Unity & Diversity and Student Support Coordinator - Part Time

Founded in 1889, The Wheeler School is a co-educational independent day school for over 800 students from Nursery through Grade Twelve in Providence, Rhode Island. Central to the School's philosophy is a simple concept: Wheeler is a place where we strive to make any pursuit possible for our students, where choice, inquiry, and interest are of primary import, where we know individuals well and insist upon and nurture intellectual character, empathy, critical thinking, and creative spirit. 

Ideal candidates for faculty and staff positions at Wheeler are people with a sense of humor, warmth, and humility. They are excellent communicators, with an ability to listen and a desire to learn from colleagues. They are ambitious and hardworking, often going over and above to support and challenge students. When developing curriculum and programming, our faculty and staff members are collaborative, striving each year to stretch and grow, to implement new ideas that improve the Wheeler experience for students and our overall community. They come from all professional walks of life - graduate programs, private and public schools, other careers entirely. More than anything, our faculty and staff members love to spend their days with young people, and enjoy all that the Wheeler community - creative, energetic, dynamic, and diverse  - has to offer.

Wheeler is seeking a half time (50%) Unity & Diversity and Student Support Coordinator. The ideal candidate will have a passion for working with traditionally underrepresented students and their families  and an eagerness to collaborate with others. The candidate should be driven to cutivate authentic and meaningful relationships with students and families and develop programming which fosters successful experiences with the college planning process and beyond. The candidate will also be strategic, organized and supportive in carrying out the goals of the Unity and Diversity team, in collaboration with all divisions and departments in the school. The role will fill three important purposes at the Wheeler School:

1. To create and implement programs that promote success for first-generation and/or traditionally underrepresented students during their time at Wheeler
2. To follow cohorts of underrepresented students into and through their first two years of college with tailored programming and outreach to support their success.
3. Support goals and objectives of the Office of Unity & Diversity through program and curriculum as well as administrative and operational functions

Responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

• Provide support to a caseload of Upper and Middle school students identified by admissions and Unity and Diversity office as first generation and/or high-need students throughout their college counseling process including arranging and executing college campus visits
• Serve as liaison to College Counseling Office
• Serve as faculty advisor to a small group of Upper School students
• Develop intentional programming, including mentorships, workshops, and family meetings for first-generation/high-need students, including coordination with families, the Health and Wellness Center, and Academic Support as appropriate or necessary
• Provide wraparound support to a cohort of students at Wheeler identified by U&D and admissions during, through and after the Wheeler experience, up through the second year of college, with tracking and communication throughout college
• Act as liaison to Breakthrough Providence and College Visions for college-bound programming, including participation on the Breakthrough Advisory Council
• Establish connections with colleges, including college visits and meetings with representatives who visit Wheeler annually
• Serve as a member of the Unity & Diversity Team
• Teach Middle and Upper School Unity & Diversity courses
• Participate in long term strategic planning in the U&D department and in annual curriculum reviews
• Support the needs of the Unity and Diversity office in planning and organizing meetings, events, and programs

Statement on Diversity and Cultural Competency 

At Wheeler we actively seek students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds in the belief that a broad range of experiences and viewpoints enhance learning, enriches life on campus, and better prepares us all for full participation in a pluralistic, democratic society. We seek to further the overall diversity and cultural competency within our community through hiring.

How to Apply 

Please send a resume and cover letter to careers@wheelerschool.org and cc to Princess Sirleaf Bomba,  Director of Unity & Diversity, at princessbomba@wheelergmail.org.  List the position title in the subject heading.  Applications will be accepted through January 18, 2021. 

The Wheeler School is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or disability, and any other category protected by federal, state or local law.  

To learn more about Wheeler, please visit www.wheelerschool.org, and our Careers page here.