The open School Seeks Virtual Staff Position (program director)
Company: Alternative Education Resource Organization
Location: Santa Ana
Posted on: January 18, 2023
Job Description:
The Open School is seeking to hire a staff member who will act
in a program director capacity for our Virtual Program. Our school
is a self-directed, democratic school, situated in Santa Ana,
California with a unique online program launched in December 2020.
Our virtual program and on-campus program work in conjunction with
each other and are part of the same organization. However, the
virtual program is growing and needs dedicated staff and
development to continue to serve our families and advance the
community.Though successful candidates may live in any time zone
and adjust to fit the Pacific time schedule, it would be ideal for
applicants to live in one of the 4 main US time zones.
International candidates may apply, but may or may not be eligible
depending on applicable laws and regulations. If you do not live in
the US please inquire to determine eligibility.Position SummaryThe
Open School staff members work directly with students and take on
specific responsibilities within the democratic system of the
school to maintain and grow the organization. We hire staff rather
than teachers to emphasize that adults are not automatically
teachers and that people learn from each other in complex ways. The
Open School staff are not responsible for creating activities for
students to pursue and do not have the authority to unilaterally
establish or enforce rules. Staff at The Open School are available
as role models, facilitators, and peers as students pursue their
own interests.There are numerous ways that staff interact with
students ranging from tutoring in a specific subject, playing games
(computers, cards, sports), working on collaborative projects,
building things, going on field trips, cooking, producing plays to
playing music, etc. Staff are expected to act asdependable
stewardsof the school; facilitate student access to resources;
exemplify mature practice of personal fulfillment and societal
engagement; and anchor school culture to values of interpersonal
respect.Staff also supportall areas of school operationsincluding
administration and development. Most work is done from Monday
through Friday, 9am-4:30pm Pacific time, but there are times when
staff will need to work outside of those hours, such as a weekend
event or an evening meeting. Additionally, this position has the
ability to have a flexible schedule depending on the needs of the
virtual program.In addition, this position is specifically for
someone who will act as a program director for ourvirtual program.
This includes taking part in online activities, meeting one-on-one
or in a small group with students virtually, and holding any number
of meetings online. This person will also be a leader in the
program and will help manage other staff who work virtually. They
will continue to develop the virtual program by identifying new
technologies, meeting the needs of our virtual families, and coming
up with new ways to grow and market the program.Staff members are
also expected to pursue relationships with parents, holding regular
conversations and meetings with them to deepen the parents'
understanding of and relationship with the
school.Qualifications:
- At least 5 years of experience working as a full-time employee
in any field OR a bachelor's degree and 1 year of work experience
as a full-time employee in any field
- Experience working with children ages 5-18 in a professional
capacity
- Experience in a variety of online platforms and technology
- Experience in program/business development and leadership
- Must have read at least 3 books from the following list:
- Reflections on the Sudbury School Concept,Mimsy Sadofsky
(Editor), Daniel Greenberg (Editor) (1999)
- The Sudbury Valley School Experience,Daniel Greenberg, et al.
(1992)
- Free at Last: The Sudbury Valley School, Daniel Greenberg
(1995)
- A Clearer View: New Insights into the Sudbury Model, Daniel
Greenberg (2000)
- Kingdom of Childhood: Growing up at Sudbury Valley School,Mimsy
Sadofsky (Editor), Daniel Greenberg (Editor) (1994)
- When Kids Rule the School: The Power and Promise of Democratic
Education, Jim Reitmulder (2019)
- Like Water: The Extraordinary Approach to Education at
Fairhaven School, Mark McCaig and Lisa Lyons (2008)
- A solid grasp of the school's educational philosophy and
practices, and a strong commitment to them
- Continued striving for personal growth, open to learning and
being challenged to grow
- Passion and engagement with personal interests
- Responsible, respectful, professional, and mature adult
behavior at all times; able to hold personal boundaries and engage
in a professional manner
- Safety consciousness and commitment to understanding and
complying with all school laws and policies
- Strong communication and literacy skills, including the ability
to express thoughts in writing; careful attention to grammar and
punctuation is ideal
- Ability to tailor communication with students of different age
groups and developmental levels in a respectful, egalitarian, and
non-patronizing manner, and interact effectively with people of all
ages and backgrounds
- Strong self-management skills, including high levels of
initiative, excellent time management, and efficiency, and the
ability to effectively balance day-to-day operational
responsibilities with availability to students; see what needs to
be done, and do it
- Reliability and punctuality
- Ability to work well in a group decision-making
organization
- Commitment to creating a space for a variety of voices and
backgrounds, without advocating for an agenda or bringing in
personal, political, or religious views when working with
students
- Ability to maintain the confidentiality of student and family
data, as well as to keep a constant eye out for the protection of
student privacy in less formal ways
- Ability to work with a neuro-diverse population
- Where applicants have a background in education they will be
required to demonstrate why they have chosen to move away from
mainstream practiceBeneficial Experience:
- Experience in a democratic education environment would be
highly beneficial whether as a student, staff member, or in another
capacity
- Experience of Self-Directed Home Education or Unschooling could
also be beneficial as a demonstration of an understanding and
commitment to student-directed learningCommitments:All candidates
should share these commitments:
- Personal responsibility and sustainability of the school
- Diversity of student and staff population
- Economic access for all who feel the school is right for
them
- A deep belief in democratic, "free" or "Sudbury-model"
education. Staff at The Open School uphold this model of education,
and are not "testing the waters" or "seeing if it works"
- Ongoing personal and professional growth
- Continuous personal education on democratic education, Sudbury
schools, youth rights, etc.Compensation:Upon hiring, staff members
are considered "fellows" for a period of at least 3 months and no
more than 1 year. During the fellowship period, they are
compensated at $18/hour while they complete their training to
become a full staff member. At the end of the fellowship period,
the successful candidate will receive a vote of confidence from the
School Meeting and earn the title of Staff Member. A full-time
staff member is an exempt employee and at this time earns an annual
starting salary of $36,331, paid bi-weekly throughout the year.The
Open School is committed to increasing staff wages each year to
meet our goal of paying $45,000/year with benefits by
2026.Schedule:The Open School follows a standard academic calendar
and staff work 35-40 hours per week during the school year. Due to
the virtual nature of this position, there is some flexibility with
the daily schedule provided that all responsibilities are being
completed and the virtual staff member is attending required
meetings and is available to other staff and students during the
school day.Staff have fewer responsibilities during the summer and
therefore have a fair amount of time off during those months. There
are periodic meetings and this position will require some summer
work to prepare for the following year as well as further develop
the program. Additionally, staff are considered on break during the
school breaks (i.e. winter break, spring break, etc). Note for
international applicants: the holiday breaks are tied to national
US holidays.Benefits include:
- Paid time during school holidays and breaks
- Paid time off ranging from 70-105 hours/year depending on the
number of years employed. Unused PTO may be paid out at the
anniversary of the date of employment at the current hourly
rate
- Sick pay of 15 hours/year
- "Name your own tuition" for staff children enrolled in The Open
School (range of 0 - 50% of high end of tuition)Application
process:Interested applicants should submit a resume (including
names & contact information of previous managers), cover letter,
introductory video, and three references toinfo@openschooloc.com
.The cover letter should include information about your background
knowledge, research, and experience in self-directed education
environments. Include how long you have been interested in this
type of education and why you are committed to it. Also, please
share your weekly availability and what time commitment you are
willing to make.Along with this, please send a 3-minute video that
explains who you are and why you would be a good staff member.Upon
receiving an application, the process is as follows:
- The applicant will have a Zoom interview with the HR Committee
chair.
- If recommended by the chair, applicants will be invited to
participate in an interview with our hiring committee of students
and staff.
- If recommended by the committee, the School Meeting will vote
on inviting the applicant to spend a trial period in the virtual
program. This will consist of approximately 4-5 activities per day
for 2 weeks and joining the school's Discord server. Additionally,
the candidate will have the opportunity to speak one-on-one to each
staff member and learn more about their job responsibilities.
- If approved by the School Meeting, the applicant will be
required to complete their trial period after passing a background
check with the Department of Justice
- After the trial period, there will be an additional interview
with the HR Committee
- If recommended by the committee, the School Meeting will vote
on hiring the applicant as a fellow
- Upon completion of the fellowship period, during which the
fellow completes training as deemed appropriate by the HR
Committee, the School Meeting will vote on whether or not to retain
the fellow as a staff member.
Keywords: Alternative Education Resource Organization, Santa Ana , The open School Seeks Virtual Staff Position (program director), Executive , Santa Ana, California
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