College Pathway Coach: Woonsocket Cohort

Organization Overview

Onward We Learn, founded in 1989, has spent nearly four decades inspiring young people in Rhode Island to become the first in their families to attend and complete college. The organization continues to focus on that mission while pursuing a new two‑year strategic plan to strengthen impact and sustainability.

The Coach is embedded in a single school community to ensure that every student has access to college readiness support and milestones necessary for post‑secondary success. As an Onward representative, the Coach provides individualized, relationship‑driven support to students and families, guiding them through Onward’s programs and college readiness journey. The Coach uses data and CRM systems to monitor outcomes, identify trends, and tailor support for priority students, collaborating with internal teams and school partners to coordinate services.

Through proactive outreach and strong relationship‑building, the Coach helps students stay on track toward college readiness, access, and success, while working with the entire school team (administration, guidance, teachers) to embed college readiness opportunities throughout the school. The Coach also operates or supports out‑of‑school Onward programs for the community.

Student Coaching and Support

• Serve as the primary Onward representative embedded within the school community, ensuring all students access college readiness supports and key milestones for post‑secondary success.
• Act as the main point of contact for all students within the assigned school engaging with Onward services.
• Provide guidance and scheduled meetings/check‑ins with students based on tier position.
• Assist students in setting realistic academic and personal goals, developing actionable plans emphasizing college access and awareness, and ensuring students meet critical college pathway milestones.
• Meet weekly and monthly outreach and engagement goals, ensuring broad and sustained student participation across all tiers.
• Collaborate with school‑based teams to coordinate services, elevate needs, and align interventions for students requiring additional support.
• Support a continuum of engagement by guiding students from episodic participation to sustained, transformational involvement in Onward programming.
• Comply with all relevant school policies and legal requirements, such as mandatory reporting, to ensure the safety and well‑being of students.

Data Use and Continuous Improvement

• Master Onward’s CRM caseload management modules to maintain accurate records of all student and family interactions.
• Leverage CRM reports to analyze attendance, milestones, goals, and readiness activities, identifying engagement trends and program effectiveness.
• Use data to identify priority students and trends, tailor interventions, and improve overall program effectiveness.

Integration and Impact

• Integrate into the school community as a valued team member, building relationships with leadership and guidance staff.
• Communicate regularly with counselors and families to update on student progress and program information.
• Leverage available community resources and partnerships for individual students or the broader community.

Programming

• Collaborate with school administration, Director of Cohort Pathways, and Chief Program Officer to integrate a college‑going culture into daily school experiences via in‑school programming, campaigns, and milestone activities.
• Plan, manage, and facilitate all out‑of‑school‑time programming, including after‑school programs, weekend sessions, and school break/summer opportunities.

Team Collaboration and Professional Development

• Participate in departmental and program meetings to align with organizational goals.
• Collaborate with other departments within Onward We Learn for a unified approach to student development and program delivery.
• Engage in professional development to stay current with secondary educational trends, counseling, youth mentorship, and development best practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned to ensure the success of Onward We Learn and support families and students.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in…