High School Placement Transition Specialist

Community Day Charter Public School (CDCPS) manages multiple campuses across Lawrence, MA, and serves 1,200 pre-kindergarten to 8th-grade students. We believe in providing our students with a rigorous student-centered academic program while investing in their social, emotional, and holistic well-being. CDCPS has dedicated teams to support our teachers, ensuring our students' success.

Position Summary :


We are seeking a dedicated individual to join our team as a High School Placement Transition Specialist. The High School Placement Transition Specialist works closely with students, staff, and families to support the high school placement process at Community Day Charter Public School. This position reports to the Director of High School Placement and will support alumni, high school placement, and financial aid initiatives.


Responsibilities (including but not limited to) :

The High School Placement Transition Specialist will assist the Director of High School Placement in implementing strategies to engage students, alumni, and families through the high school and financial aid application process as well as developing programming that helps support student/alumni matriculation to high school and beyond.

High School Placement & Financial Aid :

• Oversee logistical details of the high school application and financial aid process across all CDCPS campuses, including collecting student transcripts and managing a calendar of open houses and application deadlines.
• Support tracking the completion of applications and required documents.
• Guide 8th-grade students and their families on financial aid options.
• Support families with the completion of the financial aid application during their child's high school years as needed.
• Provide additional support to middle schoolers and/or the Director as needed with day-to-day operations.
• All other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Advocacy and Support:

• Establish and maintain relationships with CDCPS leadership, school teams, and the high school placement team to align and execute the high school placement program model.
• Maintain consistent relationships with contacts at secondary/high schools including but not limited to public, private, and parochial schools within the region.
• Serve as the primary contact and/or liaison between secondary/high school staff and incoming high school students.
• Advocate for students/alumni facing challenges and work with secondary/high school and the high school placement team to generate action plans to support students.

• Establish and maintain communication channels with alumni including outreach via phone, email, social media, and conducting appointments.
• Monitor the academic progress of alumni/transitioning students during their freshman year and beyond as needed.
• Provide ongoing support to CDCPS alumni facing academic or social-emotional challenges in high school and beyond to support with persistence and completion.
• Conduct financial literacy training sessions for CDCPS students, alumni, and families.
• Research scholarships and other funding opportunities to add to the current list of scholarships and resources offered.
• Assist with various alumni projects as assigned by the Director.

• Collaborate with the Director of High School Placement to design surveys to solicit feedback from alumni and families on an annual basis.
• Analyze survey responses, extract insights, and make recommendations for program improvement.
• Track alumni feedback and success stories using a variety of methods including but not limited to 1-1 conversations, surveys, and panels.
• Support in developing, documenting, and implementing consistent and replicable data entry procedures to track student, alumni, and family engagement with High School Placement and Financial Aid initiatives.
• All other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Summer Enrichment Programs:

• Work to strengthen relationships with schools offering summer programs.
• Assist in connecting students with relevant academic enrichment opportunities and/or workshops to help them ahead of their transition to high school.
• Connect alumni to internship and volunteer opportunities.

• A passionate belief in CDCPS' mission, values, and educational model.
• Ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively with families, colleagues, and school partners.
• Self-motivated and able to balance competing deadlines and manage multiple and often shifting priorities.
• Strong ability to work effectively in an outcomes-focused, team environment, with demonstrated ability to take responsibility for assigned tasks and take initiative.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule with some evenings and weekends as needed.
• Ability to travel to partner schools for support of alumni and potential attending students.
• Bilingual language ability (English/Spanish) is required.

*Community Day Charter Public School participates in the E-Verify program to determine the immigration and work-eligibility status of prospective employees. Please refer to the Notice of E-Verify Participation and the Right to Work documents for more information.

*Community Day Charter Public School is affiliated with The Community Group (TCG), a private, nonprofit organization that has been creating opportunities through education since 1970. TCG manages various programs, including a network of early childhood and out-of-school time programs, a K1-8 charter public school, training programs, and a child care resource and referral program, Child Care Circuit.

*The Community Group is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting, retaining, developing, and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to their race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited by federal, state or local law. In addition, we are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment and where employees are treated with respect and dignity