Summer Corps Member

ABOUT JUMPSTART

Jumpstart is a national early education organization that recruits and trains college students and community volunteers to work with preschool children in low-income neighborhoods. Through a proven curriculum, these children develop the language and literacy skills they need to be ready for school, setting them on a path to close the achievement gap before it is too late. Join us to work toward the day every child in America enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. Learn more at jstart.org.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Jumpstart Corps members have the unique opportunity to inspire young children to learn, serve in a local community, work on a team, and build professional skills. All Corps members receive high quality training to help them implement Jumpstart’s outcome-based program, promote children’s school success, and build family involvement.

CORPS MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES

Corps members complete an intensive commitment and make a substantial impact in the life of young children. During the school year, Corps members serve between 200-450 hours total,* 25 hours per week by fulfilling the following responsibilities in two main settings:

Essential Functions

Overall

• Able to verbally communicate with peers, Jumpstart staff, children, children’s families, and classroom teachers.
• Able to arrange his/ her own transportation to service site in a timely and reliable fashion.

In the classroom

• Able to interact with children at their level in a classroom setting with high activity and noise levels and other varying environmental conditions. Interaction includes being able to move around the classroom to participate in various activities with the children.
• Able to participate fully in the classroom during Jumpstart’s intentional activity time. Working in the classroom includes a variety of activities such as Reading, conducting small and large group activities, and enhancing indoor and outdoor times.  Jumpstart members will rotate between 2-3 classrooms providing intentional activities for at least 90 minutes, three times per week in each classroom, spending approximately 4.5 hours per week in each classroom.
• Able to see both print and illustrations in order to read children’s books.
• Able to demonstrate effective reading skills in English in order to implement the Jumpstart program. Includes reading children’s books, song charts, and materials in the classroom.

Outside the classroom

• Able to participate fully in 30+ hours* of pre-service and 10+ hours* of on-going in-service trainings. Trainings are delivered in a variety of formats (such as lectures, PowerPoint presentations, web-based trainings, small group discussions, and role-plays), with other Corps members in a training room.
• Able to participate fully in 1+ hour* team planning meetings and session preparation 2-5 times per week,* which includes planning, reflection, and/or training, for a total of 2-5 hours* per week, working with other Corps members in a small group to reflect on and plan for weekly sessions.
• Able to complete 1-5 hours weekly* of individual planning and preparation for Jumpstart sessions. This includes preparing children’s books, writing reflection papers on Jumpstart service, and gathering materials for session activities.
• Able to demonstrate effective reading skills in English in order to participate in the Jumpstart program. Includes reading session plans and training manuals.
• Able to demonstrate effective writing skills in English in order to participate in the Jumpstart program. Includes writing reflections and written responses to questions in training.

Marginal Functions

• Able to attend periodic service days and events outside of regularly scheduled service, occasionally held on weekends.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Dedication to early childhood education
  • Experience working with young children, and/or a desire to learn more about early childhood education
  • Strong language and communication skills
  • Ability to communicate and collaborate with children’s families
  • Willingness to learn about session implementation and planning
  • Willingness to implement Jumpstart’s research based curriculum with integrity
• Commitment to service
  • Community service experience and/ or a desire to serve in the community
  • Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds
  • Ability to fulfill community service commitment
  • Enthusiastic and positive attitude toward helping others
• Professionalism
  • Ability to work well on a team to collaborate, communicate, and problem solve
  • Desire to seek opportunities for self and team growth
  • Willingness to receive and provide feedback in an effort to improve quality of one’s service in the program
  • Availability, dependability, and willingness to be flexible in different contexts, such as in training, scheduling, in the classroom, with unexpected changes
  • Professionalism and good judgment in relating to Jumpstart peers, children, partners, and families

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Potential to earn a Federal Work-Study award/stipend during term of service*
• AmeriCorps members will be eligible to receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award upon completion of their 300/450 service term.*
• Extensive training in the field of early childhood education
• Unique opportunity to join a national network of individuals serving young children
• Invaluable opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young children

*Hours and service requirements vary from site to site.

Jumpstart is available to all, without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, religion, or other legally protected status as recognized by federal, state, or local law.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, applicants may request accommodations needed to participate in the application process.