Kipp
Newark: KIPP Forward 12th Grade College & Career Match Counselor
Kipp, Newark, New Jersey, us, 07175
Company Description
About KIPP New Jersey
KIPP New Jersey is part of the nationally recognized "Knowledge Is Power Program" network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools dedicated to preparing students for success in college and in life. In 2002, 80 fifth graders walked through the doors of our first middle school in Newark, New Jersey and KIPP New Jersey has since grown to educate 8,135 students in grades K-12 across 17 schools in Newark and Camden. More than 90% of KIPP New Jersey students currently qualify for free or reduced meals.
By 2025, KIPP New Jersey will provide a world-class education to over 10,300 students across fifteen schools in Newark and five in Camden. To learn more, visit www.kippnj.org.
Job Description
Here's what you need to know:
At KIPP NJ, our mission states that we prepare our students to change the world. We believe that, for most of our students, a Bachelor's degree is the stepping stone for students to pursue professional and personal success. We also believe that this is not the only path to professional and personal success, and are committed to supporting 100% of our students, including those who choose a non-college post-secondary pathway. We believe in career exploration and exposure throughout high school so all students leave with a strong sense of their passion, purpose, and plan for a strong start in college or a progressive professional pathway of their choosing. We know that truly preparing students for college and career requires an intense focus on student GPAs and ACT results, experiential learning opportunities such as summer programs and dual enrollment courses, excellent college & career counseling, and strong relationships with and programming for students and their families.
The College & Career Match Counselor's job is to support a college and career ready trajectory for our students. We expect our Match Counselor to build strong and trust relationships with students, and use effective advising skills to support students in taking all necessary steps to graduate from high school and ultimately matriculate to a post-secondary program of highest aspiration.
Here's what you'll be doing:
OutcomesCollege & Career matriculation and enrollment:
students matriculate to and enroll in quality post-secondary programs, aligned with their long-term career goalsAvoiding Undermatch:
students matriculating to college matriculate to schools with high graduation rates, maximizing their likelihood of college completionStrong relationships:
counselor has strong relationships with studentsAvoiding College & Career melt:
students who matriculate to quality post-secondary receive the support necessary to avoid barriers to enrollmentEarly Applications:
students with strong academic profiles apply early to selective colleges with quality applications, maximizing their likelihood of admissionFinancial Aid:
students complete financial aid applications and steps necessary for matriculation to quality post-secondary programsMatch
Conduct ongoing 1:1 check-ins (at least 2-3 per quarter) with caseload of 12th grade students (~80 students) to support them through the application process and to help them maintain momentum for a strong finish to their senior yearProvide feedback on students' writing and applications, levering strong editing skills to ensure students ultimately have quality applicationsGuide each student through the process of applying to "right fit" colleges and/or career programs using students' balanced wishlists from 11th gradeMaintain consistent engagement and partnership with families of 12th grade studentsSupport students and families in filling out financial aid applications, scholarship paperwork, and applications to special programs such as EOFComplete Letters of Recommendation for students, and train teachers on writing quality recommendationsSupport students in preparing for and completing key application steps, including interviews and document submissionHold College & Career Decision meetings with students and families, sharing key information and guiding students and families in making decisions that are aligned with students' passion/purpose/planSupport each student's transition to college or their post-secondary pathway through the completion of pre-college & career benchmarks as well as matriculation checklist tasks (such as making their tuition deposit, engaging in loan counseling (if applicable), etc.)Support HS juniors in May and June with learning more about the college financial aid process, writing personal statements, and researching colleges and Career Technical Education (CTE) programs to finalize their balanced wishlistsStudent & Family Programming
Support students in learning about career and college options, including participating in fly-in programs, attending open houses and information sessions, and touring campusesSupport and co-plan school-wide match events (College & Career Fair, College & Career program representative visits, Instant Decision Days, family nights, senior activities, ACT testing days, etc)Plan and lead workshops for families on the essential topics related to financial aid, high school, and postsecondary successData Management
Track meeting notes and student data - both qualitative and quantitative - consistently and accuratelyAnalyze student academic data to drive action planning and support plansUtilize financial aid tracker to track all financial aid packages and provide families with a clear comparison of options from a financial perspectiveConstantly assess student progress and consistently communicate results to the Associate Director, families, and teammatesSchool Support
Push into 11th and 12th grade College & Career Readiness classes as neededAttend grade-level meetings and support 12th grade team and school functions as neededQualifications
Skills
Strong written and oral communication skills, including ability to coach students to edit and improve writingProficient in Microsoft Office, specifically ExcelExperience with database management and reporting (such as Salesforce, Overgrad, etc.)Strong interpersonal skillsStrong organization skills and meticulous attention to detailSuperb customer service skills and love and support for families and childrenStrong critical thinking and problem solving skillsAdept at data analysis and strong content knowledge; ability to extract meaningful insights and actions from dataAbilities
Commitment to do whatever it takes to ensure our teachers and students have what they need to be successfulAbility to build strong relationships with students and familiesAbility to proactively problem solve; anticipate challenges before they occurAbility to develop and manage multiple projects simultaneously and comfortably with ambiguityAbility to troubleshoot and manage high stress situations with a calm and positive demeanorAbility to work evenings and weekendsStudent Focus: Belief that all students, regardless of background, have the ability to go to and through college; demonstrated commitment to the school's unique communityCultural Competence: Demonstrated ability to create inclusive environments that honors and supports a diversity of backgrounds and perspectivesMust Haves:
Demonstrated experience working with traditionally under-served students and their families from diverse socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic backgroundsPrevious experience with Postsecondary Access or Postsecondary Success Counseling or Previous High School Teaching Experience
Additional Information
Compensation & Benefits
In addition to a competitive salary, KIPP NJ offers a full comprehensive benefits plan, including health care, retirement, a school laptop, and transportation benefits for TEAMmates commuting into New Jersey from the New York City area.
About KIPP New Jersey
KIPP New Jersey is part of the nationally recognized "Knowledge Is Power Program" network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools dedicated to preparing students for success in college and in life. In 2002, 80 fifth graders walked through the doors of our first middle school in Newark, New Jersey and KIPP New Jersey has since grown to educate 8,135 students in grades K-12 across 17 schools in Newark and Camden. More than 90% of KIPP New Jersey students currently qualify for free or reduced meals.
By 2025, KIPP New Jersey will provide a world-class education to over 10,300 students across fifteen schools in Newark and five in Camden. To learn more, visit www.kippnj.org.
Job Description
Here's what you need to know:
At KIPP NJ, our mission states that we prepare our students to change the world. We believe that, for most of our students, a Bachelor's degree is the stepping stone for students to pursue professional and personal success. We also believe that this is not the only path to professional and personal success, and are committed to supporting 100% of our students, including those who choose a non-college post-secondary pathway. We believe in career exploration and exposure throughout high school so all students leave with a strong sense of their passion, purpose, and plan for a strong start in college or a progressive professional pathway of their choosing. We know that truly preparing students for college and career requires an intense focus on student GPAs and ACT results, experiential learning opportunities such as summer programs and dual enrollment courses, excellent college & career counseling, and strong relationships with and programming for students and their families.
The College & Career Match Counselor's job is to support a college and career ready trajectory for our students. We expect our Match Counselor to build strong and trust relationships with students, and use effective advising skills to support students in taking all necessary steps to graduate from high school and ultimately matriculate to a post-secondary program of highest aspiration.
Here's what you'll be doing:
OutcomesCollege & Career matriculation and enrollment:
students matriculate to and enroll in quality post-secondary programs, aligned with their long-term career goalsAvoiding Undermatch:
students matriculating to college matriculate to schools with high graduation rates, maximizing their likelihood of college completionStrong relationships:
counselor has strong relationships with studentsAvoiding College & Career melt:
students who matriculate to quality post-secondary receive the support necessary to avoid barriers to enrollmentEarly Applications:
students with strong academic profiles apply early to selective colleges with quality applications, maximizing their likelihood of admissionFinancial Aid:
students complete financial aid applications and steps necessary for matriculation to quality post-secondary programsMatch
Conduct ongoing 1:1 check-ins (at least 2-3 per quarter) with caseload of 12th grade students (~80 students) to support them through the application process and to help them maintain momentum for a strong finish to their senior yearProvide feedback on students' writing and applications, levering strong editing skills to ensure students ultimately have quality applicationsGuide each student through the process of applying to "right fit" colleges and/or career programs using students' balanced wishlists from 11th gradeMaintain consistent engagement and partnership with families of 12th grade studentsSupport students and families in filling out financial aid applications, scholarship paperwork, and applications to special programs such as EOFComplete Letters of Recommendation for students, and train teachers on writing quality recommendationsSupport students in preparing for and completing key application steps, including interviews and document submissionHold College & Career Decision meetings with students and families, sharing key information and guiding students and families in making decisions that are aligned with students' passion/purpose/planSupport each student's transition to college or their post-secondary pathway through the completion of pre-college & career benchmarks as well as matriculation checklist tasks (such as making their tuition deposit, engaging in loan counseling (if applicable), etc.)Support HS juniors in May and June with learning more about the college financial aid process, writing personal statements, and researching colleges and Career Technical Education (CTE) programs to finalize their balanced wishlistsStudent & Family Programming
Support students in learning about career and college options, including participating in fly-in programs, attending open houses and information sessions, and touring campusesSupport and co-plan school-wide match events (College & Career Fair, College & Career program representative visits, Instant Decision Days, family nights, senior activities, ACT testing days, etc)Plan and lead workshops for families on the essential topics related to financial aid, high school, and postsecondary successData Management
Track meeting notes and student data - both qualitative and quantitative - consistently and accuratelyAnalyze student academic data to drive action planning and support plansUtilize financial aid tracker to track all financial aid packages and provide families with a clear comparison of options from a financial perspectiveConstantly assess student progress and consistently communicate results to the Associate Director, families, and teammatesSchool Support
Push into 11th and 12th grade College & Career Readiness classes as neededAttend grade-level meetings and support 12th grade team and school functions as neededQualifications
Skills
Strong written and oral communication skills, including ability to coach students to edit and improve writingProficient in Microsoft Office, specifically ExcelExperience with database management and reporting (such as Salesforce, Overgrad, etc.)Strong interpersonal skillsStrong organization skills and meticulous attention to detailSuperb customer service skills and love and support for families and childrenStrong critical thinking and problem solving skillsAdept at data analysis and strong content knowledge; ability to extract meaningful insights and actions from dataAbilities
Commitment to do whatever it takes to ensure our teachers and students have what they need to be successfulAbility to build strong relationships with students and familiesAbility to proactively problem solve; anticipate challenges before they occurAbility to develop and manage multiple projects simultaneously and comfortably with ambiguityAbility to troubleshoot and manage high stress situations with a calm and positive demeanorAbility to work evenings and weekendsStudent Focus: Belief that all students, regardless of background, have the ability to go to and through college; demonstrated commitment to the school's unique communityCultural Competence: Demonstrated ability to create inclusive environments that honors and supports a diversity of backgrounds and perspectivesMust Haves:
Demonstrated experience working with traditionally under-served students and their families from diverse socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic backgroundsPrevious experience with Postsecondary Access or Postsecondary Success Counseling or Previous High School Teaching Experience
Additional Information
Compensation & Benefits
In addition to a competitive salary, KIPP NJ offers a full comprehensive benefits plan, including health care, retirement, a school laptop, and transportation benefits for TEAMmates commuting into New Jersey from the New York City area.