Jobs

Sophia Academy

Director of Enrollment and Guidance

Sophia Academy is the only independent middle school in Rhode Island that provides a gender specific, holistic middle school education focusing on the intellectual and emotional growth of girls in grades 5-8 who are from low-income families. Founder Sr. Mary Reilly’s vision remains Sophia’s goal: to provide a rigorous, relevant, empowering education, preparing our students to be successful in high school and beyond, and helping them to move out of poverty and to lead lives as confident, compassionate women. One hundred percent of Sophia graduates complete high school and most continue on to postsecondary education. The school is accredited by the Association of Independent Schools of New England (AISNE) and is nonsectarian.  

Sophia’s social justice ethos has attracted the attention of such inspiring women as #MeToo cofounder Tarana Burke and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, and its dedicated and talented faculty are recognized nationally and state-wide for their excellence. Aligned with our Guiding Principles, the curriculum provides a forum to explore the values on which the school was founded, upholding Sophia’s commitment to social justice and equality and its appreciation for diverse perspectives and experiences. 

Guiding Principles

1. We are student centered. We encourage moments of deep reflection, based on a firm belief that each student possesses inherent wisdom which will guide her in her learning and life journey.
2. We are gender responsive. We take a relational approach which is strength-based, which emphasizes cultural competency, and which focuses on each middle school girl’s unique and affirming qualities.
3. We have an intellectually engaging and holistic curriculum. We employ research-based best practices in middle school education that prepare our graduates for the world.
4. We cultivate community leaders. We help our students advocate for themselves, for one another, and for a just society, and we provide them with opportunities to lead within the school and community.
5. We engender lifelong learning. We deliver a wide array of on- and off-campus experiences which promote active hands-on learning by our students, and which inspire our faculty, parents, and alumnae to fully engage as learners and teachers.

The Director of Enrollment and Guidance is a relationship builder and communicator who guides each student and family through a lifelong relationship with Sophia Academy. This exciting position provides a passionate professional with the opportunity to play a leadership role in supporting and facilitating high quality educational experiences for Sophia students and graduates.

Major areas of responsibility include the following: 

Administrative

• Serves as a member of the school’s administrative team 
• Supervises volunteers and interns  
• Other duties as assigned 

Enrollment Management and Admissions

• Responsible for planning, managing, and implementing the recruitment, enrollment, orientation, and retention process, enrolling mission-appropriate students and meeting annual enrollment and re-enrollment goals 
• Partners with Head of School and Director of Development to communicate the differentiators of Sophia Academy and to develop and implement an admission marketing program that includes relationship building in the community; articulation and evaluation of mission appropriate candidates; awareness building strategies; and targeted outreach. Networks and meets with area referral sources to create a pipeline for prospective students 
• Plans and implements admission events including prospective parent gatherings, open houses, admission testing and interviews, the acceptance process, and new family orientation 
• Serves as main point of contact during the admissions process, meeting with prospective families, answering questions, monitoring progress in applications, and following up with families 
• Convenes an internal admissions committee to interview and assess candidates for admission and welcome new families to the school 
• Maintains an admissions database; tracks inquiries, visits, applications, enrollments, and attrition. Prepares statistical reports and regularly updates the Head of School and other key administrators on enrollment  
• Collaborates with and supervises the School Secretary to: 
• Create and maintain student records 
• Serve as registrar for incoming and outgoing students 
• Support new families as they prepare to matriculate to Sophia  
• Execute uniform ordering processes  

Mentor Coordinator 

• Evaluates effectiveness of mentor program and shapes it to reflect best practices in the field and to meet needs of students and the school 
• Works closely with the Development team to recruit and orient mentors 
• Supports mentors, communicating and meeting with them regularly and facilitating their participation in the Sophia community 
• Works with students and families to facilitate ongoing positive relationships 
• Communicates success stories to connect program with other school wide efforts 

High School Guidance 

• In partnership with Head of School and other administrators, develops enrichment opportunities for students 
• Guides and supports Sophia students through the process of searching for, applying to, enrolling in, and matriculating to high school. Develops, manages, and implements a comprehensive high school guidance program: 
• Serves as key point of contact and relationship builder with area high schools  
• Evaluates the current program and innovates to create a mission-appropriate, student-centered program 
• Collaborates with and supports families through the high school admission process including but not limited to applications, interviews, essays, financial aid, and scholarship applications 
• Works with faculty members to prepare students for various high school entrance exams and to coordinate recommendation letters for student applications 
• Communicates with high school admissions departments  
• Organizes high school information sessions to familiarize families with the high school application process (including financial aid) and graduate support program. Collaborates with High School Placement Coordinators at San Miguel & Community Preparatory School to host annual high school placement fair 
• Establishes and maintains strategies/methods for effective communication with Sophia families/faculty/staff to convey important deadlines and other critical information leading to the successful completion of the high school guidance process 
• Collaborates with and supervises the School Secretary to: 
  • Process student records in support of applications 
  • Register students for placement tests 
  • Submit applications  
  • Maintain high school matriculation records 

Graduate Support  

• Serves as the point of contact for Sophia graduates currently enrolled in high school and college, initiating regular communication with the Sophia young alumnae community 
• Determines interest and needs for graduate support. Works with the Head of School and Development team to set goals and plan for support 
• Maintains, in partnership with the Development team, an active database of all Sophia Academy young alumnae  
• Develops system to collect data, track graduate academic progress to assess the impact of a Sophia education  
• Evaluates and cultivates secondary and postsecondary learning opportunities with community educational partners. Determines interest and needs for assisting graduates in finding summer work and enrichment opportunities. Investigates summer intern programs and summer job opportunities for Sophia graduates and communicates these opportunities to them. Identifies and cultivates funding sources for the program. 
• In partnership with the Director of Development, establishes and maintains strategies/methods for effective communication with Sophia graduates including but not limited to face-to-face meetings with recent graduates, use of e-newsletter and social media platforms, and establishing regular reunion(s); ensure that Sophia graduates are invited to important Sophia rituals and events. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Passion for the Mission, Core Values, and Guiding Principles of the school 
• Bachelor’s degree, with a preference for a degree in education, social work, or a related field 
• Dedicated educator and administrator with a demonstrated commitment to middle school education, urban education, and girls’ education 
• Strong internal and external communicator 
• Possesses the following qualities: initiative, influence, empathy, creativity, collaboration, team building 
• Ability to efficiently manage ambiguity and multiple priorities inherent in an entrepreneurial environment; set strategic goals and achieve measurable objectives; drive new initiatives forward; set and meet deadlines 
• Experience in outreach, marketing, and communications 
• Able to maintain confidentiality 
• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills; ability to serve as a professional ambassador and representative of the school, and to work effectively with a wide range of people in a diverse community 
• Excellent organizational, planning, and implementation skills 
• High level of computer literacy, including experience with social media, Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office. Experience with databases is a plus. 
• Clearances required 
• Bilingual (English and Spanish) strongly preferred 

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter to Marie D. Myers, Head of School, at mmyers@sophia-academy.org.

Sophia Academy is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, veteran’s status, genetic information, and any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.