions offices and completing all School Reports and mid-year report forms requested by colleges. 

Partnerships

• Establishing partnerships with local and national organizations to support our students with college preparation and scholarships. 
• Serve as the liaison for the DC College Access Program. 
• Identifying and maintaining partnerships for our students to take college classes. Support students in applying and registering for classes and monitoring the partnership and student participation. 

Internships 

• Developing and managing an internship program for high school students
• Identifying organizations to host interns. 
• Maintaining program materials to provide hosts, students and parents. 
• Organizing an application process for interns. 
• Monitoring student participation and quality of placements. 
• Providing training for students selected for internships to support them with resume writing, interview skills and workplace skills and habits. 
• Meeting with students in a group weekly during the internship placement.

Alumni Affairs 

• Maintaining data and database of Capital City Public Charter School alumni. Organizing alumni events (Alumni College Fair, FAFSA re-enrollment, mentoring programs, volunteer opportunities). 
• Surveying alumni and utilizing data to support programmatic decisions. 
• Create an Alumni council/board to establish alumni as stakeholders in the future of Capital City 

Other Professional Responsibilities

• Keeping track of activities and results and making regular reports to the Principal and Head of School. 
• Being aware of issues and trends in college admission, higher education, and testing, as well as keeping up-to-date about specific colleges. 
• Maintaining membership in professional organizations.

Desired Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• Experience working in secondary education or college education preferred.
• Experience with District of Columbia financial aid preferred (i.e. DC TAG).
• Experience working with diverse student populations or in an urban setting is preferred.
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to be detail oriented while also maintaining hold of the big picture
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets and databases
• Exceptional project management and organizational skills required

In addition to the above requirements, staff members must meet the requirements of all hires at Capital City including a criminal background check.

About Our School

Capital City was founded in 2000 and currently serves a diverse population of nearly 1,000 students across PK-12th grade. We have been recognized as a model for social, emotional and academic development. Our program emphasizes a commitment to diversity and equity, a strong inclusion model and the integration of arts into the curriculum. We are a credentialed EL Education Mentor School (https://eleducation.org/) in the national network of over 150 schools. Through this model, teachers craft long-term learning expeditions that connect learning to the real-world and incorporate projects, research, fieldwork, and service to support students in meeting rigorous standards. Learn more at www.ccpcs.org.

Capital City is an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, marital status, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected status. All employment decisions will be made solely on the basis of the individual's qualifications as related to the requirements of the position being filled.

Compensation and Benefits: 

Capital City offers a competitive salary and benefits package. 

Competitive compensation. At Capital City, salaries compensate for experience and qualifications. Salaries are benchmarked regularly.

Benefits. Capital City invests in a comprehensive benefits package to support the happiness and well-being of staff at all stages of career and life. Benefits include 100% of health insurance covered for full-time employees, up to 6% in retirement contributions, preferred student admission for children of staff living in DC, and support for you and your family when needed.