Program Assistant, Greater Boston Schools

Program Assistant/Regional Substitute, Read Aloud Mentoring Program, Greater Boston Schools

Hourly Rate:  $17.00/hr

Desired Start: February 2025

Benefits:  Employee Leave, 401k, flexibility and countless non-monetary rewards

Schedule, Location(s), and Hours:

Read to a Child is seeking a Program Assistant (PA) who will primarily function as substitute for the planned absences of Program Coordinators on-site at various Greater Boston area elementary schools (see full list below) as well as assist from home with regularly scheduled virtual sessions.

Regular hours will include: Tuesdays, 11:30am-12pm virtual assistance from home, and Thursdays, 1:05-1:35pm virtual assistance from home.  Additional work hours will initially include on site training at each school location and then work hours will vary based on the substitute needs of the region.

Schools include: Adams School (East Boston), Boston Renaissance Charter (Hyde Park), Condon (South Boston), Harvard-Kent (Charlestown), Josiah Quincy (Boston), Kennedy (Somerville), King Open (Cambridge), Mildred Ave (Mattapan), Morse (Cambridge), Tobin (Roxbury Crossing), Hooks (Chelsea), and English (Everett)

Programs in these locations run on combinations of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Minimal availability outside of these days and times for data entry, communications and meetings and assisting on an as needed basis with program set up and end of year activities.

Position Overview

Read to a Child’s Read Aloud Mentoring Program pairs a volunteer mentor with an elementary school student for a rewarding weekly read aloud experience either during the child’s lunch or other non-instructional time.

The Program Assistant is responsible for working in conjunction with the Program Coordinator to ensure that volunteer mentors, students and school staff have a positive and meaningful experience. Depending on the needs of the school, coordination of the Read Aloud Mentoring Program may be conducted in-person, virtually, or a combination thereof.

Specific Job Responsibilities Will Include All or Some of the Following:

• Assist Program Coordinator to ensure that the program starts and runs smoothly
• Communicate regularly with Program Coordinator/s and supervisor as appropriate
• Provide logistical/technical support with respect to virtual sessions and provide assistance getting kids to and from the reading session.
• Assist Program Coordinator with notifying students, teachers, and potentially volunteer mentors of cancellations or schedule changes
• Facilitate and monitor reading sessions to ensure smooth operation of program
• In the school setting, ensure that state and school guidelines for hygiene and safety are followed carefully and that rooms are left clean and orderly
• Assist in planning and implementing year-end celebration (in person or adapted for virtual setting), as applicable
• Attend required Read to a Child training sessions and meetings
• Substitute for Program Coordinator/s as needed
• Submit timesheets accurately and on time
• Participate in the Performance Evaluation and goal setting process

Essential Job Duties For In-Person Positions:

The person working in this position will be in a school setting. It involves constant movement throughout the building and designated session areas guiding students to their reading session. Depending on the school, this may require occasionally ascending/descending stairs. It also requires frequent positioning of books and/or program materials of various weights and sizes on a rolling book cart, as well as rolling the book cart to/from various locations within the school.

Key Qualifications:

• Commitment to Read to a Child’s mission, viability and growth
• Experience working with young children
• Enthusiastic about children’s books
• Communicates well in person and virtually (eg: Zoom and/or Google Meets)
• Commitment to actively and continuously working toward achieving the organization’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion goals
• Extremely organized and adept at successfully managing multiple projects simultaneously and prioritizing according to the organization’s strategic plan — with flexibility and a positive attitude
• Comfortable working with and hosting group video conference platforms (eg: Zoom and/or Google Meets) and with Email
• Access to transportation

Diversity Statement

Read to a Child is committed to providing resources to children most impacted by systemic inequalities. We have faith in our students’ ability to thrive when they are provided with equitable resources and choose to focus on their strengths rather than the barriers they face. We are motivated to continuously act on our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion among reading mentors, staff, and board members so as to best reflect and support the students we serve.

To Apply: Send resume & cover letter outlining your suitability to the tasks and schedule outlined above to: heidi.sampson@readtoachild.org NOTE: Your application will not be considered without a cover letter.