Education Specialist

• BACKGROUND:Forestdale is a NYC child welfare agency working to prevent child abuse/neglect through parenting, prevention, and foster care services, focusing on low-income and immigrant communities in NYC. Forestdale operates out of three offices to better serve the families of Brooklyn and Queens. We help thousands of families work through complex trauma, parents raise the next amazing generation of children, and youth successfully launch into adulthood. Forestdale’s mission is “to ensure that children and families have the fundamental assets they need to thrive and live independently.

Job Summary:

The Education Specialist will coordinate access to educational resources and monitor the educational development of elementary school age children and youth in foster care. Additionally, the Specialist will work as part of a team of social workers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and program administrators in the development of comprehensive age-appropriate, and culturally relevant treatment plans. The candidate will also conduct individualized educational counseling, coordinate educational evaluations, make referrals for tutorial services, attend special education conferences, and intervene in school conferences when necessary.

Education Specialist Responsibilities:

WORK WITH STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL ADVOCACY AND ENSURING STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING THE SUPPORTS/SERVICES THEY NEED TO SUCCEED.

• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with FD staff and youth
• Work closely with Case Planners and Life Coaches to help advocate for the educational needs of children in the child welfare system
• Interpret and assist with compliance of education intervention in all ACS required reporting;
• Conduct on-going interaction with school/social work/teaching staff/external providers, in order to improve the quality of education, and to strengthen agency and school relationships;
• Provide individualized assistance with students and their families;
• Monitor special education processes, to include attending conferences, and initiating referrals;
• Identify and coordinate external educational resources in the areas of: o Academic tutorial/enrichment o After school activities o Arts and cultural programs o Sports and recreation programs o Private education o Scholarships o Youth development programs o Summer extracurricular activities o Summer school, evening school -
• Monitor the academic performance of students in school;
• Collect school report cards, Special Education IEP’s, and other progress reports on a periodic basis;
• Participate in case conference and service plan reviews;
• Collect, review, and track NYC DOE monthly data on attendance, grades, promotion status, school enrollment, tutoring history, transcripts, etc.;
• Refer all students to quality tutoring, following up regularly regarding the students’ needs;
• Attend mandatory & optional training and conferences;
• Advocate for students with complex or ongoing educational needs to ensure every student has access to short-term/long-term services and opportunities;
• Secure representation for students with disabilities to be successful;
• Complete other related department duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

The Education Specialist role is not an entry-level role; experience working with young people in a professional setting is required. Candidates should have either:

• A Bachelor’s degree and at least 3 years of education-related experience in an instructional, administrative, or advocacy-related position;

To be effective in their role, the Education Specialist should ideally be tenacious, independent, proactive, and can follow detailed procedures. The Education Specialist should possess effective counseling skills, extensive knowledge of the public school system, outstanding communication and organizational skills and the ability to conduct extensive goal directed networking. Experience working with students and families in foster care is strongly preferred.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Experience planning and organizing recreational activities
• Organizational, verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to develop working relationships with children, teens and adults using good interpersonal skills
• Ability to accommodate a flexible work schedule, including evenings and weekends
• Ability to travel in and around the metropolitan New York City region and out of state
• Ability to maintain composure and function well under stress
• A clean New York state driver’s license

RELATIONAL SKILLS:

• Ability to work from a strength-based, trauma-informed, youth development lens;
• Ability to form collaborative, working relationships with parents/families, school and agency staff
• Consistent and reliable;
• Ability to think outside the box and employ creative approaches;
• Values and promotes diversity;
• Carries a belief that change is possible;
• Able to maintain healthy boundaries;
• Able to remain calm during moments of tension and stress.

TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL SKILLS:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills;
• Strong time-management, organizational skills, and attention to detail;
• Ability to troubleshoot, advocate, and navigate obstacles where there is not always a clear-cut pathway;
• Open to learning how to use and interpret data to inform decision-making;
• Ability to collaborate in team settings and build relationships with external partners;
• Ability to use trauma-informed techniques;
• Knowledgeable about youth resources and services;
• Flexible and can work independently.

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Salary Range:

Bachelors - $29.12/hr - $31.04/hr Bachelors (Bilingual)- $30.22/hr - $32.15/hr Masters - $30.22/hr - $33.24/hr Masters (Bilingual) - $31.59/hr - $34.34/hr Masters (Bilingual & License) - $34.43/hr - $37.09/hr

Benefits: Join the Forestdale Team and Enjoy Excellent Benefits:

• Four weeks’ vacation
• Medical/dental/vision/life/disability insurance
• 401(k), 7% employer contribution + 2% match
• Tax-deferred health care/dependent care/commuter plans
• Flexible Schedule
• Opportunities for educational scholarships

Additional Information Forestdale Inc. is an equal opportunity employer that is proudly committed to becoming an anti-racist and multicultural organization that stands up for justice and equity. We welcome prospective employees from diverse backgrounds, for administrative support and direct service and leadership roles, who will join us on that journey, uphold our values and approach, and believe in our mission. Additionally, we aim to have a racially representative leadership and workforce that is reflective of the communities we work in partnership with. Forestdale Inc. is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, participants, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of our activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and termination of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services.