Service Position Summary: At school or youth serving agencies where Kids in Tech hosts its afterschool STEAM  program, volunteer tutors provide 1:1 or 1:2 tutoring in essential pre-reading and early reading skills, math, or science  during the morning and afternoon hours. Additionally, tutors build positive relationships with their students that support, encourage and motivate social emotional growth

Commitment: A minimum of four hours per week, over two days a week, for the entire school year, plus additional time for required training and team meetings. 

Reports to: Kids in Tech’s Program Manager 

Responsibilities:

Students

 • Work with 1:1 or 1:2 with designated students who are identified by the teacher and Kids in Tech as needing extra reading assistance according to Lowell Public Schools and Boston Public Schools assessments
• Tutor identified students using Kids in Tech’s structured session model and approved materials.
• Model appropriate behavior for students.
• Develop positive relationships with students; nurture self-esteem and a positive attitude toward learning. 

Training & Team 

• Attend and participate in a minimum of 25 hours of pre- and in-service tutor training throughout the year.
• Attend and participate in volunteer meetings monthly.

Administrative:

• Maintain accurate records to capture daily tutoring information.
• Participate in two formal service reviews by Kids in Tech  during the school year. 
• Arrive on time (10-15 minutes prior to tutoring session) and prepared for tutoring.
• Notify the Kids in Tech prior  by predetermined time about unplanned absences.

Policies:

•  Respect the privacy of students by keeping names and progress of students confidential. 
•  Respect the classroom teacher/school staff by keeping observations made in the classroom confidential. 
• Agree and adhere to all Kids in Tech , school, and classroom policies and procedures. 

Qualifications:

• Must be 18 years olds 
• Has high school diploma or equivalent 
• Excellent communication skills 
• Successful completion of pre-service training
•  Enjoys being with children and values education 
• Creative, responsible, organized, flexible , and self-motivated
• Ability to work well with a diverse group of volunteers 
• Completed background check as required by  Kids in Tech and Lowell Public Schools and Boston Public Schools and allowed by law

Your Impact

• Ability to make a measurable impact on students’ literacy skill development and improve their math and science aptitudes 
• Requires the learning of new skills and building new relationships
• Opportunity to serve as a role model for students 
• Work with a team making strong social connections 

Location: Moody Elementary, McAvinnue Elementary, Greenhalge Elementary, Coalition For A Better America (CBA), Lowell Housing Authority (LHA)

Purpose: STEAM is one of the fastest growing sectors of the Massachusetts (MA) economy, but BIPOC individuals and women are underrepresented. Early exposure and experience to STEAM topics through participation in STEAM afterschool programs is an excellent way to promote an increased interest, persistence, and identity in STEAM.  According to The Commonwealth Corporation’s 2021 STEM Brief, STEAM occupations include computer and math, architecture and engineering, healthcare, and life and physical science occupations. STEAM workers make up 21% of the labor force in MA, higher than the U.S. average of 14%. A 2021 Pew Research Center report states that Hispanic and Black workers make up 17% and 11% of employees across all occupations, but just 8% and 9% of all STEAM workers, respectively. Women make up a majority of workers in health-related jobs, but remain underrepresented in other STEM jobs, such as the physical sciences (40%), computing (25%) and engineering (15%). Research shows that a more diverse team drives innovation, workplace culture, and productivity, and companies with more racial and gender diversity outperform those with less (Dixon-Fyle, et al., 2020).  Research also shows that by increasing proficiency in STEAM, positive STEAM identity can be increased as well. By providing experiences where students experience success in STEAM, instructors can positively impact students’ feeling of belonging and STEAM identity (Martin-Hansen, 2018). A 2016 report by Partnerships in Education and Resilience (PEAR) found that 78% of afterschool STEM participants improved their attitude about STEM, 73% improved their STEM identity, and 80% increased their STEM knowledge. 

Kids in Tech Afterschool Program Instructors, serving in program site teams, will provide those opportunities for increased STEAM proficiency in our community through one-on-one and group STEAM classroom support during school and afterschool in Afterschool Tech Clubs (ASTC) to 9-14-year-old (grades 4-8) students in 9 elementary and middle schools and community centers in Lowell, MA.

Responsibilities:

Essential Functions

• Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will build rapport with students and serve as a positive near peer mentor and role model to demonstrate ways that STEAM is an integral part of our lives and futures.
• Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will maintain a positive, encouraging, and orderly classroom environment.
• Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will build rapport with partner site staff to ensure that the KiT STEAM curriculum is meeting the students’ needs.
• Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will implement 2 cohorts of ASTC for up to 15 9-14 year old students, 2 times per week, for 60 minutes each lesson, for approximately 30 weeks.
• Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will prepare lessons and projects using the KiT curriculum, prepare necessary materials for hands-on learning, lead the ASTC by implementing the curriculum, research and coordinate 1 field trip, 1 job shadow day, and 1-2 guest speakers per site. 
• Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will drive strong family engagement, reaching out to at least 10 families of children engaged in ASTC monthly, and in-school support to provide a whole-child approach to improve STEAM engagement. 

Marginal Functions-

• Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will engage in monthly text and newsletter family outreach to provide updates and information about students’ STEM activities and to offer support and seek engagement using the C.A.R.E. (Connect. Act. Reflect. Empower.) framework.
• Kids in Tech Afterschool Instructors will collect and enter student attendance and outcome data using KiT data tools.

Qualifications:

• Must be currently enrolled in high school or has a high school diploma/GED.
• Should be ages 16-24 and will serve as near-peer mentors to the students. 
• Must be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States.
• Must be able to satisfy the Criminal History/ SORI background
• Should have either a background in a STEAM field, such as a STEAM major or participation in STEAM clubs, and/or a demonstrable interest in STEAM
• Should have an education or youth development background and can demonstrate that they work well with kids; are enthusiastic and inquisitive, adaptable, exhibit a growth mindset, and have past leadership experience.
• Ideally, can speak more than one language, preferably Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, French, Vietnamese, Arabic, Mandarin, Cape Verdean Creole, or Khmer.
• Resident of Lowell or Boston-area or able to secure reliable transportation to service locations in either Lowell or Boston 

Benefits:

• Hourly Salary commensurate with experience of $16.50- 28.50
• Networking opportunities in the STEM fields including opportunities to attend field trips to KiT STEM partner facilities around the Lowell/Greater Boston area.
• Opportunity to be assigned to special projects outside of the instructor roles.
• Flexible schedule beneficial to current students. Program schedule follows all school calendar holidays and breaks (i.e Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Winter Recess breaks)

Afterschool Tech Club Instructor Commitment:

• October 2024 - June 2025 program year. Each instructor will be required to instruct at a partner site program a minimum of 2 days a week during active program weeks. 
• Dedicate hours to instruction preparation, including necessary supplies to complete lessons.
• Complete biweekly check-ins with direct supervisor.
• Data collection including but not limited to photos, videos, demographic information, attendance, and survey completion for each enrolled student.
• Attend any KiT sponsored events, field trips, trainings, or volunteer opportunities.

Kids in Tech prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment based on race, color, national origin, gender, age (40 and over), religion, sexual orientation, disability (mental or physical ), gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, pregnancy, reprisal, genetic information.

The board of directors has four primary responsibilities:

• Mission: create a clear, succinct mission statement that expresses the organization’s core values and reason for being and revisit this mission regularly, revising if necessary
• Oversight: establish appropriate checks and balances to ensure the organization is well managed and its mission is carried out
• Resource development: ensure the organization has the financial and human resources it needs to fulfill its mission
• Outreach: connect with the external community to promote the organization’s mission, values, and programs (e.g. through recruiting new board members, volunteers, and donors; expanding the organization’s network of supporters)

Each director plays a critical role in contributing to the overall board responsibilities described above. More specifically, board members are expected to meet the following obligations:

Mission and Outreach

1. Support and actively promote the organization’s mission.
2. Ensure that the organization accomplishes its strategic goals.
3. Serve as an ambassador and represent the organization accurately and positively in the community.
4. Stay informed about the organization’s current programs and issues.
5. Participate in the organization’s activities by attending programs.

Meetings and Training

6. Attend all board meetings, be well prepared, and participate fully in all matters.
7. Serve on assigned board committees; attend, be well prepared, and participate fully in committee meetings.
8. As a new board member, attend a new board member orientation.

Fundraising

9. Assist with the organization’s fundraising efforts by working on fundraising activities including identifying and cultivating relationships with potential donors.
10. Support the organization’s annual giving program by giving as generously as possible.
11. Attend fundraising events.

Governance

12. Recognize that all board members have fiduciary responsibility to the organization for sound financial management as well as legal and ethical oversight.
13. Complete the annual evaluation of the executive director.
14. Complete the annual board evaluation.

15 Review and approve all necessary operational and governance policies; ensure they are adhered to.

16. Assist with the identification and recruitment of new board members.

 In addition, all board members agree to:

17. Serve up to six years. ( usually three two year terms).

18. When requested, introduce your personal and professional networks to the organization to provide the organization with needed funding and professional expertise.
19. Act in good faith, making decisions that are in the best interest of the organization.
20. Keep all board deliberations and documents confidential, as defined by the organization’s Confidentiality Policy.
21. Accept and support board decisions. Once a decision has been made, the board speaks with one voice.
22. Recognize that authority is vested in the board as a whole. A board member who learns of an issue of importance to the organization has the obligation to bring it to the board chair and the executive director and must refrain from responding to the situation individually.
23. Understand that the board sets policies and focuses on long-range and strategic issues. An individual board member should not become directly involved in specific management, personnel, or program issues.
24. Guard against conflict of interest, whether personal or business-related, as defined by the organization’s Conflict of Interest Policy.