Coordinator-Environmental Leadership & Out of School Opps chez Common Ground High School

Common Ground High School is Seeking a Coordinator - Environmental Leadership and Out of School Opportunities

About Common Ground High School 

Common Ground High School is the nation’s longest-running environmental charter high school, founded in 1997. Our 230 students form an inclusive, powerful community of learners and leaders. These students benefit from a unique learning environment: an urban farm and 20-acre site, home to state-of-the-art school facilities, adjacent to West Rock Ridge State Park, and located in the City of New Haven. We strive to create a learning environment grounded in foundational building blocks: rigor, responsive relationships, relevance that’s rooted in the local community and environment, and real roles & rights. 

Common Ground High School is part of a community nonprofit organization that also operates an urban farm and community environmental education center. As a whole, Common Ground is a center for learning and leadership, inviting people across ages and identities to connect to their urban environment, build community, grow into their full potential, and contribute to a just and sustainable world. We work toward this mission through active, authentic learning rooted in justice and our environment: a farm, in a forest, in a city. 

About the Position

The Coordinator - Environmental Leadership and Out of School Opportunities helps to coordinate three key Common Ground High School programs: our environmental leadership portfolios, after-school enrichment/recreational opportunities, and our Green Jobs Corps employment program.

This is an in-person, full-time, 12-month position, represented under the collective bargaining agreement with UAW. This position reports to the Director of Community Impact & Engagement, and coordinates closely with the Director of Student Engagement & Equity, who leads Common Ground’s work on environmental leadership.

Responsibilities:

1. Manage the school-wide Environmental Leadership Portfolio process: 

• Coordinates the four-year portfolio development process – including creating portfolio templates for 9th graders and transfer students, monitoring progress of students across grade levels, coordinating with guidance teachers and classroom teachers to include portfolio-aligned work and reflections in classes. 
• Works intensively with seniors -- in Senior Environmental Justice Capstone. Supports the staff responsible for post-secondary planning during Capstone class time. 
• Plans and facilitates professional development and individual support for teachers that supports the portfolio process. 
• Coordinates senior portfolio defenses, junior transition to capstone, and sophomore portfolio presentations.
• Plans and facilitates end-of-semester Presentations of Learning & Leadership and mid-semester Portfolio Days. 

2. Green Jobs Corps:

• Coordinates key aspects of the GJC hiring process; and helping students complete and submit employment paperwork (e.g., I-9 forms, tax withholding documents).   
• Coordinating work placements - Conducting site visits and placement check-ins (e.g., ensuring students have necessary equipment, addressing transportation challenges, mediating conflicts).
• Act as a substitute supervisor as needed – may include outdoor work in various climates.
• Tracking program participation, evaluation, and outcome data: student attendance, performance, and progress toward individual goals. 
• Maintain employee files for GJC members.
• Assist in the preparation of reports and documentation for grants.
• Co-planning and leading workforce readiness and career success workshops for crew members at least twice per program season.
• Providing one on one coaching/case management support to GJC members.
• Taking on other responsibilities critical to making the Green Jobs Corps program successful

3. Common Ground’s enrichment and recreation after-school programs 

• Support the Director of Community Impact & Engagement in designing a safe, engaging, and effective after-school program:
• Supporting the development of a slate of after-school programs that meets students needs and interests, and grant expectations
• Participate in program advisory meetings, evaluation activities.
• Contribute to monthly data submissions and other grant reporting on an as-needed basis. 
• Implement key aspects of active marketing plan for all after school programs to attract program participants that includes, at minimum:
• Lead - Targeted marketing to and program development for students who have been low level participants
• Lead - Regular management and updating of after-school bulletin boards.
• Lead - Daily submissions of programs for announcements
• Lead - Regular check-ins with student guidance classes
• Support - Weekly announcements submitted to the student/family newsletter.
• Support - One after-school program fair per semester
• Support - Regular up-dates regarding after-school programming in CG Notes
• Ensure adequate supervision of students participating in after-school programs acting as the primary on-site staff program coordinator for at least two days each week:
• Visiting programs to confirm program provider and student attendance, ensure program effectiveness, and solve any staff coverage issues.
• In partnership with the administrator on duty and culture staff members, maintaining policy and problem solving student issues as needed
• Serving after-school snack.
• Act as advisor for Common Ground’s student government

Application Instructions:

Please submit your cover letter and resume through our ADP online portal. 

Nondiscrimination Policy and Notice

Pursuant to Title IX and its regulations (“Final Rule” released on April 19, 2024), the Board of Directors has adopted and implemented a policy stating that the Common Ground District does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity it operates, including admission and employment. Common Ground High School does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, status as a veteran, status as a victim of domestic violence, marital status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, protective hairstyles, alienage, ancestry, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law and prohibits discrimination, including harassment, in any education program or activity it operates. The Board shall provide protections from all forms of sex-based harassment, including sexual violence and unwelcome sex-based conduct that creates a hostile environment by limiting or denying a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from a school’s education program or activity. The Common Ground District shall take prompt and effective action to end any sex discrimination in its education programs or activities to provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of sex discrimination complaints, prevent recurrence, and remedy its effects. To that end, the District shall act promptly and effectively in response to information about conduct that reasonably may constitute discrimination, including sexual violence and other forms of sex-based harassment. The district shall also ensure that all school employees are trained about their obligations to address sex discrimination and their obligations to notify or provide contact information for the Title IX Coordinator. The Common Ground Board of Directors Non-discrimination policy includes protections for students, employees, and applicants against discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, or recovery from these conditions and shall provide reasonable modifications for students based on pregnancy or related conditions, allow for lactation for employees, and access to a clean, private lactation space for students and employees. Common Ground shall not disclose personally identifiable information obtained through complying with Title IX, with limited exceptions, such as when there had been prior written consent or when the information is disclosed to the parent of a minor. Retaliation against anyone who, in good faith, makes a report of harassment or discrimination, files a complaint of harassment or discrimination, serves as a witness, or participates in an investigation or grievance process is also a violation of Common Ground District’s non-discrimination policy and is prohibited.