Community School Coordinator
Job Announcement
Child First Authority was established in 1996 as a response to a city-wide call for safe, productive
learning environments for children after school hours. CFA’s mission is to develop youth by
strengthening and reforming schools. Child First Authority is committed to closing the opportunity gap
for children in Baltimore City by providing high quality community schools and after school programs.
With its focus on school-based community organizing and enriching learning opportunities, Child First
Authority supports positive outcomes for youth at 13 schools.
About Community Schools
A Community school is a place and a set of strategic partnerships among the school and other community
resources that promote student achievement, positive conditions for learning and the well-being of
families and communities. Community schools are centers of the community offering services and
programming for children, their families and the community. The integrated strategy will lead to student
success, strong families and healthy communities.
Position Summary
The Community School Coordinator (CSC) is a full time, salaried position employed by Child First
Authority (CFA) and housed at a partner school.
Hours may vary, with some evenings and weekends. The CSC is an employee of Child First
Authority reporting to its Executive Director or CS Director. The CSC works collaboratively with
the school Principal and steering committee to co-design, develop and supervise all community
school programming including:
 Family and student support services
 Health services
 Enrichment activities including those that occur during the school day, after school and summer
 Family and community engagement activities
The CSC strengthens and maintains the bridge between the school and community. The CSC facilitates
and provides leadership for the collaborative process and development of a continuum of services for
children, families and community members within the school neighborhood.
Responsibilities
Partnership and Relationship Development
 Creates a comprehensive, participatory needs/assets assessment of the school and community in
partnership with the Principal and school and community stakeholders; Develops and coordinates
new partnerships guided by needs assessment and School Improvement Plan.
 Raises funds and in-kind donations to support programming
Student and Family Support
 Serves as a member of the school student support team to identify students at risk of chronic
absence and disciplinary action, collaborating with the school, families, and community to
provide necessary supports
 Refers students and families to community agencies and organizations when appropriate
Family and Community Engagement
 Organizes, trains, and develops parent leaders to connect to the school, academic achievement
and school decision-making.
 Recruits, trains and manages volunteers in support of Community school efforts.
 Coordinates with CFA staff, especially the Child First Organizer, to engage neighborhood
associations, residents and community leaders toward the success of the school.
Communication
 Organizes and staffs regular meetings of the steering committee comprised of school
administrators, School Family Council members, students, community representatives and
extended service partners to identify, coordinate, and broker relationships for service delivery at
the school.
 Implements approved action plan by establishing and coordinating partnerships, co-locating
resources (within the school), developing the necessary work plans, agreements, MOUs,
schedules and connecting families and community residents to those resources.
Reporting
 Aids in the evaluation of the individual Community school programs by collecting data on new
partners and the use of their services as well as general school climate indicators, i.e. school
attendance, school safety and academic achievement.
 Reports outcomes in a timely manner to CFA and to the Family League as required.
 Represents the initiative publicly, as requested, reporting on program successes and outcomes.
Qualifications:
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Minimum: Bachelor’s degree in related area and at least 5 years of relevant experience
Track record of developing and maintaining strong working relationships working among a
diverse group of actors
Demonstrated commitment of meeting a high bar and a history of getting things done even in the
face of obstacles
Experience managing multiple projects and ability to oversee a cadre of staff, partners, and
volunteers
Experience working with youth, families, or community agencies partnering with schools
Conditions of Employment:
The CSC is a full-time, 12-month, grant-funded, contractual position resulting from a partnership with
Family League of Baltimore City and Baltimore City Schools. The CSC will attend regular staff
development sessions provided by Family League, and must implement the scope of work that is included
in Child First’s contract with Family League. Compensation includes health care benefits and vacation,
sick, and personal leave. Actual hours and schedule are based on needs of coordinating programs and
services. Evening activities and weekend hours will be required as necessary to accommodate
programming, committee meetings, and special events.
The position requires a commitment to a team-based work environment. With so many stakeholders
working together at the community school with different accountability structures, it is important that the
CSC be comfortable with a collaborative feedback loop and communication structure. S/he should also
possess energy, personal commitment to the mission, keen human relations skills, patience, knowledge
and awareness of the school climate and the surrounding community, demonstrated ability to work well
with diverse groups, and understanding of and responsiveness to the needs of students, families, and the
community of the identified school.
Salary is commensurate with experience, and will range from $45,000 - $60,000. Qualified applicants
should submit resumes to cfamain@childfirstauthority.org by December 20, 2015 (please state
“Community School Coordinator” in the subject line).