Under the direction of the Program Director of Literacy, the Lead Program Assistant will serve as the on-site leader responsible for ensuring the highest level of literacy instruction, program quality, and stakeholder engagement at the Pizzo K-8 location. This role includes creating and refining literacy curriculum, supporting assistant staff on implementation, facilitating student instruction, and directly collaborating with parents, school administration, and BASE staff to support student achievement.
The Lead Program Assistant is expected to model best practices in teaching, behavior management, relationship building, and program administration. This role also includes ensuring fidelity to the curriculum and maintaining compliance with YMCA and grant standards.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Program Quality and Growth
Responsible for scheduling and implementing SIPPS lessons and weekly enrichment activities to promote individual child development.
Assess the needs and interests of individuals and groups and prepare instructional program activities accordingly, given the available materials, equipment or center.
In collaboration with the Program Director, Literacy, develop curricula and plan course content and methods of instruction; evaluate and revise curricula as needed.
Forms relationships with school and BASE staff at program school sites to promote a team approach to youth mentoring.
Inputs mentor and student attendance and behavior into online database weekly.
Responsible for leading small groups of children and monitoring children during YMCA Reads! activities.
Teaches reading lessons utilizing varied delivery methods.
Accurately tracks and monitors student progress.
Team Leadership
- Partners, as needed, with key program leaders to remain committed to the YMCA's mission, safety and service to members, and the Tampa Y promise.
- Completes all job related and other training as required.
- Provides a day-to-day overview of clear expectations, quality instruction, and consistent adherence to program standards for program staff and mentors.
Grant Administration
- Ensures delivery of curriculum and all grant related metrics.
- Works with grant team to submit all required grant data in a timely manner.
Safety and Risk Management
- Adhere to all Federal, State, and local safety regulations, as well as all YMCA policies and procedures related to the safety, health, and welfare of members, participants, guests, and staff.
- Ensure that all Tampa YMCA standards, leading practices, and policies are implemented and consistently followed, including those related to emergency procedures, child abuse prevention, and appropriate supervision.
- Maintain a safe and healthy environment at all times, including performing daily safety checks of program areas, equipment, and supplies.
- Supervises meals, snacks, restroom, and transition periods to promote a safe, orderly environment and encourage healthy habits.
- Conduct health checks on children for potential health concerns such as head lice, ringworm, or other communicable conditions, and reports immediately to the Program Director.
- Adhere to policies and procedures related to managing high-risk activities and supervising participants and boundaries with participants and their families.
- Ensure high-risk areas (e.g., restrooms, locker rooms, closets) are monitored and secured when not in use.
- Maintain appropriate staff-to-child ratios and provides active, engaged supervision at all times.
- Follow established sign-in/sign-out procedures to ensure children are released only to authorized adults.
- Responds appropriately to behavioral and medical incidents, documenting and reporting as required.
- Adhere to risk management training requirements including child abuse prevention
- Support a safe, positive, and inclusive environment where children feel secure and respected
- Promptly report any suspicious or inappropriate behavior, as well as policy violations, following established association procedures.
POSITION REQUIREMENTS:
Education/ Experience Required:
- Previous experience working with school-aged children in an educational setting.
- Previous experience providing literacy instruction/tutoring preferred.
- Strong verbal and written skills, English proficiency is required.
- Understanding of various learning styles.
- Highly motivated with the consistent ability to meet or exceed goals, cultivate and retain program participants.
Ability to quickly build rapport and develop effective relationships with program participants and volunteers.
- Ability to understand, adapt to and interact with diverse people, teams, perspectives and cultures.
- Proficient in using email, Internet, and other PC-based applications with the ability to learn and adapt to new
- technology.
Certifications/Trainings Required:
- Must obtain within 30 days of employment and then maintain current certifications in CPR, AED and First Aid
- Maintain other required certifications as needed for program delivery.
WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job includes, but not limited to:
- The employee needs sufficient strength, agility and mobility to perform essential functions and to supervise program activities in a wide variety of indoor and outdoor locations.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use a computer for extended periods of time and be able to communicate using a computer and authorized work phone/smart device.
- Ability to instruct and observe participants during program activities.
- The employee frequently is required to see, observe, and hear all participants, and make sound judgments and decisions.
- Ability to perform all physical aspects of the position, including, but not limited to, leading class, walking, standing, bending, reaching, and lifting.
- Ability to sit and reach, and must be able to move around the work environment.
- Hear noises and distress signals in the program environment, including in the classroom and anywhere around the zone of responsibility.
- Must have flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
- Ability to lift and move a minimum of 30 pounds.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
- Ability to work in a variety of environments, specifically those subject to extreme humidity/dampness, heat and cold.
- The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.
- This position requires reliable transportation and willing to travel, if needed.
- This position may require availability to work flexible hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.
- Must be able to perform all duties and functions of those that are supervised
The Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA is a top-rated '4-star' Charity Navigator and Guidestar 'Gold' rated non-profit charitable organization for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Join a cause-driven association with a focus on nurturing the potential of every child and teen, improving the nation's health and well-being and providing opportunities to give back and support our neighbors. Learn more about the Tampa YMCA at www.tampaymca.org.
Mission: To put Judeo-Christian principles into practice through all programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.
- 13 Family Center Ys, 65-acre outdoor adventure camp, Community Learning Center, two program centers, 27 afterschool sites, 18 Early Head Start sites
- Largest youth development and health & wellness provider in the region
- 223,000+ community members served
- 1,600+ staff members
- 600+ volunteers
- $40MM in revenue
- An independent 501(c) 3, locally-governed and managed
Located in sunny Florida, the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA offers an ideal location with beautiful weather affording a desirable setting for an active outdoor lifestyle year-round, is close to many beaches and theme parks and Florida is one of very few states that has no state income tax.
The Tampa Y is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug-Free Workplace.
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