College Program Associate na The Seed School of Maryland Inc

Description

School Profile

The SEED School of Maryland is a statewide, public, college-preparatory boarding school that opened in August 2008. The school educates and boards 400 students in grades six through twelve. The SEED School of Maryland is an extraordinary educational opportunity for students across the state to receive a tuition-free, college-preparatory, boarding education.

The SEED School of Maryland combines a rigorous and engaging academic curriculum with life skills and enrichment activities to provide students with a thoughtfully balanced learning and living experience. Students and their families commit to a seven-year educational program that offers small class sizes, high quality teaching and learning experiences, mentoring, community service, and extracurricular activities such as sports and arts.

The SEED School is centered around its character values: compassion, growth, gratitude, perseverance, integrity, respect for oneself and others, and responsibility. The SEED School staff are in partnership with parents, families, and communities to guide and support student success. The school follows a typical academic school year calendar.

SEED Network

SEED is the pioneering national network of public, college-preparatory boarding schools, offering a unique 24-hour, 5-day per week learning environment. Our tuition-free schools, the first of their kind in the U.S., are intentionally designed to serve traditionally underserved students. Supported by The SEED Foundation, we operate in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Miami, and Los Angeles. The Foundation's College Transition & Success (CTS) team provides comprehensive support to SEED graduates from junior year through college graduation. SEED's success has gained recognition from media outlets like 60 Minutes and The New York Times, and former President Obama has lauded it as "a true success story." Learn more at www.seedfoundation.com.

College access and completion is core to our work at SEED. Thus, the College Counselor plays a critical role in supporting students and families with the mechanics of the college process during junior and senior years. SEED MD’s College Counselor must be highly skilled and able to administer the college exposure, search, fit, application, and selection process with students, while also educating families about the process. SEED takes a unique and impactful approach to college matching; we call it, “Right Fit”. Our deliberate and intentional work with college fit and match is extremely important to SEED’s college completion goals. Thus, the College Counselor is expected to have excellent knowledge of a range of colleges/universities across the country—especially those that proactively support college completion for low income, first generation students and have quantitative evidence of success in this area. As part of their work at SEED, they will be expected to master and apply SEED’s approach to “Right Fit” throughout all of the work they do with students, families, and staff.

Position Overview

College access and completion is central to our mission at SEED. Under the direction of the Senior Coordinator of College Counseling, the College Program Associate plays a critical role in supporting students, primarily through the Junior and Senior Seminar courses. The College Program Associate will establish strong relationships with all members of the SEED MD community while collaborating with school leadership and faculty across departments. Additionally, the SEED MD College Program Associate will work closely with The SEED Foundation’s College Transition & Success (CTS) team to deliver high-quality college access and success services to students and families.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Under the direction of the Senior Coordinator of College Counseling, and in collaboration with the Director of High School Academics and Head of School, the College Program Associate’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

General Duties

· Plan and implement college readiness programming aligned with the SEED College Access & Success Guide.

· Communicate and apply SEED’s Right Fit approach to college matching for students and families across all grades.

· Manage and maintain the College Center space and bulletin boards to reflect SEED MD’s college-going culture.

· Ensure information about the college process reaches families and that they are invited to all college counseling and CTS-sponsored events.

· Support the logistics of college representative visits under the direction of the Senior Coordinator of College Counseling.

· Attend regular meetings with SEED Foundation’s CTS team to align on Junior and Senior Seminar curriculum and student progress. 

Junior Class

· Facilitate Junior Seminar in the fall and spring using SEED’s curriculum, including lesson planning, grading, and related instructional responsibilities under the guidance of the High School Director of Academics.

· Collaborate with the Head of School and Senior Coordinator of College Counseling to coordinate test-prep services (e.g., SAT/ACT prep), serving as liaison with external providers and attending all sessions.

· Support the planning and execution of the annual College Tour for juniors.

Senior Class

· Facilitate Senior Seminar in the fall using SEED’s curriculum, including lesson planning, grading, and related instructional responsibilities under the guidance of the High School Director of Academics.

· Collaborate with SEED MD staff, SEED DC/MIA/LA peers, and CTS to support the planning and delivery of the College Prep Boot Camp for seniors.

· Support rituals and traditions associated with senior transition, including College Signing Day and other senior milestone events.

· Assist with the planning and execution of graduation in partnership with the Head of School.

Other

· Perform additional duties as assigned by the Senior Coordinator of College Counseling, Director of High School Academics, or Head of School.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with students, families, staff, and external partners.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to consistently meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and cultural competence, with the ability to respond effectively to the needs of a diverse student and family population.
• Familiarity with the mission, goals, and objectives of schools focused on college readiness and success for low-income, first-generation students.
• Commitment to and comfort with SEED’s Right Fit approach to college match and advising.

Essential Experience, Skills, and Competencies

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• General knowledge of college fit/match principles and the college application and admission process.
• Ability to build strong connections with students from diverse economic, cultural, and academic backgrounds, and with varying learning styles.
• Demonstrated experience developing relationships with faculty, staff, students, families, alumni, and community partners.
• Strong technology and computer skills, including comfort with data systems and digital communication tools.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with flexibility and a collaborative approach to teamwork.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to deliver clear presentations and facilitate group sessions.
• Proven success providing services or programs to children, families, or communities in need.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, with creativity, empathy, and a student-centered mindset.