CDF Freedom Schools – Support Specialist – Summer 2025

COMMUNITY EDUCATION SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAMS 

CDF FREEDOM SCHOOLS K-8 SUPPORT SPECIALIST 2025

General Information

Applications are now being accepted from qualified staff for the position of Support Specialist in the Department of Alternative Education (DAE) CDF Freedom Schools¿ Six-Week Summer Program serving students in grades K-8. All interested applicants must complete the online application. Applicants that meet the application deadline may be given first consideration. 

Applications must be submitted at www.spps.org/hr

The CDF Freedom Schools® program is an educational and cultural enrichment program. The program provides summer options for children and strengthens parent and community involvement in the year-round achievement of children. The program serves children in current grades K-8 for 6 weeks and integrates reading, conflict resolution, and social action in an activity-based curriculum to promote social, cultural, and historical awareness.

Founded in 1995 by the Children’s Defense Fund’s Black Community Crusade for Children® (BCCC) initiative and currently coordinated nationally by the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) in partnership with well-established and effective local and regional child-serving organizations, the CDF Freedom Schools program is a direct service initiative. CDF’s Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child has a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.

CDF Freedom Schools is a summer program for students in current grades K-8. See program calendar at www.spps.org/summer. 

Reporting Relationship

Report to Summer Learning Program Licensed Site Administrator and CDF Freedom Schools Executive Director

Qualifications 

• Hold a current SPPS Behavior Specialist, Intervention Specialist, or Cultural Specialist position.
• Associate degree in the social sciences, human services, criminal justice or related field, or 2 years of commensurate experience providing youth & family services and educational staff support.
• Possess evidence of advocacy, practice, and professional development in Racial Justice/Equity, or Restorative Justice. 
• Preferred: 3 years of participating in CDF Freedom Schools National Training and/or 3 years of CDF Freedom Schools experience as Servant Leader Intern, Site Coordinator, Teacher, or Consultant in lieu of undergraduate degree

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Possess documented evidence of strong commitment to racial and social justice approaches in education to interrupt the cradle-to-prison pipeline.
• Knowledge of academic, personal, and social disparities.
• Knowledge of district and community resources available to assist students and their families with resolving academic achievement and/or behavior problems.
• Knowledge of behavior management techniques and/or SPPS PBIS processes.
• Excellent organizational, planning and coordination skills.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• General technical skills using Word, Excel, and PowerPoint or similar programs.
• Ability to interact effectively with persons from various cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Ability to work effectively and cooperatively with students, parents, school staff, and administration.
• Knowledge, skills, and abilities related to an educational program.

Responsibilities

• Work with Right Track and Community-Ed Junior Servant Leader Interns, assigned CDF Freedom Schools grade-level leads and licensed teachers leading small group literacy and math interventions; create and coordinate program-wide projects to enhance positive leadership and character skills; facilitate peer circles; build healthy relationships, and develop a caring, cooperative, and safe learning community within our Freedom Schools.
• Serve as a team member with CDF Freedom Schools Executive Director and Site Coordinators in the use of the ¿Freedom Schools Way¿ to proactively establish and reinforce restorative discipline that includes: a focus primarily on relationships and secondarily on rules; give voice to all involved in a particular situation; engage in collaborative problem-solving; enhance responsibility and accountability to all affected parties; empower change and growth; and develop a plan for restoration that includes parental/caregivers¿ oral and written commitment.  
• Communicate consistently with staff and parents regarding individual student progress; provide individual families with information about and referrals to academic or behavior interventions and/or programs available in the local communities and the District as needed or requested.
• Assist with the development and implementation of innovative methods for serving students needing additional academic and/or behavior management methods that best support improvement in academic achievement in collaboration with parents/caregivers too.
• Maintain records of student contacts as appropriate, track and analyze data on student behavior trends, and generate reports for the CDF Freedom Schools Executive Director and Site Coordinators to make better informed decisions when designing intervention strategies and restorative justice plans in collaboration with parents and caregivers too.
• Work with the CDF Freedom Schools Executive Director, community partners, and consultants in the planning and hosting of our Annual Health and Wellness Resource Fair and College Ready, Career Ready Opportunities Fair. 
• Follow management of the CDF Freedom Schools Executive Director, Summer Learning Program Administrators, and Site Coordinator to ensure the fidelity of the national CDF FS Licensing Agreement.
• Attend all required training and meetings.
• Other duties as assigned by the Licensed Site Administrator, CDF Freedom Schools Executive Director, Site Coordinator. 

Essential Functions

Essential functions are functions that the individual holding the position must be able to perform unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation through the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA). The essential functions are typical duties as outlined under Responsibilities.

Conditions of Employment

• All interested applicants must apply online at www.spps.org/hr.
• Employment offer is for the current CDF Freedom Schools session only.  
• CDF Freedom Schools Support Specialists must work and be on site during the entire CDF Freedom Schools session including set-up days. 
• Employment during CDF Freedom Schools is not an extension of the SPPS school year contract.
• If hired CDF Freedom Schools staff need to be reduced prior to or at the onset of program start, date of application will be a deciding factor.

Compensation and Hours

The following conditions apply to this position:

• CDF Freedom Schools Support Specialist is compensated at their current hourly rate of pay per the labor agreement. External candidates will be hired at an hourly rate of $25.00. 
• CDF Freedom Schools Support Specialist will work for 8 hours per day. 
  • All CDF Freedom Schools classes will run daily for 7.25 hours. In addition to working for student contact time, Support Specialist will work 0.75 additional hour daily for mandatory Daily Debrief Meeting after student dismissal.
• CDF Freedom Schools Support Specialist compensation and work schedule:
  • In addition to student program dates
    • Work 8.0 hours per set-up days
    • No program on July 4 (National Holiday)
  • CDF Freedom Schools employees are paid biweekly.

Inclement Weather or Other Cancellations

Summer Learning Programs staff are paid only for hours worked on days the program is in session. 

Other Information

Criminal Background Investigation – Criminal Background investigation will be completed as a condition of hire for all new employees and for former employees who have not been employed by the District for more than six months. 

Equal Opportunity Employment

Saint Paul Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an inclusive workplace. 

Equity Statement

SPPS is committed to an equitable workforce where all employees represent this commitment through equitable practices in their job position.