You are viewing a preview of this job. Log in or register to view more details about this job.

Director of Social Emotional Learning

Reports to: Chief Program Officer

Department and Position Overview:
At Steppingstone, we believe that social emotional learning is essential to Scholars’ success in middle school, high school, and beyond, and that this learning needs to be infused into all parts of the program for it to be most effective. To this end, the SEL programming at Steppingstone is largely preventative, consisting of community building programming, psychoeducational curriculum, an Advising system based on strong relationships, and staff professional development.

The Director of Social Emotional Learning will lead the promotion, implementation and evaluation of social and emotional learning across all program divisions. The Director will manage a team that will ensure the social and emotional needs of all Scholars are met. The Director will oversee the development of curriculum, coordinate climate and culture activities, evaluate the development of Scholars' foundational skills and ensure the effectiveness of the advising systems across program divisions.

Academic Year Schedule:
The Director will work a Tuesday-Saturday schedule during the school year. Wednesday afternoons during the school year end around 6:30 p.m., and occasional additional evening work is mandatory. In person programming occurs at Boston Latin Academy on Saturdays and the Director will be expected to be at that location from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
During the school year, this position will be a hybrid role with two days in office, one day at the program site on Saturdays, and two days remotely, with some flexibility around work hours.

Summer Schedule:
During the summer, employees will work a Monday-Friday schedule. Steppingstone hosts a 6-week in-person program for Scholars, which will be held at Milton Academy in July and August. The Director must be able to work in person at Milton Academy, Monday-Friday from approximately 7:30 a.m. - 3:45 p.m., and until 5:00 p.m. on Wednesdays for faculty meetings. Due to the nature of the summer session, PTOs are granted on a very limited basis from the end of June through August. The Director will provide support to other program teams as needed.

A $500 home office set-up stipend will be provided upon hire, followed by quarterly stipends of $50. Laptops are provided to each employee to enhance the hybrid experience.

Salary: $62,500 - $67,000
Start Date: March 2022

Responsibilities:
Staff Management
  • Supervise a staff of 2 direct reports by providing effective support, coaching, and management to all direct reports
  • Facilitate cross-program SEL team
  • Support continued professional development and growth for all Advisors through regular and effective Advisor trainings, observations and feedback, and exposure to external training opportunities
Social Emotional Learning Leadership
  • Strengthen effective advising of all Scholars by: co-facilitating weekly Advising Team meetings and serving as a consultant to staff
  • Manage and support the creation of developmentally appropriate social-emotional curriculum 
  • Ensure the development of community building activities to support Scholars’ social-emotional learning in a restorative community with high expectations
  • Assess Scholar needs, offer short term interventions and make referrals as necessary
Knowledge Management
  • Ensure data collection and analysis needed to evaluate impact of social-emotional services provided to Scholars and families
  • Support the development and use of organizational referral base
Program Management
  • Support facilitation of effective communication among and between teams; work closely with program directors to provide clear roles, responsibilities, and support for staff and faculty in relation to social emotional learning 
  • Support the successful transition of Scholars to new schools, especially predominantly white institutions
  • Ensure organizational compliance with all legal and organizational standards concerning Scholar emotional safety, and serve as primary contact for Department of Children and Families
  • Help to deliver core programs by supporting the admission process and the implementation of successful program
Requirements
Required Knowledge and Skills:  
  • Demonstrated commitment to educational and racial equity in college access and success
  • Demonstrated knowledge of current research and evidenced-based best practices in Social Emotional Learning, and creating supportive and responsive school or program culture 
  • Experience implementing and evaluating Social Emotional Learning frameworks in schools or youth programs
  • Ability to communicate effectively with students and staff from diverse cultural, social, economic, and educational backgrounds
  • Experience designing and delivering professional learning for staff
  • Strong leadership and staff management skills with experience leading an effective team
  • Effective project management skills combined with ability to problem-solve, set and drive priorities, and monitor progress towards goals
  • Exceptional strategic, analytical and critical thinking skills with an ability to use data to make decisions and to translate strategy to plan and action
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills 
  • Strong relationship-building and group facilitation capabilities across differing stakeholders
  • Orientation towards continuous learning for self and others

Education and Work Experience:
  • Masters level degree in school counseling, social work, or related field
  • Successful experience working with middle-grade and/or high school students in an urban, multicultural setting
  • Experience in Boston public, charter, or independent schools is desirable

Physical Demands:
  • Lifting up to 20 pounds, standing, walking, sitting, reaching, operating computer and office equipment 
  • Pursuant to the ADA, Steppingstone will provide reasonable services and accommodation(s) to employees with qualified disabilities in order to perform the essential functions of their employment, except when doing so would be unduly disruptive and/or result in undue hardship to the organization. 

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement:
As a condition of employment, all Steppingstone employees, including full-time, part-time, temporary and contract employees, and interns, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. To be considered fully vaccinated, individuals must have received two doses of the approved Pfizer/Moderna COVID-19 vaccine or single dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, and remain up to date with all boosters recommended by the CDC prior to the finalization of the hiring process. Finalists will be given details about how to demonstrate receipt of vaccination.
Reasonable accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis for exemptions to this requirement in accordance with applicable law. Applicants should be aware that for external-facing roles, particularly those involving close contact with students, accommodations that involve remaining unvaccinated against COVID-19 may not be deemed reasonable. Steppingstone will engage in the interactive accommodation process on an individualized basis in light of each particular role.


Employee Benefits:
  • Generous paid time off (over 8 weeks total, as outlined below)
  • 15 days PTO
  • 2 days Discretionary Time Off
  • 5 wellness days
  • 12.5 holidays
  • 2 weeks paid office closure
  • $500 Home Office Set-up Stipend; plus $50 quarterly
  • Health, Dental and Vision coverage
  • Life, Short-Term and Long-Term disability insurance
  • Healthcare Reimbursement Account Plan (HRA)
  • Pet Insurance
  • Flexible Schedule
  • Retirement Plan
  • Tuition & Professional Development reimbursement
  • Flexible Spending Accounts - Health and Dependent Care
  • Pre-tax Transportation Plan (Transit & Parking)
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Membership to the National Partnership for Educational Access (NPEA)

Steppingstone Core Values
Power of One
  • We honor every voice and believe we are strongest when we work together.
  • We recognize, respect, and nurture the fullness and complexity of each member of our community.
  • We believe in the power of belonging and seek to create a welcoming and inclusive culture.
Walk the Walk
  • We partner with every Scholar and family, supporting them holistically throughout their own educational journey.
  • We work with clear and measurable purpose, using data to drive collective decision-making and challenge assumptions.
  • We create spaces for difficult conversations to transform our thinking and move us forward.
Embrace Growth
  • We strive to operate as an anti-racist organization and commit to continuous learning and action in the service of this goal.
  • We provide opportunities for everyone in our community to flourish and reach their full potential.
  • We make time for reflection, learn from past experiences, and take initiative in response to changing needs and new ideas.

The Steppingstone Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any individual, employee, or application for employment on the basis of race, color, marital status, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, or handicap, as defined by law.