Community School Director - Queens Academy High School

Job Description

Job Description

ABOUT COMMONPOINT:

At Commonpoint, community is at the heart of everything we do. With more than 90 program sites and flagship locations in Little Neck, Bayside, Forest Hills, East Elmhurst, and Jamaica, we proudly serve over 125,000 individuals each year. From early childhood to older adulthood, we support people from all walks of life on their journeys from crisis to stability and empowerment. Our wide range of programs, spanning social services, education, and recreation, reflects our mission to build a more connected, inclusive, and thriving community for all.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

To continue advancing the impact we have across the communities we serve, Commonpoint is hiring a Community School Director situated within the High School & College Success division . The individual hired as Community School Director will manage a team of professionals to success, focused on the provision of high quality services to the students at Queens Academy High School and expected to meet contractual expectations. This role reports directly to the Queens Academy Site Director.

Across the agency, Assistant Directors are responsible for supporting effective program operations, ensuring compliance with funder and agency requirements, and helping to translate program goals into daily practice through collaboration, organization, and accountability.

The Community School Director is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of Commonpoint and the Office of Community Schools programming at Queens Academy High School.. The Community School Director is on-site at the school 5 days a week, and is responsible for management, integration, and coordination of student and family support services at the school, as well as programming and partnerships.

The Community School Director is responsible for arranging, coordinating, and implementing the initiative’s strategies, services, and resources in consultation with the school administration. Liaises with the school, other Community-Based Organization (CBO) partners and vendors, and city agencies on behalf of the initiative at the school level; participates in the development and manages the implementation of the Community Schools Model consistent with the requirements of the grant and with the expectations of the principal and Commonpoint. The Community School Director participates in weekly and monthly attendance meetings and meetings with stakeholders as needed.

Within our framework of a holistic, strength-focused, and family-supported practice, an individual hired as the Community School Director in the High School and College Success division will report directly to the Site Supervisor.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES:

Impact & Data Strategy:

• Identify roadblocks to successful implementation of services and strategize solutions in consultation with the school leadership team.
• Ability to regularly track and report out on the evidence of impact.
• Communicate regularly with Commonpoint management to monitor progress/discuss implementation support strategies.

People & Talent Development:

• Manage a team of professionals to success, focused on the provision of high-quality services to the students at Queens Academy High School and expected to meet contractual expectations.
• Participate in ongoing personal professional growth activities and relevant agency-required meetings.
• Strategize new initiatives/ideas that will provide new learning and enrichment opportunities to students and families.

Partnerships & External Relations:

• Work hand-in-hand with CBO staff, superintendent's office, Office of Community Schools, and school leadership team to increase school enrollment & daily attendance, improve school culture, & eliminate barriers to success for student population.
• Establish, co-plan, and lead semi-monthly collaborative meetings to ensure ongoing communication and coordination of efforts or other site-based partnerships.
• Develop and distribute program reports to school leadership, teacher teams and partners.
• Attend all required Community School convenings.
• Serve as a thought partner to the school leadership team (attend all cabinet and SLT meetings).
• Work with the parent coordinator to ensure that families have meaningful opportunities to participate in the school.
• Serve as a leader in managing existing and new partnerships to enhance recruitment and enrollment of students at QAHS.

Cross-Department Collaboration & Communication:

• Facilitate a coordinated, coherent climate and culture plan that includes consistent expectations, incentives, and team-building activities at the direction of agency leadership.

Operations, Safety & Risk Management:

• Establish and support the facilitation of case conferencing dedicated to identifying students exhibiting one or more barriers, identifying appropriate interventions, and revisiting these students at subsequent meetings.

QUALIFICATIONS & KEY ATTRIBUTES: 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Master’s degree in Education, Social Work or Mental Health Counseling is preferred. 
• At least 3- 5 years working with adolescents in an urban environment, providing services that reduce barriers, facilitate educational success, and support social-emotional well-being in school-based programs.
• Ability to administer outcomes-based youth programming, including planning, staffing, budgeting and maintaining accurate client and programmatic records.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• LMSW preferred, SIFI certification is a plus.
• Ability to travel to our multiple locations.
• Bi-Lingual spanish or Mandarin.

KEY ATTRIBUTES FOR DIRECTOR ROLE: 

• Ability to effectively balance and manage multiple projects with competing priorities.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills. 
• Intermediate level knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite/G-Suite; use of internet required in reporting systems for data entry.
• Candidate must possess excellent interpersonal, public speaking, writing, organization, problem-solving, and management skills. Successful candidates will possess the ability to work collaboratively, demonstrate professional presence, and establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse staff and clientele.
• Master’s degree in Education, Social Work, Mental Health Counseling or Administration is required. 
• At least three (3) years working with adolescents in an urban environment providing services that reduce barriers, facilitate educational success, and social-emotional well-being.
• Ability to effectively balance and manage multiple projects with competing priorities.
• Intermediate level knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and G-Suite; use of the internet required in online reporting systems for data entry.
• Ability to travel to our multiple locations.
• Fiscal Management experience with grants.
• Flexible schedule and willingness to work school hours, as well as some weekends/evenings for parent/teacher conferences and school or agency events.
• Interest in adolescent development, academic improvement, social emotional learning, Family and/or community organizing, working with school communities, and Community Schools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Spanish or Mandarin.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS: 

Commonpoint offers competitive base salaries benchmarked against comparable nonprofit organizations in the New York metropolitan area. Salaries are determined based on internal and external equity, as well as each position’s scope, qualifications, and organizational impact. We believe in compensating staff fairly and consistently, ensuring that all salary decisions align with our mission-driven commitment to equity and transparency.

To maintain fairness across the organization, salary offers are set according to established salary bands and are not subject to negotiation. New hires typically start near the beginning of the salary range to allow for growth based on performance, professional development, and tenure.

Our total rewards package reflects our dedication to employee well-being, growth, and recognition. Current benefits include: 

• Tiered health, dental, and vision insurance options. 
• Pension plan and 403(b) retirement savings opportunities. 
• Generous paid time off and family-supportive policies. 
• Professional development and education support to foster career growth. 
• Recognition and appreciation programs for exemplary performance. 
• Employee discounts on programs and services. 
• Access to free amenities, including private seasonal pool clubs and fitness facilities at select locations.
• Long-service severance upon retirement. 
• Work hand-in-hand with CBO staff and school administration to increase school-wide attendance, improve school culture, and eliminate barriers to success for the student population.
• Ability to administer outcomes-based youth programming, including planning, staffing, budgeting, and maintaining accurate records.
• Identify roadblocks to the successful implementation of services, community-based and mental health services, and strategize solutions in consultation with the school leadership team and 
• Ability to regularly track and report on the evidence of impact, monthly dashboards, and assets and needs assessments. 
• Host two community forums a year to connect with families to resources and offerings within the role. 
• Fiscal oversight of multiple budgets.
• Ability to host school-wide initiatives and events to serve the entire student population.
• Support a coordinated, coherent climate and culture plan that includes consistent expectations, incentives, and team-building activities at the direction of agency leadership.
• Establish and support the facilitation of case conferencing dedicated to identifying students exhibiting one or more barriers, identifying appropriate interventions, and revisiting these students at subsequent meetings.
• Establish, co-plan, and lead semi-monthly collaborative meetings to ensure ongoing communication and coordination of efforts or other site-based partnerships.
• Develop and distribute program reports to school leadership, partners.
• Participate in ongoing personal professional growth activities and relevant agency-required meetings. 
• Must attend all required Community School convenings.
• Communicate regularly with Commonpoint management and others to monitor progress and discuss implementation support strategies.
• Serve as a thought partner to the school leadership team (attend all cabinet and SLT meetings).
• Work with the parent coordinator to ensure families have meaningful opportunities to participate in the school.

WORKING CONDITIONS & JOB DETAILS:

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Consider the following:

• Environment, such as an office or outdoors.
• Exposures encountered, such as hazardous materials, loud noise, or extreme heat/cold.
• Essential physical requirements, such as climbing, standing, stooping, or typing.
• Physical effort/lifting, such as sedentary - up to 10 pounds; light - up to 20 pounds; medium - up to 50 pounds; heavy - over 50 pounds.
• Indicate if required to work weekends, nights, or be on-call as a regular part of the job.
• Travel requirements.

JOB DETAILS:

• Location: 138-11 35th Avenue, Flushing, NY 11354
• Working Schedule: Eg- Mon- Fri, 9am- 5pm 
• Non Union Position
• In Person 

To Apply: Please submit a cover letter and résumé, as a Word or PDF document only, to Kristian Valentin at View email address on us.fitly.work . Please indicate “Queens Academy Community School Director” in the subject line.

Due to the high volume of applicants, only qualified candidates will be contacted.

Commonpoint reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

Commonpoint is an equal opportunity employer. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.