Job Title:  Gear Up Coordinator

Department/Campus:  Federal Programs

Pay Grade:  Administrative/Professional

Primary Purpose:
Provide leadership and coordination to provide an aligned and articulated instructional program in the subject area assigned.

Education/Certification:

Bachelor's degree in in counseling, social work, child development, education, public administration, or related field.

Preferred - Master's degree in the above fields

Special Knowledge/Skills:

• In-depth knowledge of secondary education requirements in Texas.
• Knowledge of postsecondary education options, application procedures, and admission requirements.
• Knowledge of financial aid and scholarship opportunities and FAFSA application processes.
• Strong ability to communicate with students, parents, and school staff verbally and in writing.
• Strong preference for bilingual/bicultural (Spanish) fluency/knowledge.

Experience:

At least 3-5 years’ experience in working with middle school or high school students.

Essential Job Functions:

• Coordinators will be expected to tailor programs and activities to meet the specific needs of their assigned schools and perform the following primary functions:
• Provide academic enrichment, informational, and motivational opportunities and interventions, including mentoring, tutoring, and advising activities (before school, during school, and after-school) for GEAR UP cohort students including for at-risk, LEP, and special education students.
• Monitor GEAR UP cohort student grades, attendance, and transcripts to promote on-time promotion and graduation and completion of appropriate rigorous coursework;
• Assesses academic and personal needs of GEAR UP students through transcript evaluations, student interviews, and school counselor recommendations;
• Collaborates with school site team to develop and implement a service plan to meet students’ specific needs and monitor progress of high school graduation and college readiness;
• Maintains GEAR UP cohort student information including files on academic and advisement progress and student participation in GEAR UP using a caseload management approach through the grant-sanctioned data system;
• Supplement school’s efforts to help GEAR UP cohort students meet passing standards in STAAR and EOC assessment and meet criteria in PSAT, SAT, ACT, or TSI;
• Coordinates access for GEAR UP cohort students to qualified counselors at the school or district level;
• Leverage grant resources to ensure GEAR UP cohort students avail of partner- provided services in academic and non-academic fields.
• Organize group events such as student assemblies and pep rallies, family night events, and other student and parent support activities (before school, during school, and after-school) that encourage students and their families to consider, plan for, and apply to colleges and universities
• Visit classrooms, assemblies, and club meetings to offer GEAR UP services and emphasize the importance of college;
• Work with local community groups—non-profit organizations, community groups, churches, boys and girls clubs, social service providers—to offer group events outside school setting and hours;
• Recognize and celebrate student success and help motivate GEAR UP cohort students do better in school.
• Provide one-on-one admissions and financial-aid advice to any GEAR UP cohort student or their family seeking assistance
• Encourage each GEAR UP cohort student to consider a broad range of appropriate college choices;
• Develop for each GEAR UP cohort student a comprehensive college timeline, including application deadlines for admission and financial aid;
• Help each GEAR UP cohort student complete and submit admissions and financial- aid applications;
• Assist each GEAR UP cohort student in interpreting correspondence from colleges, including offers of admission and financial aid.
• Submit in-kind match and other supporting documentation upon request to the Fiscal Analyst as per grant requirements and assist district personnel in identifying match opportunities
• Recruits, trains, and serves as a lead to GEAR UP cohort student and hourly employees, tutor/mentors, program assistants, college coaches, volunteers, and parent helpers; assigns work schedules of student and hourly staff and volunteers; 
• Performs a variety of administrative duties in support of the GEAR UP grant, including collection of volunteer and donation forms; 
• Maintain documentation files of all grant activities, correspondence, reports, procedures, and presentations related to the GEAR UP program; 
• Develop outreach materials, including newsletters and social media sites.
• Establish productive working relationships with principals, counselors, and teachers in the assigned middle and high school
• Assess, in consultation with the UT GEAR UP TCB Project director and school personnel, the particular needs of each school, and adapt programs and activities to meet these needs; 
• Actively seek the advice and counsel of the Principal at each partner school; 
• Establishes vertical teams with assistance of district and school staff to develop a support system for GEAR UP cohort students and to ease the transition between middle school, high school, and college; 
• Assist in the efforts of other UT GEAR UP TCB Coordinators within the district and the cohort
• Visit other schools within the district and the UT GEAR UP TCB cohort to coordinate events and services; 
• Help organize, provide support for, and attend evening and weekend events organized by other Coordinators. 
• Assist in the assessment and long-term sustainability of the program
• Identify, collect, enter, and interpret key progress and outcome data in order to assist the Project Director and Evaluation staff to evaluate the effectiveness of the UT GEAR UP TCB project; 
• Submit monthly progress reports to the Project Director documenting progress and outcome data; 
• Meet, as appropriate, with evaluators from the external evaluator, 
• Represent UT GEAR UP TCB, as requested by the Project Director, to potential supporters and to other interested parties. 
• Maintain expertise in college knowledge and readiness
• Participate fully in two weeks of training each summer on the UT Austin campus; 
• In consultation with the Program Director, seek out and participate in other opportunities for professional development.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

None

Equipment used:

Personal or laptop computer, printer, copier, fax machine, shredder, calculator, electronic mobile devices, projector, video display monitor and telephone

Working Conditions:

Physical Demands /Mental Demands/ Environmental Factors:

The working conditions described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations.

Regularly sit, talk or hear; frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; frequent repetitive hand motions; prolonged use of computer; occasionally lift and/or move up to 10-50 pounds; occasionally required to stand, walk reach with hands and arms; vision abilities include close vision; and color vision, regularly work with frequent interruptions, maintain emotional control under stress; the noise level is usually moderate.  The employee may spend long hours in intense concentration which requires attention to detail.  There are a number of deadlines associated with this position, which may cause significant stress.  The employee must also deal with a wide variety of people on various issues. Predictable and regular attendance expected.