Learning ROCKS! is an afterschool program created by Aspire! to achieve real results for more than 100 3rd-5th grade students at risk of falling into the achievement gap by providing daily afterschool and summer programs. Each year, more than 90% of our students improve their reading instructional levels. Aspire!'s flagship Learning ROCKS! Program supports upper-elementary students' general academic achievement and social-emotional development, placing a heavy emphasis on helping students to develop both their reading skills and a love of reading.
The Learning Links AmeriCorps Program provides a critical link across the three main aspects of a child’s daily experience: at school; after school and in the summer; and at home/in the community. Toward this end, Aspire partners closely with and supports both schools and parents. Each Lead AmeriCorps Member will work closely with their team to implement the Learning ROCKS! Program, providing expanded learning opportunities to students. Lead AmeriCorps Members are an integral part of the Learning ROCKS! Program, actively planning weekly schedules, implementing lesson plans, leading literature circles and homework groups, and more.
Service Activities
Provide direct service to approximately 20 students each day afterschool including planning and implementing daily activities at a program site;
Oversee day-to-day operations of the site, maintaining program supplies and Food Bank donations;
Plan and implement program themes and activities in coordination with the Learning ROCKS! Program Manager and other AmeriCorps Members;
Achieve and track program goals in close collaboration with Program Manager and Assistant Director, including ensuring that obligations to stakeholders are fulfilled and / or exceeded;
Plan for, support, and direct community volunteers to serve afterschool students;
Participate in relevant topic- and skill-based trainings and provide input into trainings that would benefit larger AmeriCorps team.
Maintain case files on students with accurate and appropriate case notes;
Collect, secure, and track students’ tuition payments;
Provide consistent feedback to parents concerning students’ progress in school and afterschool program;
Support other site-based AmeriCorps Members in providing direct service to approximately 20 students each day, including modeling effective instructional techniques and appropriate behavior modification;
Collaborate with teachers and other school staff regarding students’ success and program results;
Coordinate transportation for field trips for afterschool and summer programs
Contribute to a community of practice that identifies and refines best practices in children and youth programming, including assisting with planning for professional development sessions; and
Comply with all applicable rules, regulations, and agreements of the organization.
Community Need Addressed
Aspire! serves children and families across three program sites in the Arlington Mill, Buchanan Gardens and Pike Village Center neighborhoods of Arlington. These neighborhoods, in the 22204 zip code of Arlington and along the Columbia Pike corridor, are considered to be distressed communities based on the percent of persons in poverty with between 33%-50% of households in the aforementioned communities reporting household income below 150% of the federal poverty line. Each of the communities Aspire! serves are designated as Neighborhood Focus Areas based on “highest needs indices” and “significant needs in human services” (Arlington County Community Housing, Planning, and Development website, 2014). Further, according to a new report by the Northern Virginia Health Foundation (2017), the Columbia Pike corridor is considered to be an “island of disadvantage” with low high school graduation rates, higher than average child poverty rates, and even lower life-expectancy rates.
Academically, Arlington County has an achievement gap in which the disparity of achievement between students living in poverty and their peers consistently increases over the years. For example: according to state SOL data, Arlington County economically disadvantaged third graders in the 2015-16 school year failed reading proficiency at a rate three times that of non-economically disadvantaged students. As they moved into fourth grade in 2016-17, the disparity increased: economically disadvantaged fourth graders failed reading proficiency at a rate five times that of their peers who were not living in poverty.
For all of the aforementioned reasons, Aspire! meets a critical need for low-income families in South Arlington, supporting children’s academic and social-emotional development.
Position Outcomes
We measure reading outcomes using school-based, norm-referenced, standardized school assessments and additionally track math skills using pre and post tests in our afterschool program. We additionally measure social-emotional growth using expectation points and also track homework grades throughout the year based on school report cards. Using all these measures and additional qualitative assessments we determine the impact of our afterschool program on the academic and social-emotional skills of our students.
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Living allowance, Student loan forbearance, Training
The 1700 hour Position is Eligible for a $2,000/month stipend and a $6,095 Segal Education Award
Student-loan forbearance or deferment;
Corps Members receive time off for winter break and spring break as well as personal days off;
Aspire! is committed to strengthening Corps Members’ professional and personal development. Corps Members will receive training in a variety of topics including: content areas, tutoring skills, child development, behavior management, education theory, leadership skills, and team building.
Skills you will gain
Lesson planning, time management, project management, supervision skills, logistics, experience with learning plans (504, IEP), community liaison, mentorship
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Lead group discussion, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Speak clearly, in precise language and in a logical, organized and coherent manner
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, Improvise, Select and implement well-considered solution
Teamwork
Derive consensus, Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them, Quickly respond with a back-up plan if a decision goes amiss
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create environment of contribution, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently, Effectively delegate tasks, Facilitate group planning, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served