Organization Overview

Colorado Youth for a Change (CYC) is an educational nonprofit organization with a statewide scope. CYC addresses barriers to learning by providing individualized support throughout pivotal stages of students' education journeys. We provide a continuum of services from Prekindergarten through high school to help students find success through tutoring, case management, and outreach to help in-school youth remain in school or out-of-school youth return to school. We envision an equitable education system where each student has access to resources they need to maximize their own learning and growth. CYC's organizational values are growth, integrity, community, and systemic transformation. Description

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

CYC began implementing Early Learning Corps in Colorado in 2020 to provide early interventions to PreK students. Colorado Early Learning Corps is an AmeriCorps program with the mission of ensuring that all preschoolers in Colorado are ready for Kindergarten. The Early Learning Corps program combines the power of national service with literacy and numeracy science to deliver proven approaches that help our youngest learners transform into confident students – something that translates into all areas of their lives.

Because Early Learning Corps tutors are in schools full-time, they provide consistent individualized learning experiences through play, song, instruction, activities, and conversation. With consistent member attendance, preschool students supported by Early Learning Corps achieve significantly higher assessment scores than their peers by the end of one year. Tutors commit to a term of service and receive rigorous training plus ongoing expert coaching throughout the year.

POSITION SUMMARY

This is an AmeriCorps service member position within an AmeriCorps program, Early Learning Corps. The Early Learning Tutor is embedded into a classroom of children ages 3 – 5 and serves alongside a teacher to develop children’s early literacy and math skills in preparation for Kindergarten. Tutors are trained in research-based early learning strategies and collaborate with the classroom teaching staff to enhance daily literacy and math opportunities and conduct literacy and math assessments to increase the number of children on target with early reading and math predictors.

Members serve during school hours and are needed for the entire school year. The position is full-time (35-40 hours per week), with school breaks and holidays off. This position begins on October 14th, 2024 and ends on May 30th, 2025.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Early Literacy and Numeracy Instruction and Assessment

• Lead and support meaningful and engaging literacy and math activities throughout the day, focusing on skills that give all children the opportunity to talk, read, count, write, and play.
• Implement Tier 1 support strategies with all students- including greeting children at arrival, helping children write their name at sign-in, having back and forth conversations at mealtime, conducting a high quality read aloud in small group settings, journaling, enhancing literacy and math skills during choice time, leading one on-one and/or small group targeted strategies daily for select children, and leading transitions and activities that include literacy and math components for the whole classroom.
• Provide additional skill practice to a minimum of 7 children daily in a one-on-one and/or small group setting using scripted early literacy or early math strategies; achieve a high degree of fidelity to the scripted strategies.
• Assess, with high level of accuracy, child outcomes and progress using tri-annual benchmark assessments and ongoing progress monitoring assessments.
• Identify students who qualify for one-on-one and/or small group reading or math tutoring services based on assessment data with direction from the teacher and coaches.
• Provide complete, accurate, and timely documentation of students’ progress scores and strategies using an online database; maintain confidentiality of all student data.
• Participate in regular coaching sessions (includes observation of tutor) to review student progress, plan, problem-solve, and set goals; act on constructive feedback from coaching sessions.
• Maximize impact via push-in classroom support and other supplemental academic supports that do not duplicate current site staff duties.
• Complete additional tasks as part of an action or professional development plan as assigned by Coaches or Program Staff.
• Provide opportunities for family involvement for students, including implementing program family engagement interventions as available.

Communication

• Communicate and interact with students in an age and developmentally appropriate way.
• Build professional relationships and communicate regularly with classroom teachers, internal coaches, and school site personnel regarding student schedules, interventions, student progress, etc.
• Build professional relationships and communicate regularly with CYC Early Learning Corps staff and members.

Attendance

• Demonstrate regular, timely attendance and adherence to hours as scheduled.
• Commit to service for the full service term, serving the total commitment of hours within the term.
• Participate in all required Early Learning Corps-sponsored training sessions, meeting, and coaching sessions, including peer professional development/cluster meetings and member meet-ups; travel as necessary.

HOURS AND TERM OF SERVICE

Members serve full-time (35-40 hours a week), during a typical school schedule. Daily hours are usually within the time frame of 7:30am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday, however these may vary slightly from site to site. Members may attend site-sponsored activities outside of regular service hours (e.g., family night). Members have time off during school breaks or holidays when the students are not in school.

This schedule format will ensure members meet the 900-hour requirement between October 14th, 2024 and May 30th, 2025. Members are required to commit to the full term of service. On October 14th, members will begin their term of service with two weeks of online orientation. They will begin in their school after completing training.

MEMBER TRAINING
Members participate in a two-week onboarding training at the beginning of their service term. Orientation is completed online. Members participate in Zoom meetings, interactive trainings, and self-directed learning modules. During orientation, members are trained on equity and anti-oppression, individualized student support strategies, mandated reporting, data entry, and more. Members complete their Early Learning Corps Institute training during orientation.

Members receive one-on-one supervision twice per month by a CYC Early Learning Corps Coach. Members participate in ongoing professional development trainings facilitated by CYC staff and through community partners of CYC at least twice per month. Members also participate in professional development opportunities at their service sites which vary depending on the site.

SERVICE LOCATION

CYC AmeriCorps members are placed at one school during the term of service. Placement will be determined based on the needs of the member and the needs of the school. Typically, member location and mode of transportation are the biggest consideration. Although members are placed at one school, there will be regular opportunities to connect as a larger team with other fellow Early Learning Corps members. Service sites are located throughout the state of Colorado.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Interest in education, specifically helping children develop early literacy and numeracy skills.
• Dedication to community service.
• Strong planning and time-management skills.
• Strong capacity to be flexible and adaptable to varied circumstances, paired with a conscientious commitment to adhere to the Early Learning Corps tutoring model with fidelity.
• Consistent follow-through.
• Ability to accept and incorporate constructive feedback from coaches and program staff.
• Ability to work with diverse identities.
• Open to learning and unlearning through trainings focused on anti-oppression, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Ability to adapt to a sometimes challenging and high-pressure environment.

MIMINUM QUALIFICATIONS

• 17 years or older by start date (17-year-olds must have guardian permission).
• Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
• Have a high school diploma or G.E.D.
• Not have served more than three AmeriCorps terms previously.
• Submit to a full background check, including a sex offender registry check, state criminal history registry check, and FBI fingerprint-based check. This position has recurring access to vulnerable populations and selection is contingent upon satisfactory results of these checks.
• Speak, read, and write English fluently.
• Basic computer skills, including the ability to navigate online systems and email.

BENEFITS

• Free and immediate health insurance through Corps Network - Cigna
• Living allowance of $1,247 pretax distributed on the 3rd and 18th of every service month
• Eli Segal Education Award (can be used to pay future tuition or federal student loans) of up to $3,697.50 for completing the 900-hour term (for members starting in October), and $2,817.14 for completing the 675-hour term (for members starting in January)
• Bus pass for everyday commute for members utilizing public transportation OR mileage reimbursement for members utilizing a personal vehicle for any miles traveled during the school day (this DOES NOT include reimbursement for daily commuting to and from service site)
• Members participate in professional development and training including topics such as motivational interviewing, restorative practices, positive youth development, equity and anti-oppression, education policy and funding, etc.
• Access to the Member Assistance Program (MAP) that provides free, confidential, 24/7 phone counseling to members and 3 free in-person or telehealth sessions with a licensed clinician.
• Federal Loan Forbearance – AmeriCorps will pay off interest that is accrued during your term of service on all eligible student loans

Colorado Youth for a Change (CYC) is committed to inclusion and prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, race, color, national origin, age 40 and over, religion, disability, or any other applicable status protected by federal, state or local law.

We will make reasonable accommodation for otherwise qualified individuals with known disabilities or whose service requirements interfere with a religious belief unless doing so would result in an undue hardship or a direct threat to CYC. Please contact Human Resources at 303.292.2779 to request accommodation or for questions/concerns regarding this policy.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $2,494.00 per month

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• No nights
• No weekends

Ability to Relocate:

• Fraser, CO: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person