Middle School Education Specialist

Educational Support Coordinator

LOCATION:

Brooklyn, NY

REPORTS TO:

Supervisor

DEPARTMENT:
Bridges to the Future

SCHEDULE:

Full Time / Hybrid

$1,000 Hiring Incentive

AGENCY BACKGROUND:

Mercy First is a not-for-profit human and social service agency that has been serving children and families in need since we were founded by the Sisters of Mercy/Hermanas de las Misericordia in 1894. Today our agency continues to address the emotional and physical needs of children and families in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and across Long Island through innovative treatments and life-changing interventions.

We provide community-based prevention and family foster care services, group homes in the community for struggling children and families within the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and short-term residential services for unaccompanied migrant children. Each year, Mercy First serves more than 3,000 children, teenagers and families overcome enormous obstacles, re-imagine their futures and develop the full potential.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND:

The Bridges to the Future program supports our foster care youth as they prepare for the future. The program provides teens and young adults with skills and testing to secure viable jobs, scholarship assistance to attend college or vocational school, obtain and maintain affordable housing in the community, and life skills coaches to guide them during the challenging transition from foster care to adulthood.

POSITION SUMMARY:

• Provide educational assistance and support for children/youth from early education/intervention to the start of the middle school/high school years who are placed in the family foster care program.

• Assist case planners and parents with the referral process to the Committee of Special Education.

• Provide individualized assistance with the middle school and high school application process to all 5th and 8th grade students in collaboration with the families and agency staff.

• Provide educational advocacy and ensure that students are receiving the necessary support services in IEP meetings and/or educational meetings.

• Submit referrals and coordinate with Office of Pupil Transportation to arrange bussing for eligible youth.

• Serve as agency liaison to case planners, families, the NYC Department of Education, ACS Education Committee, Advocates for Children, schools and to other outside organizations with whom the agency collaborates in order to meet the needs and to promote the educational best interests of children in care.

• Utilize Department of Education data to track, report, and monitor the educational status of children with casework teams, parents and resource parents in order to support best educational practices and planning.

• Support families with applying for enrichment programs such as Summer Rising, after school programs etc.

• Promote educational achievement by ensuring that each child is placed in the proper educational setting, i.e. early intervention, early education, regular education, special education, and gifted and specialized educational programs.

• Coordinate referrals for free to low-cost tutoring services for children in need in their communities and for private, and in-home tutoring services where such services are not available.

• Monitor provision of in-home tutoring services and track progress and outcomes of student participants with students, families and the tutoring company.

• Complete administrative responsibilities, including timely entry of educational information in CONNECTIONS, Care4 platform, submission of billing and other monthly program reports. Other related duties as assigned by supervisor or administrator.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in a related field (Social Work, Psychology, Mental Health) and a minimum of 2 years of related work experience with at-risk or child welfare system-involved youth or Associate's or accredited vocational degree with a minimum of 3 years of related work experience with at-risk or child welfare system-involved youth
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Outlook, some knowledge of Excel
• Ability to file documentation accurately
• Abil…