FRAMINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Early Childhood Alliance of Framingham

TITLE:

Family and Community Outreach Associate

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Early Childhood Alliance of Framingham (ECAF) receives funding through the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) grant, and is administered by the Framingham Public Schools. The ECAF prepares families alongside their young children for school success by increasing language and literacy skills, enhancing social-emotional development, strengthening the parent-child relationship early on, providing resource and referral, transition support, family education, and most importantly, honoring the parent(s) role as the child’s first teacher.  The ECAF offers program activities to children of all ages.

The ParentChild+ Home Visitation Program is part of a menu of ECAF services. The ParentChild+ is a prescribed home-based family literacy and early education program based on the National ParentChild+ requirements.  The program serves eligible families with children ages 18 months to 36 months for a period of two years. The Family and Community Outreach and Education Associate position will work closely with and in collaboration with the ECAF Program Coordinator.  This position is intended to assist in the family and community outreach of programs including ParentChild+, in addition to supporting ECAF activities and CFCE grant requirements.

OUR MISSION:

Framingham Public Schools is committed to excellence for all students. Our mission statement guides our work: Through a comprehensive education, we aim to create and empower free-thinking, responsible citizens who can participate equally in our rich and diverse community. FPS and the community stand united in our core values: Providing a safe, inclusive, culturally responsive teaching and learning environment; Engaging antiracist and responsible civic advocates; Respecting diversity of thought, learners, cultures, and community; Fostering learning and healthy growth of all students and staff; Ensuring every school will be an active, participatory, equitable community.

Diversity among teachers undoubtedly advances the academic achievement of students. Compliance obligations establish a baseline which we seek to exceed. As a district, Framingham Public Schools is committed to achieving, developing, and maintaining a workforce reflective of the rich racial, linguistic, and cultural diversity of our students. Framingham Public Schools aims to teach our children, and ourselves, to be culturally proficient and inclusive in order to live, learn, and work together in a vibrant and diverse world.  

Indeed, Framingham Public Schools is committed to inspiring our school community to be accepting and willing to learn from individuals with differing backgrounds. Our goal is to reflect the diverse community we serve and create a great place to work for everyone by embracing the individual skills, perspectives, and experiences our people bring to the workplace and harnessing these for high performance and improved service delivery. We want our employees to feel included, valued, and respected and have access to equal opportunity, which supports full participation at work. Framingham Public Schools seeks to retain the diverse talent in our workforce and support our people to maintain a long and productive working career.

Framingham Public Schools is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment and strongly encourages applications from persons with disabilities and who identify as members of historically underrepresented groups.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education, Social Work or Human Development (will consider an applicant with an Associate's Degree, an applicant working toward a Bachelor’s Degree, or related experience)

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

Experience in utilizing creative outreach strategies and working collaboratively with community partnerships, and strengthening interagency relationships. Reliable transportation is needed. Language diversity is preferred.

SKILLS AND ABILITY:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Thorough knowledge of the practices, methods, and techniques used in the administration and supervision of all programs in a school; excellent skill in oral and written communications; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with school officials, parents, teachers, support staff, and associates.  Flexibility will be essential. Ability to work effectively with a diverse population.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as an illustration of the various types of work that may be performed.  The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Participating in cross-training of group facilitation, creative outreach, Ages and Stages Parent Questionnaire, and other program-related activities
• Visiting and interviewing program families
• Implementing parent-child groups and  family education workshops
• Modeling best practices to staff and families at all times
• Providing creative community outreach to recruit families
• Ensuring completion of Ages and Stages (ASQ) & ASQ-SE Parent Questionnaire with all PCHP families
• Ordering, maintaining, monitoring, and distributing inventory of materials (toys and books)
• Writing curriculum guide sheets, as needed
• Building family confidence and independence through educating families on accessing school and community resources
• Collecting, analyzing, and maintaining data
• Extensive training provided

PHYSICAL WORKING CONDITIONS:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to move about and may be required to traverse occasionally throughout the school building. The employee must also often remain in a stationary position for considerable periods of time. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and sit, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is expected to lift at least 20 lbs (i.e. books, school supplies, etc.). The employee must frequently use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and use hand strength to grasp tools. Occasionally s/he operates a computer and other office productivity machinery (i.e., a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer). The employee must be able to input information into a computer and as well as read material from a computer monitor as well as handwritten or printed matter with or without visual aids. The employee must be able to communicate effectively with students, parents, and other staff members in person and on the telephone. In the classroom, the employee must be able to see and hear on a continuous basis in order to ensure the safety of students as well as speak frequently to provide instruction. On rare occasions, it may be necessary to move quickly across even or uneven surfaces. The employee will be working in a normal school environment with an acceptable level of noise. The employee interacts with students, parents, and other staff members. The employee is directly responsible for the safety, well-being, and work output of students.

REPORTS TO:

Coordinator of the Early Childhood Alliance of Framingham (ECAF)

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Not Applicable.

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA) CLASSIFICATION:

This position is classified as non-exempt.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

This position is part-time. 32 weeks during the school year calendar, 12 hours per week, and may include occasional weekends.  The schedule is flexible for outreach and to encourage family engagement and is dependent on the program, staff, and families needs. Covered under Framingham School Committee Policy.

Framingham Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Framingham Public Schools complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the District has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Framingham Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.