Elementary School Navigator

Primary Responsibilities And Essential Functions Of Positions

• Manage a caseload of all K-5th grade students in foster care to ensure students are receiving proper educational supports and are doing well academically.
• Work with the Caseworker, foster parent, birth parent/caretaker, and tutors to address any educational concerns.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with the schools; provide advocacy on behalf of the child(ren)/youth.
• Ensure school stability if a student is relocating homes.
• Provide individualized, in-home assistance to all 5th grade students and their families with the middle school selection process each year to help ensure students enter quality, best-fit middle schools.
• Review NYC Department of Education (NYC DOE) monthly data, attendance, and transcripts to identify struggling students; work with youth, case workers, and parents to ensure improved attendance, and/or provide additional academic supports.
• Connect students who are below grade level to quality tutoring.
• Arrange referrals for IEP evaluations and behavioral/academic supports within the school.
• Negotiate with DOE staff to ensure the implementation of recommended and appropriate educational services.
• Connect K-5 students and families to afterschool programs and summer activities.
• Complete Tutoring referrals, and monitor their performance by observing tutoring sessions, reviewing progress notes to ensure tutoring sessions are quality and taking place on a consistent basis.
• Track K-5 School data, goals, and steps monthly on excel spreadsheet tracker.
• Complete comprehensive progress notes on the K-5 Tracker and on Connections by the assigned deadlines.
• Participate and engage in weekly, monthly, and ongoing virtual and in-person agency-wide, Youth Development, and Education Team, ACS, Fair Futures, Advocates for Children, professional development, and DOE related meetings, training, events, programs, and workshops.
• Ensure all youth in K-5 have transportation set-up and collaborate with the Case Planning team, Parent, Foster Parent, and DOE to ensure transportation is set up prior to school starting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Master's degree preferred
• Minimum of two years working with youth, preferably in foster care, education, advocacy, or within the NYC Department of Education (NYC DOE).
• Strong understanding of the NYC DOE system, special education services, and middle school selection process.
• Experience in academic support services, including IEP referrals, tutoring coordination, and school advocacy.
• Ability to review and analyze attendance, academic performance, and DOE data to identify and support struggling students.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel for tracking student progress and goals.
• Excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills to work effectively with foster parents, birth parents/caretakers, caseworkers, and school staff.
• Strong problem-solving and advocacy skills to ensure school stability and the implementation of appropriate educational supports.
• Organizational and time management skills to meet deadlines for documentation, progress notes, and program requirements.
• Ability to engage in professional development, training, and meetings with internal and external stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel within NYC for school visits, in-home assistance, and meetings.

Benefits

• Rewarding Work in a team environment.
• Paid vacation, sick, personal days, and holidays.
• 403(B) retirement plans with employer contribution.
• Health, dental, vision and life insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Flexible spending account (Dependent Care, Medical, Parking, and Transit).
• Employee Appreciation Programs and Events.
• Tuition Assistance Program.
• Professional Development opportunities.
• Wellhub Discount
• Verizon Wireless Discount
• BJs Membership discount.
• Discounts on Broadway tickets, movie tickets, theme parks, sporting events, gift certificates & more

About HeartShare

• For over 150 years, Heartshare has been dedicated to championing and empowering New Yorkers society has too often overlooked and underestimated.
• To learn more about HeartShare, please visit our website at www.heartshare.org or Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.