Directors of Academics, Middle School

SQUASHSMARTS, INC.

Keeping Kids In School + In Shape + On Track for Graduation

DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL ACADEMICS 

Full Time Opportunity 

Salary: Commensurate with Experience 

Benefits: Employee Health Benefits Available

Posted: October 2021

Deadline: Open Until Filled

Position start date: Upon hire

SquashSmarts is an award winning out-of-school-time urban youth enrichment program utilizing the sport of squash and academic support. Since 2001, SquashSmarts has been providing high quality, high impact programs to girls and boys from the School District of Philadelphia’s most under-resourced public schools. With headquarters in North Philadelphia’s Lenfest Center and West Philadelphia’s Arlen Specter US Squash Center, SquashSmarts mission is to improve the lives of underserved youth from Philadelphia public schools by providing intensive, long-term academic support and squash instruction, while imparting high standards of personal integrity, health and fitness, and service to the community.” SquashSmarts is a 501c3 not-for-profit charitable organization and an equal opportunity employer. SquashSmarts is a founding member of the National Urban Squash & Education Association and the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative. For more information, please visit: www.SquashSmarts.org  

Director of Academics

The Director of Academics is a unique opportunity for a well-qualified person with classroom management experience to join a team and to effectively guide young people from under-resourced schools and communities. Working with middle school (5th-8th grade) students, the candidate’s primary responsibility is to engage and mentor students through our year‐round education program. The individual will work in tandem with the Director of Squash & Fitness to engage and instruct a cohort of 40-50 students that are recruited from School District of Philadelphia (SDoP) partner schools in West Philadelphia. This individual will report directly to the Program Director and The Specter Center Site Director. The individual will collaborate closely with the full program staff to ensure strong relations with all students, families, volunteers and partners; recruit new students annually; creatively design and deliver an intentional academic curriculum focusing on core skills; manage middle school course rigor and special opportunities; and monitor student progress toward matriculation via the organization’s student metric and evaluation system. 

Candidates also should have strong speaking, writing, presentation, and interpersonal skills and hold a BA/BS or equivalent international degree. Interdisciplinary skills or coursework in education, childhood development, or community-based organization experiences are a plus.  Typical weekly hours of employment are (September-June) Monday through Thursday 10:00am-6:30pm and either Friday or Saturday; and (July-August) Monday through Friday 9:00am-4:00pm. Familiarity with online instruction is a bonus as students and teachers must navigate online platforms. Additional events throughout the year will require participation beyond regular expected hours.  

Specific Responsibilities:

1. Design and lead weekday/weekend academic tutoring sessions focusing on homework help but also including non-homework based reading, writing, and interpersonal skill instruction (SquashSmarts’ 7 Skills.);
2. With Academic team, design, implement and manage the program’s year-round academic calendar;
3. Communicate and meet with students, parents/guardians to monitor performance;
4. Communicate and meet frequently with SDoP partner school teachers and counselors;
5. Manage student transportation from SDoP partner school in tandem with transportation coordinator;
6. Recruit community members to serve as volunteer tutors in partnership with the community department as well as managing communication with the volunteers
7. Record daily student evaluation in the areas of attendance, behavior, progress and performance and evaluate data using measurement metrics;
8. Manage middle school rigor and special academic opportunities through network of public and private school partners (test prep, summer academic/pre-college programs, etc.);
9. Organize enrichment outings including cultural events, performances, museum trips;
10. Partner with educational and cultural institutions as needed to enhance programming;

Assist With The Following:

1. Program-wide recruitment, retention and relations with all students and alumni with the community department;
2. Provide information relevant to academic-focused grant applications; 
3. Prepare academic reports and updates for website, email and other printed materials; 
4. Organize academic summer enrichment opportunities;
5. Assist with special networking and fundraising events;
6. Assist with chaperoning non-academic events (tournaments, service events, etc)

Additional Job Requirements:

1. Extensive knowledge of and experience with Microsoft Office required; experience with SalesForce is beneficial
2. Must be an experienced driver with valid U.S. driver’s license;
3. Must pass a state and federal criminal background screening;
4. Must be physically capable of standing/sitting/moving for extended periods of time;

tasks (lifting, exercising, coaching, tutoring, driving, etc.);

1. Non-U.S. citizen applicants must hold appropriate working papers valid for at least two years.

Position start date: Upon hire. Candidates email cover letter, resume and three (3) professional references including full name, phone #, institution, and relationship to candidate, to: Quinetta Bowden, Program Director,  quinetta@squashsmarts.org