Attendance Success Coordinator- Elementary

Position Overview

The Attendance Success Coordinator works with chronically absent Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade students at PS 76Q – William Hallet and PS 112Q – Dutch Kills School to address the barriers that prevent them from attending school daily. This role is responsible for student and family outreach via home visits, calls, text messages, and emails, connecting families to supportive services, and implementing strategies to improve attendance among our youngest learners.

This role reports directly to the Director of Attendance Improvement and collaborates closely with school staff to identify chronically absent students and conduct broad-based practices to encourage attendance and increase student engagement with our wraparound supports that provide basic needs and address the challenges of students attending school on a regular basis.

What is chronic absenteeism?

One in five New York City students is chronically absent, missing more than 18+ days of school during the school year. Missing school drastically affects a student's learning outcomes in academics and connectedness with their school community. This impact is especially critical in the early grades, where attendance habits and foundational learning are established. On average, students with a Zone 126 Attendance Success Coordinator and/or taking part in one of our wraparound support services attend up to 15 more days of school than the previous school year, as compared to students who are not Zone 126 affiliated. Students who attend school regularly and are not deemed chronically absent are more likely to have stronger academic foundations, better social-emotional development, and feel more connected to their school community.

Essential Responsibilities

• Conduct regular home visits to families of chronically absent students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade to build relationships and identify barriers to attendance.
• Participate in and potentially help coordinate a "walking school bus" model to support student attendance.
• Connect families to internal and external resources based on their individual needs through research of additional support services.
• Communicate with the family network about student progress and challenges daily/weekly.
• Communicate with teachers weekly; stay abreast of classroom activities and events to provide individual motivation and support as needed.
• Review weekly attendance reports with the Director of Attendance Improvement and other school personnel as needed.
• Work with families to define and establish goals that will address the reasons for chronic absenteeism, as well as any social-emotional needs impacting attendance.
• Support the Attendance Team with making and monitoring referrals.
• Host group sessions with families that include activities that support building their capacity to establish consistent attendance routines.
• Collect and maintain comprehensive, up-to-date, and accurate records for submission to our Data & Evaluation Manager.
• Properly maintain confidential students' files with complete and up-to-date data/documentation, including required consent forms.
• Support the promotion and collection of surveys, interviews, and focus groups as requested.
• Collaborate with community partners and school staff to develop and implement attendance incentive programs for early elementary students.
• Support with other duties as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in education, social work, counseling, or a related field required.
• At least 2 years of experience working with young children (Pre-K to Grade 1) and their families.
• PS 76Q and PS 112Q positions each require one candidate who is fluent in Spanish.
• Experience in home visiting or community outreach strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of early childhood development and family engagement strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to build rapport with diverse families and communities.
• Experience in conflict resolution, crisis counseling, and supportive communication.
• Strong background in program development, early childhood education, and family support.
• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and awareness of the unique challenges facing families in the community.
• Strong organizational, written, and verbal skills.
• Self-directed and able to work as part of a team.
• Ability to lift 25 pounds occasionally to assist with program activities & setup.
• Comfortable with walking throughout the neighborhood for home visits and walking school bus activities in various weather conditions.
• DOE Fingerprinting Clearance is required for all school-based staff. Fingerprinting costs are reimbursable after 90 days of successful employment.

Work Location and Schedule

• Full Time, 35 hours per week
• Monday through Friday, typically 7 am to 3 pm (specific schedule will be determined based on school hours and needs).
• Some flexibility in scheduling is required to accommodate early morning walking school bus activities and afternoon/evening home visits.
• Before and after school hours, occasional weekends, and special event support will be planned in advance.

Salary and Benefits

• Annual Salary $60,000.
• A comprehensive benefits package is available including paid time off, Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, flexible spending, transportation benefits, and 401K.

About Zone 126

Zone 126 is a community-based nonprofit organization in Queens, NY whose mission is to is to combat chronic absenteeism by connecting students to youth development programming that builds pathways to college, the workforce, and promising futures.

Zone 126 envisions a community in which all students have the support needed to participate in their education and pursue successful futures that break generational cycles of poverty.

For additional information on our sites and programs, visit zone126.org.