CITY YEAR JACKSONVILLE START UP FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Transcription

1 CITY YEAR JACKSONVILLE START UP FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS The Jacksonville, FL metro area is the 40th largest in the United States, and one of the eight largest metropolitan areas that lie in Florida. City Year Jacksonville will partner with the school district to address the needs of students in the lowest performing schools given that this is one of the cities with the highest concentrations of urban dropouts in the nation. Jacksonville s school district, Duval County Public Schools (DCPS), serves approximately 125,000 students more than 30% of which face significant challenges in achieving academic success. DCPS has a 69% graduation rate, below the state (78%) and national (71.7%) averages 1. The majority of students served by DCPS are from minority populations 44.2% African American, 6.7% Hispanic and more than half (53.2% ) are economically disadvantaged 2. Despite recent gains, DCPS FCAT scores continue to rank significantly below the state-wide average and the challenges facing DCPS students are reflected in their academic performance. City Year has a stellar local support from Jacksonville s leaders who believe that City Year corps members can significantly help Jacksonville s students to meet their potential. During the last year, City Year has worked with Michael and Kim Ward, Mayor Alvin Brown, Duval County Public Schools, the United Way of Northeast Florida, Communities in Schools, and a large group of private sector leaders like CSX to launch City Year in Jacksonville. These partners have help integrate City Year into the Jacksonville community and secured over $6.5 million in financial support to launch a start-up team in the summer 2012 and put the site on a path to grow to 10 high-need schools by During the startup year this pilot, City Year will serve in 2 of the schools with the highest need in the state of Florida; Andrew Jackson High School* and Matthew Gilbert Middle School**. During the school the site will fully launch in 5 schools and grow to 100 corps members within the first 3 years of operation. *Andrew Jackson High School is a neighborhood high school As of Spring 2012 Andrew Jackson High had an "F" grade from the state. It is one of a half dozen local high schools on the state's intervene list for being low performing. ** Matthew W. Gilbert Middle is a Title I School and one of the feeder middle schools to Andrew Jackson HS with and earned grade of C. Other Jacksonville FAQs Jacksonville is located by the Atlantic Ocean in northeastern Florida and along the border to Georgia. The City ranks 1 st in the state with a population estimate of about 813,518 people 3. Jacksonville was ranked 26th in the 50 Best places to live by BusinessWeek. GENERAL FAQ S What will be the size of the Start-Up Team? City Year Jacksonville will have a total of 20 Corps Members including 3-4 senior corps members and First Year Corps Members serving full time in 2 schools through the entire school year. The team will have 7 staff members. When will the startup team begin in Jacksonville? Staff should expect to begin in July Corps members will serve July 2012-June Start Up Senior Corps begin on July 12- Mandatory Registration is on July 11 First Year Corps Members will begin on July Mandatory Registration is on July 11 1 EWRC. (2012). Education Week Research Center, New District Graduation Rate Map Tool. Retrieved February 10, 2012, from 2 FLDOE. ( ). School Public Accountability Reports. Retrieved 12 06, 2011, from 3 American Fact Finder: 2009 Population Estimates; Geographies Ranked by Place and County Subdivision

2 As a start up team member, what will my focus be? First Year and Senior Corps members will be working in two teams serving full time and implementing our Whole School Whole Child Pilot in our two pilot schools: Andrew Jackson High School and Matthew Gilbert Middle School. All Staff and Senior Corps Members will be expected to contribute in other areas of the start-up effort including promoting City Year in Jacksonville through roundtables; outreach to potential applicants (in local high schools, colleges, community groups); and running physical service projects with local community members. Will health insurance be provided? All full time staff working 32 or more hours per week are eligible for standard City Year benefits. Corps Members will receive the AmeriCorps health insurance benefit. Will housing be provided? We will work with start up team members to ensure that housing is not a barrier. Areas to consider near downtown include Riverside, Avondale, San Marco, and Springfield. What will be the service focus of City Year Jacksonville upon launch in Fall 2013? City Year Jacksonville will launch with five teams implementing the Whole School Whole Child model in Duval County Public Schools (DCPS). Initial deployment will be to 2 feeder patterns (middle and high schools). The district has expressed strong interest in Diplomas Now which is an innovative school turnaround model that unites three experienced non-profit organizations City Year, Communities In Schools, and Talent Development to work with the nation s most challenged middle and high schools to deliver the right interventions to the right students at the right time. - I m from the Jacksonville area and although I am not interested in joining the start-up team this year, I would like to help. What can I do? That s great! You can help with building recruitment feeder relationships in Jacksonville by making an introduction to your school or other community groups. Please contact Tim McGee, National Manager of Recruitment, for more information on how you can help. SENIOR CORPS FAQ S What is the hours requirement for Corps Members? Corps Members will work in a full-time capacity for approximately 10 months, and must complete a minimum of 1700 hours of service. How much will the living stipend be for Corps Members? The stipend is $544/bi-weekly ($272/week) for Corps Members and $644/bi-weekly ($322/week) for Senior Corps Members. Will Corps Members receive an AmeriCorps education award? If you have not yet served 2 full AmeriCorps terms, you are eligible for the AmeriCorps education Award. Upon successful completion of the half term, eligible Senior Corps Members will receive an Education Award of $5,550 from AmeriCorps. If you earned less than two full Segal education awards for previous enrollment in AmeriCorps (i.e. you participated in, and completed a half-time, quarter time, reduced half-time or minimum time term) you are eligible for a discounted education award. The amount you would be eligible for would be difference between the current value of a full time award and the value of the awards you have earned to date. If you have already earned the value of two full Segal education awards for completing two terms as a full time member in an AmeriCorps State, National Direct, VISTA or NCCC program, you will be ineligible for any portion of a Segal education award for enrollment in a third term.

3 I just completed my second AmeriCorps term - can I apply as a Jacksonville Senior Corps Member? If you have completed your second term as an AmeriCorps member with City Year you are eligible to apply as a City Year Jacksonville start up senior corps member. City Year accepts other non-city Year AmeriCorps alums as First Year City Year Corps members. Is there an age restriction for serving as a Corps Member? First Year Corps Members positions are open to people between years. Senior Corps Member positions are open to year-olds. Any Corps Member must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien (AmeriCorps rule for first and senior corps). APPLICATION PROCESS STAFF & SENIOR CORPS How do I apply be a Staff Member? Submissions: all completed applications (application, resume, references) to careers@cityyear.org and be sure to have your online recommendation completed. Application: Complete a staff application for Start Ups. o Resume o Letter of Recommendation (online form) o As a part of the application, you are required to submit one letter of recommendation to be completed electronically here. The recommendation should be from a senior staff member at your City Year site (Executive Director, Program Director, etc.). For alumni applicants, please submit a recommendation form from a senior staff member at the site where you served who is familiar with your background and experience. Deadline o City Year will continue to accept applications for Jacksonville positions on a rolling basis. City Year will begin the interview process with applicants immediately upon receipt of a complete application. Selections and admission will take place on a rolling basis. Admissions Process o Once City Year receives your completed application, we will arrange for a screening interview in person or by phone. o Final candidates will participate in selection interviews with Headquarters staff. o If accepted as a staff member, you will receive a commitment letter from City Year that you must sign and return immediately to secure your position. How do I apply be a Frist Year Corps Member or Senior Corps Member? Submissions: Mail, fax, or all completed applications (application form, essay, resume, recommendations) to: City Year Headquarters Attn: Tim McGee, National Recruitment Department 287 Columbus Avenue Boston, MA Fax: tmcgee@cityyear.org Application: o Senior Corps must complete the Jacksonville Start Up Senior Corps application. o First Year Corps must complete City Year s first time application- Those interested in Jacksonville should apply to Serve where most needed and let the admissions team know they re interested in being placed in Jacksonville. (Jacksonville not an option in the site list as of now)

4 Recommendations: Select recommenders who are familiar with your personal background, education, employment, and/or professional skills. Consider asking a work or volunteer supervisor, clergy member, teacher or professor, or coach to fill out the enclose reference forms. You should not ask a family member, classmate, co-worker or friend to serve as a reference. o Senior Corps Members: As a part of the application, you are required to submit two recommendations. One recommendation should be from a senior staff member at your City Year site (Executive Director, Program Director, etc.). For alumni applicants, please submit a recommendation form from a senior staff member at the site where you served who is familiar with your background and experience. The recommendation form can be found in the Senior Corps application. o First Year Corps Members The recommendation form for first year corps members is the final step of the online application First Year Corps Member need 2 recommenders who can fill out our City Year form. The form is available online and can be sent through the application OR can be sent as a downloadable form: Deadline o City Year will continue to accept applications for Jacksonville positions on a rolling basis. City Year will begin the interview process with applicants immediately upon receipt of a complete application (application forms and resume). We can begin the interview process while you finalize your references. Selections and admission will take place on a rolling basis. Admissions Process o Once City Year receives your completed application, we will arrange for a screening interview in person or by phone. o Final candidates will participate in phone selection interview. o If accepted as a Corps Member, you will receive a commitment letter from City Year that you must sign and return immediately to secure your position.

5

6 MORE ABOUT JACKSONVILLE I am not from Jacksonville can you tell me more about the city? The city is conveniently located by the Atlantic Ocean offering miles of beaches and waterways. It has a mild climate (temperate year-round climate) and a reasonable cost of living. Jacksonville is at a short distance from Orlando, FL and Atlanta, GA. Downtown: The boundaries of Downtown as defined by the City of Jacksonville are I-95 to the south and west, State Street to the north, and the St. Johns River to the east which adds a special character to the city and offers several scenic river walks. The city has more than 1,600 restaurants. Colleges and Universities Total Full-Time Enrollment: Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Florida Community College at Jacksonville 23,627 University of North Florida 15,234 St. Johns River Community College 4,847 Jacksonville University 2,972 Flagler College 2,158 Florida Coastal School of Law 1,040 Edward Waters College 839 University of Florida (Regional) 49,693 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Regional) 4,776 Bethune Cookman College (Regional) 3,090 Parks: Jacksonville has one of the largest urban park systems in the country (park acres per 1,000 residents: 54.2). The city also has an abundant expanse of and ecological preserves that provide an unforgettable opportunity to escape the confines of city life and relax in nature s playground. In the outskirts of the city you will find ecological reserves with over 111,600 designated acres, including the 46,000-acre Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. Beaches As much for its beautiful beaches as anything, Jacksonville has become known as Florida's First Coast. Unlike much of the rest of Florida, the First Coast's miles of beaches remain relatively unspoiled and unfenced. The Beaches communities in Duval County -- Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach -- also offer some of the best sport fishing, boating and water sport opportunities in the country. Sports: Fans have their pick of any number of college and professional events, including: The National Football League s Jacksonville Jaguars (American football team) The minor league baseball Jacksonville Suns THE PLAYERS Championship in golf The annual Florida/Georgia college football game Arts: There are 46 museums in the city, so you will find a variety of cultural pursuits that include the Southeast s largest contemporary art museum, a highly acclaimed symphony orchestra, the Museum of Science & History and the Museum of Contemporary Art.