Program Specialist I (School Transformation)

Job Description

The mission of Centinela Youth Services, Inc. (CYS) is to strengthen families and communities and help build successful students and productive adults, leveraging the principles of restorative justice to empower peaceful conflict resolution. We are committed to ending the institutionalized practices in schools and justice systems that are primarily responsible for maintaining the school- to-prison pipeline and disproportionately impact youth of color. CYS operates a variety of innovative programs that are proven to increase student performance; reduce school dropout rates, gang involvement, youth violence and crime and ultimately help preserve families. CYS is leading innovation that is transforming youth justice in LA and the state, with a commitment to both youth development and serving victims of youth crime, while impacting systemic change to end the school to prison pipeline. CYS is also providing leadership to critical juvenile justice reform in LA County and is growing rapidly as a result.

Compensation

Compensation Range: $30.00/hour - $34.00/hour

This is a nonexempt full-time position, including benefits. Salary is commensurate with experience. All full-time employees are invited to participate in the company’s health benefits package after completing the 60-90-day employment introductory period. Our benefits program includes select health plans and dental plans at 100% cost reimbursement (for employee only), vision insurance, time off accruals and holiday pay.

Schedule

This is a full-time position. CYS has the following 9/80 work schedule: Monday – Thursday, 8am – 6pm. Friday, 8am – 5pm, with every other Friday off. This position may be required to work occasional evenings or weekends to accommodate a specific meeting or event.

Work Location

This position will split time between remote work, field work, and our Inglewood office. This position will spend significant time each week, even daily, on-site at school district partner locations as well as occasional field meetings throughout Los Angeles County. There may be times when response to an off-site location is required on short notice.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree (Masters preferred) in Education, Social Work, Human Services, or a related field and at least five years of experience in a secondary school setting or similar.
• Candidate must also be able to work well under stress and meet deadlines.
• Must pass background clearance and TB test.

Preferred Skills

• Training and experience with restorative practices is strongly preferred.
• Excellent track record of delivering professional development workshops that achieve measurable results.
• Ability to communicate effectively to educators and school administrators, at school board meetings and at community meetings.
• Excellent time management and prioritization skills.
• Ability to think critically and identify gaps in information and processes.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and self-direction to bring clarity.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to connect well with diverse populations with varied perspectives, including agency and elected officials, frontline staff like school district personnel, school police officers, discipline administrators and teachers, as well as youth, parents, and other community residents.
• Demonstrate strong friendly advocacy and diplomacy skills and ability to understand different perspectives and find common ground.

General Functions and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the CYS Assistant Director of Transformation and/or assigned Supervisor, the duties of the School Transformation Specialist role include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Collaborate on a CYS team to develop and expand services to school districts for reducing exclusionary discipline practices and expanding restorative practices in school discipline.
• Work with school district police, security teams, and school site administration to develop and implement alternative methods to address harmful tough behavior via prevention and diversion services to reduce campus arrests and break down the “school to prison pipeline.”
• Serve as CYS liaison to school district and school-site partners, including school police departments in collaboration with other CYS staff, to deliver Professional Development workshops and to support systems/ policy changes within partnering school campuses and school districts.
• Assist with “on-boarding” new and existing school district, school site, law enforcement or justice agency referring agencies by participating in delivery of staff orientations and presentations, requiring knowledge of CYS direct service offerings and how to navigate initial service referral challenges.
• Engage in proactive and regular interactions with school administrators, disciplinary teams, teachers, school security and law enforcement, to support adoption of new restorative justice-based processes and procedures designed to achieve reductions in suspensions, expulsions, or on-campus arrests.
• Be or become highly knowledgeable about standard disciplinary procedures, policies and federal/state education regulations to assist school partners’ confidence in implementation of restorative justice and trauma-informed behavioral response.
• Conduct focus groups and other listening sessions with students, parents or other key stakeholders to elevate voices of those most impacted to help design solutions to address school and community safety concerns.
• Advocate and design empowerment pathways for youth, parents, and community members to be included in key decision-making spaces on campus pertaining to safety concerns and restorative practices. This also includes equipping stakeholders to facilitate their own restorative justice and conflict resolution processes wherever possible.
• Gain cooperation from partners to provide data to support intentional implementation to meet equity goals.
• Document and collect data related to agency and specific funding partner project objectives and work with project evaluators as required to ensure clean data is used for analysis and reporting.
• Complete timely and accurate project, progress and activity reports.
• Represent CYS and the CYS mission at various community meetings and collaborative networks.
• Coordinate special projects as needed.
• Other reasonable duties as assigned.

Working Conditions

Performing duties of the School Transformation Specialist role may require:

• Spending the majority of the day walking, standing, sitting and regularly commuting back and forth to off-site locations.
• Significant periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times.
• Must be able to access and navigate each department at the organization’s facilities.
• Must have access to reliable transportation at short notice.

Benefits

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Medical Benefits

Dental Benefits

Vision Benefits

9/80 schedule (every other Friday off)