Book Harvest -an award-winning nonprofit dedicated to providing books for every child, support for every parent, and literacy for every community-is seeking someone who will be our champion in supporting families to apply for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs and navigating the early stages of elementary school.
This is a full-time, non-exempt position based in Durham, North Carolina
Salary and Benefits: Starting salary of $41,280-$44613 commensurate with qualifications and experience. Benefits include 100% employer-sponsored, gold-level health care and short-term disability insurance, elective dental and vision insurance, 401(k) with 3% contribution, generous PTO, wellness and professional development funds, paid family leave, a flexible work schedule, a purposeful workplace culture, and more.
Our Process - Apply through our website . The hiring process will include, application questions, 1-3 interviews, and a work sample and reference checks.
Priority Deadline: 5/26/2024 - Applications received after this date are not guaranteed review.
Target Start Date: 7/29/2024
We believe those who are affected most by literacy injustice must be centered in the work that we do, inside and out. We prioritize applications from individuals who have lived experiences of our programs or who come from the communities we serve, and we strongly encourage applications from candidates who identify as Black, Latinx, Indigenous or as a Person of Color; people with lived experience of poverty; LGBTQ+ individuals; people with disabilities; and others who may not have seen themselves reflected in books and stories as a child. Organization Overview Book Harvest is internationally recognized for its work to transform children's literacy. Since 2011, Book Harvest has provided more than 2 million books to families in North Carolina, ensuring that parents have the tools and power to ignite and strengthen their children's literacy. With programs that are grounded in evidence, Book Harvest believes that literacy starts at birth, in the home, powered by parents, and nourished by books.
With Durham, North Carolina as our flagship location, we are actively replicating and expanding our work throughout North Carolina and across our country. Our vision is of a world in which reading, learning, and access to information are considered rights, not privileges so that all children thrive. We hold an unshakable commitment to justice, equity, and equal opportunity for all people. To progress towards this vision, we strategically structure our programs and operations in service to Diversity, Equity, Belonging, Inclusion, anti-racism, and challenging the status quo.
Book Babies is a program of Book Harvest that provides books and literacy-rich home visits to children and their families from birth. A family enrolls in the program for five years, from the time their child is born. Every year, trained Coaches provide 20 new, age-appropriate books to enrolled families and engage in literacy coaching during their visits. By the time a child graduates from the program, they will own 100+ age-appropriate books and will, we believe, enter school more ready to learn.
Position Overview
The Pre-K/K Transition Coach is a position on a growing team, responsible for managing Book Harvest's strategy for creating a warm hand-off between the transitions a family faces during the early years of elementary school. This person will build, maintain, and strengthen supportive and respectful relationships with Book Babies families, local schools, and a variety of community partners. The Pre-K/K Transition Coach is a highly visible member of the Book Harvest team who supports families in applying for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs and navigating the early stages of elementary school.
The Pre-K/K Transition Coach works based out of our office at 2501 University Dr. in Durham, NC, reports to the Book Babies Manager, works closely with the Book Babies Literacy Coaches and the Bridge To School Coordinator, and is part of the Early Literacy department for Book Harvest Durham. Typical work hours span Monday-Friday and may include evenings and occasional Saturdays.
Responsibilities The responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to, the following activities:
Transitional Support (60%)
- Assist Book Babies families with all processes involved in understanding and applying for a Pre-K program, such as
- Host programming that will support Book Babies families by making decisions regarding Pre-K for their child.
- Providing Transition to Kindergarten support to the graduating cohort from Year 5 of Book Babies (Fall to Fall); including the development of Ready for School materials, delivering books and literacy kits, inviting families to all transition events hosted by Book Harvest, and conducting at least one check-in with recently graduated families regarding their kindergarten experience.
- Assist with all processes involved in enrolling in Kindergarten, including identification of options and base school, understanding alternatives, completing applications, and sharing information about events with the Book Harvest team and Book Babies families.
- Collaborate with the Bridge to School Coordinator to host programming that will support Book Babies families through their transition to Kindergarten.
- Make sure all the appropriate data entry and documentation are completed on time and up to date.
Literacy Coaching (20%)
- Maintain a caseload of approximately 25 families who will receive quarterly home visits consistent with the Book Babies Curriculum.
- Each home visit includes modeling reading with the Book Baby and siblings, working in partnership with the caregiver about literacy goals and language milestones, and discussing ways to support language and literacy development at home.
- Duties associated with the home visits include scheduling, travel, preparation for the visit in accordance with curriculum guidelines, timely and accurate data entry, administration of assessments, and reflective supervision.
Administration (20%)
- As part of a learning team, participate in regular Book Harvest staff meetings, one-on-one supervisory meetings, and departmental meetings
- Sustained contribution to organizational diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion (DEBI) efforts;
- Participate in recruiting and hiring processes across the organization;
- Contribution to the preservation and development of institutional knowledge;
- Professional development opportunities as provided and recommended annually.
Qualifications / Characteristics:- U.S. work authorization;
- Bilingual in English and Spanish, Spanish as a first language is a plus.
- Background in the field of Education, Psychology, or Social Work strongly preferred
- Knowledge of Durham Public Schools' kindergarten options and Durham County's PreK system. Personal/ Professional experience maneuvering these systems is a plus;
- Experience with, or a willingness to learn, Book Harvest tools, including NewOrg and Paylocity;
- Experience with home visiting and/or parent engagement;
- Experience working in databases tracking data is a plus but not required;
- Strong planning and organizational skills with excellent attention to detail and the ability to work with minimal supervision;
- Clear and compelling written and spoken communication skills;
- Highly collaborative and talented in forging relationships and developing trust with a diversity of individuals;
- Growth mindset, willing to receive and provide feedback up, down and sideways;
- Dependability, flexibility, and willingness to pitch in where needed to support our mission;
- Cultural competency and the ability to work with diverse groups, while also maintaining professional boundaries and confidentiality;
- Understanding of and dedication to the mission and culture of Book Harvest, which includes cultural competence, demonstrated commitment to social justice and youth literacy, and a commitment to active involvement in an anti-racist organizational culture;
- Fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with booster shots up to date (this is a requirement subject to reasonable accommodation)
- Ability to provide own transportation and to work occasional evenings and weekends as needed.
The ideal candidate demonstrates experience in all of the following areas. However, we recognize that talent comes from many backgrounds and experiences, we consider candidates on a case-by-case basis, and we encourage you to apply whether or not you meet all the qualifications:
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Book Harvest is committed to creating an inclusive work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity, certified Living Wage , and certified Family Forward employer.
Book Harvest complies with federal and state disability laws, including all applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Book Harvest will not discriminate against any qualified employee or applicant with regard to any terms or conditions of employment because of such individual's disability or perceived disability . click apply for full job details