Director of Research and Clinical Services at Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation

Description

The Organization

Maya empowers opportunity and justice-involved youth to transform the trajectory of their lives. We do this by engaging each of our scholars in a restorative, relevant school experience that prioritizes personalized academic support, well-being, and preparation for the post-Maya pathway of their choice. With an education in our network of schools, our scholars will do more than succeed – they will thrive!

If you are interested in learning more about Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation, please visit our website at www.seeforever.org.

The Touchstone

At the Maya Angelou Schools, the key to our success is rooted in building trusting, respectful, and nurturing relationships with each other. We strive to create safe spaces for all to be able to reach their limitless potential. We are at our best when we work together to ensure the unique needs of our community are met. We empower each other to grow successfully so we can see forever! This is how we live the Maya Way, even when no one is watching.

Position Overview

Under the direction of the Chief of Well-Being, the Director of Research and Clinical Services will lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) tools within the Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation (MAS/SFF) network of schools. This leadership role will focus on redefining and standardizing SEL practices, ensuring their effectiveness across diverse school populations, and expanding the use of these tools both within the MAS/SFF network and beyond to other educational organizations across the country.
 

The Director of Research and Clinical Services will work closely with school-based teams and a research team at American University, leveraging data and research to improve SEL outcomes and provide best practices for schools serving a wide range of student populations. By leveraging data and research, the Director of Research and Clinical Services will ensure that these tools are effective, evidence-based, and designed to improve academic outcomes and long-term success for opportunity youth and emerging adults.

Requirements

Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:

Research

• Lead research efforts to assess the unique needs and challenges faced by opportunity youth and emerging adults, particularly focusing on how social and emotional factors (e.g., emotional regulation, motivation, and resilience)      impact their academic and emotional outcomes.
• Utilize both qualitative and quantitative methods to gather data from students,      educators, and other stakeholders to better understand the specific barriers these learners face in educational settings. 
• Oversee the collection and analysis of data to measure the outcomes of SEL interventions, ensuring data is accurate, reliable, and consistent across diverse student populations.
• Conduct pilot studies and field tests to refine SEL tools, gathering feedback from students and educators to ensure that instruments are practical, relevant,      and effective.
• Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of SEL tools/instruments, using both formative and summative assessments to measure the impact of interventions on key outcomes (e.g., academic success, emotional resilience, social connectedness).
• Share findings with internal stakeholders (e.g., school leadership, educators) and external audiences (e.g., policymakers, academic conferences, community organizations) to advocate for the broader adoption of evidence-based SEL      practices.

Program Administration

• Develop and oversee the strategic planning for the implementation of SEL tools/instruments within the MAS/SFF network while ensuring SEL tools/instruments are aligned with organizational goals and objectives, as well as the varied needs of the student population.
• Coordinate with educational leaders, administrators, and other stakeholders to design tools/instruments that are scalable and adaptable to diverse school environments.
• Provide leadership      and technical guidance on trauma-informed crisis response protocols,      collaborating with the Director of Well-Being to train staff on best      practices, ensuring practices are applied consistently across campuses.
• Serve as a core member of the Crisis Response Team, responsible for developing the systems and protocols for school-based teams to follow in the event of a critical incident.
• Facilitate workshops on SEL outcomes and implications for instruction, advising on best practices for using data to inform daily work with students.
• Collaborate with the      Chief of Well-Being and other directors to suppo