Family Engagement Manager

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

Educare DC serves over 350 children from birth to five years - and their families - through our state-of-the-art center and through community partnerships. Building on the program foundations of Early Head Start and Head Start and accredited by NAEYC, Educare DC promotes school readiness by providing high-quality, comprehensive early learning programming for children who are historically underserved due to systemic racism, eliminating the opportunity gap often experienced by low-income communities.

Educare DC is part of the 25-school Educare Learning Network that serves as a platform for broader change, inspiring high-quality programs in communities, improving public policies nationally and within each state, and demonstrating a comprehensive, research-based approach to the first five years of life and learning. Educare DC draws on a blend of private and public dollars, including federal childcare funding, Early Head Start, Pre-K, and other state and federal funding streams.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Family Engagement Manager (FEM) leads in the engagement and involvement of families at the IDEA site. Through activities, practices and services that support parents as the primary nurturers, experts, and teachers of their child, this position works with staff to promote and sustain every child's learning, development, academic and life success. Reporting to the School Director, the FEM will primarily focus on the work of the Family Support staff which is centered on the parent/child relationship, engaging that relationship with parents and other members of the Educare DC interdisciplinary team.

The FEM supervises two Family Engagement Specialists.

Responsibilities:

Family Engagement Planning

• Guide family engagement specialists in supporting the development of the parent-child relationship as children grow and develop from infants to age three.
• Develop and execute a strategic plan for family engagement that aligns with Head Start Performance Standards and program goals.
• Utilize the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Framework to plan and host events that are beneficial to families.
• Develop strategies with families that help them appreciate and contribute to the educational activities of Educare DC and successfully use their own voices to advocate on behalf of their children and themselves.
• Promoting parents' overall participation in program governance.
• Lead the planning and involvement of parents in their children's program transitions, i.e., into EHS to HS.
• Support Family Engagement Specialists in the use of child screening, assessment, and progress data to inform the development of goals in the Family Partnership Agreement.
• Liaise between families and community agencies to offer referrals to address family needs.
• Prepare reports on family engagement metrics and outcomes for program evaluation.
• Monitor and track family engagement budget using an organized system for budget management and purchasing.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

• Participate in the Research Program Partnership and processes of continuous quality improvement and, in conjunction with the Local Evaluation Partner, ensuring completion of family questionnaires and coordination of timely feedback to Family Support staff.
• Lead efforts to engage and involve parents in child development and learning.
• Collaborate with the Comprehensive Services Manager to conduct internal monitoring of health and dental compliance at least three times per year, and monthly monitoring using Child Plus database.
• Participate in Family/Child Reviews (FCRs) in conjunction with the Education Team, Child Services and Nutrition Specialist, Inclusion and Wellness Specialist, ensure FCR action plans are followed, and progress monitored.
• Collaborate with the comprehensive services team to facilitate completion of case consultations and special education eligibility, planning and implementation processes when warranted.
• Develop working relationships with local schools to coordinate the successful transition of children.
• Ensure all Head Start Performance Standards, Educare DC protocols, state, and local licensing requirements, and other funder requirements…