Full Job Description
The Afterschool Director provides leadership, oversight, and administration of Gateway Preparatory Academy’s afterschool program. The Afterschool Director is responsible for the overall planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of high-quality academic and enrichment programming for students.
The Afterschool Director ensures that programs operate in alignment with Gateway Preparatory Academy’s philosophy, mission, policies, applicable grant requirements, Utah Core Standards, and all applicable laws and regulations. Primary responsibilities include program development, staff recruitment and supervision, professional development, grant writing and compliance, student recruitment and retention, data collection, family and community engagement, program safety, and continuous improvement.
The Afterschool Director works closely with school administration, teachers, support staff, students, families, and community partners to connect afterschool services with the academic, behavioral, attendance, and social-emotional needs of students during the school day.
In addition to administering the afterschool program, the Afterschool Director serves as a member of Gateway Preparatory Academy’s Public Relations Team, oversees the Middle School Student Government program, coordinates Gateway’s participation as a Utah Fits All vendor, and assists with the development and implementation of Gateway’s distance education program.
ResponsibilitiesAfterschool Program Leadership
- Provides leadership, administration, and daily oversight of Gateway Preparatory Academy's afterschool program.
- Establishes program goals and objectives consistent with Gateway Preparatory Academy's mission, academic priorities, and grant requirements.
- Plans, develops, implements, and evaluates academic, enrichment, leadership, recreational, and community-building activities.
- Creates comprehensive afterschool schedules that support student learning, intervention, enrichment, engagement, and program requirements.
- Oversees student registration, enrollment, attendance, participation, recruitment, and retention.
- Develops strategies to increase enrollment, improve student retention, and foster a welcoming, inclusive program culture.
- Ensures programming responds to the academic, behavioral, social-emotional, cultural, and developmental needs of participating students.
- Reviews afterschool lesson plans to ensure activities meet grant requirements, support Utah Core Standards, and address identified student needs.
- Oversees the implementation of literacy, STEM, intervention, enrichment, social-emotional learning, and youth development programming.
- Collaborates with teachers, administrators, interventionists, special education staff, and other support personnel to coordinate student supports between the school day and afterschool program.
- Attends PLC meetings, faculty meetings, administrative meetings, and other meetings as assigned.
- Recruits, interviews, hires, trains, supervises, supports, coaches, and evaluates afterschool employees and volunteers.
- Provides regular staff training, professional development, coaching, performance evaluations, and one-on-one meetings.
- Conducts classroom observations and site evaluations to ensure instructional quality, student engagement, staff effectiveness, and compliance with program expectations.
- Creates and manages staff schedules and ensures appropriate staffing ratios and supervision.
- Researches grant opportunities and writes or assists with grant applications.
- Oversees implementation of grant-funded programming and ensures compliance with grant requirements, reporting deadlines, and performance measures.
- Maintains all required grant documentation, records, evaluations, and reports.
- Tracks and analyzes student academic achievement, literacy, STEM participation, social-emotional learning, attendance, behavior, enrollment, retention, family engagement, and other required performance measures.
- Completes quarterly and annual program evaluations and uses data to guide continuous improvement.
- Communicates program outcomes, accomplishments, challenges, and recommendations to school administration.
- Plans and coordinates field trips, family engagement nights, afterschool showcases, carnivals, art shows, and other program events.
- Oversees student snacks or meals provided through the afterschool program.
- Maintains accurate student, staff, attendance, and program records.
- Ensures all afterschool areas are safe, organized, clean, and appropriately maintained.
- Conducts routine safety walkthroughs and ensures compliance with school emergency procedures, emergency drills, first aid supplies, and student supervision expectations.
- Ensures equipment and facilities are maintained in safe working condition and promptly reports safety concerns.
- Promotes positive student behavior, leadership, engagement, and school connectedness.
- Maintains effective communication with students, families, school staff, community partners, and grant representatives.
- Understands, accepts, abides by, and implements Gateway Preparatory Academy's philosophy and mission in all school and program activities.
Public Relations Team
- Serves as an active member of Gateway Preparatory Academy’s Public Relations Team.
- Assists with school communications, family outreach, community engagement, event promotion, and public messaging.
- Collaborates with school administration and staff to promote Gateway programs, student accomplishments, events, partnerships, and initiatives.
- Assists with the creation and distribution of newsletters, flyers, social media content, website updates, event announcements, and other promotional materials.
- Helps strengthen Gateway Preparatory Academy’s visibility, reputation, and relationships within the community.
- Ensures public communications are accurate, professional, timely, and consistent with Gateway’s mission and communication standards.
Middle School Student Government
- Oversees and coordinates Gateway Preparatory Academy’s Middle School Student Government program.
- Facilitates Student Government elections, officer selection, leadership development, and regular meetings.
- Supervises Student Government members during meetings, activities, events, and service projects.
- Supports students in planning and carrying out:
- School activities
- Community service projects
- Fundraising efforts
- Student-led initiatives
- School culture and spirit activities
- Middle school events
- Collaborates with school administration to ensure Student Government activities support Gateway’s mission, school expectations, positive school culture, and student leadership goals.
- Maintains appropriate documentation of Student Government membership, meetings, activities, finances, and projects.
Utah Fits All Vendor Coordination
- Supports and coordinates Gateway Preparatory Academy’s participation as a Utah Fits All vendor.
- Assists with the development, organization, communication, and implementation of services offered by Gateway through Utah Fits All.
- Works with administration to ensure approved services are clearly defined, appropriately priced, properly communicated, and consistent with Gateway’s educational mission.
- Communicates with participating families regarding available services, registration, schedules, expectations, and required documentation.
- Coordinates with staff, families, administrators, and outside partners to support the delivery of approved services.
- Maintains accurate records related to student participation, service delivery, scheduling, invoicing, and other required documentation.
- Helps ensure that services and documentation comply with applicable Utah Fits All vendor requirements and Gateway policies.
Distance Education Program Development
- Assists school administration with the development, implementation, and expansion of Gateway Preparatory Academy’s distance education program.
- Supports the development of program procedures, student services, schedules, instructional supports, family communications, enrollment processes, and documentation systems.
- Collaborates with administrators, teachers, families, and program partners to identify student needs and strengthen distance education services.
- Assists with the recruitment, onboarding, orientation, support, and retention of participating students and families.
- Helps coordinate academic supports, school activities, testing opportunities, intervention services, and family engagement for distance education students.
- Assists with monitoring student participation, engagement, academic progress, communication, and required documentation.
- Supports the development of systems that connect distance education students and families with Gateway’s teachers, programs, resources, and school community.
- Completes duties related to the distance education program as assigned by school administration.
Additional Responsibilities
- Maintains accurate records and reports related to program activities, student participation, staffing, events, accomplishments, and concerns.
- Assists in developing and monitoring the afterschool program budget.
- Ensures that program resources, supplies, and funds are used appropriately.
- Maintains confidentiality of student, family, employee, financial, and school information.
- Understands, accepts, abides by, and implements Gateway Preparatory Academy’s philosophy and mission in all school and program activities.
- Complies with Gateway Preparatory Academy policies, procedures, employee expectations, and applicable laws.
- Performs other duties as assigned by the Executive Director or designee.
Performance Expectations
- Demonstrates strong leadership and maintains a positive, student-centered program culture.
- Works cooperatively and collaboratively with school administration, teachers, employees, volunteers, families, students, vendors, and community partners.
- Acts in accordance with directives from the Executive Director or designee.
- Maintains high professional, ethical, and organizational standards.
- Effectively prioritizes and manages multiple programs, projects, responsibilities, and deadlines.
- Provides clear expectations, support, feedback, and accountability for afterschool employees and volunteers.
- Uses data to assess student needs, evaluate program effectiveness, and guide continuous improvement.
- Maintains accurate, timely, and complete program, grant, vendor, personnel, and student documentation.
- Protects confidential student, family, personnel, financial, and school information.
- Demonstrates high-quality written and verbal communication skills.
- Represents Gateway Preparatory Academy professionally in school, public relations, community outreach, and program-partnership activities.
- Responds appropriately and professionally to student, employee, family, vendor, and program concerns.
- Promotes student achievement, leadership, positive behavior, engagement, safety, and school connectedness.
- Contributes to a positive school climate and culture by exhibiting high professional standards.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in education, youth development, program administration, social services, communications, or a related field preferred.
- Experience in education, afterschool programming, youth development, school administration, communications, or a related setting preferred.
- A minimum of one year of experience working in a youth center, school, or afterschool program preferred.
- Experience supervising, training, coaching, and evaluating employees or volunteers.
- Experience with grant writing, grant-funded programs, compliance, reporting, and program evaluation preferred.
- Experience with public relations, school communications, community outreach, or event coordination preferred.
- Knowledge of youth development, student behavior management, and student safety.
- Knowledge of Utah Core Standards and evidence-based instructional practices.
- Ability to plan and implement high-quality academic and enrichment programs for students.
- Strong leadership, organizational, communication, and project-management skills.
- Ability to motivate students and appropriately manage student behavior.
- Ability to collect, analyze, interpret, and report student and program data.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and general computing systems.
- Ability to learn and use school, grant, vendor, communication, and student-information systems.
- Ability to work well under pressure and effectively prioritize and execute tasks to consistently meet deadlines.
- Ability to manage multiple responsibilities and develop solutions with limited supervision.
- Understanding of and ability to manage confidential information.
- High-quality written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to build positive working relationships with students, families, employees, vendors, and community partners.
- Successful completion of a BCI/FBI background check.
- Valid driver’s license.
- CPR and First Aid certification may be required.
- Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends for school, family, Student Government, public relations, and community events.
- Physical ability to lift at least 25 pounds and perform the essential functions of the position.
Disclaimer
The information presented in this job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the employee assigned to this position. It is not intended to contain, nor should it be interpreted as, a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and objectives required of the employee.
Duties and responsibilities may be modified, added, or assigned based on the needs of Gateway Preparatory Academy.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Gateway Preparatory Academy is committed to the spirit and letter of all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations pertaining to equal employment opportunity.
Gateway Preparatory Academy does not unlawfully discriminate against any employee or applicant based on race, color, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or pregnancy-related conditions, age, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.
No form of unlawful discrimination or harassment will be condoned. Reasonable accommodations will be provided during the application and interview process and throughout employment as required by applicable law.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Pay: $45,000.00 - $55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
