Social & Emotional Learning Specialist
Breakthrough Fort Worth
Summer Session 2025 (June 2-July 30)
Breakthrough Overview
Breakthrough Fort Worth at Fort Worth Country Day fosters educational equity through an innovative, two-pronged approach. We provide intensive academic enrichment and ongoing support to motivated, under-served students from public schools across Fort Worth, ensuring they are academically successful and on the path to college. Simultaneously, we train outstanding high school and college students from across the country for work as tomorrow’s teachers and urban educational leaders.
The intensive six-week summer program for rising seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-graders is a key component of Breakthrough’s effort to ensure students are on an academically rigorous path through middle and high school, and will be prepared to enter college. Summer programming consists of core academic classes (math, literature, writing, and science) and non-academic clubs such as athletics, languages, and fine arts. Because Breakthrough utilizes a “students teaching students” model, all summer classes are planned and taught by exceptional high school and college students. Summer teachers bring energy, excitement and a willingness to learn. In the subsequent years following the pandemic there was a serious need for an expert on site to address the mental health needs of students and staff. As well as combating the stigma of mental health needs in communities of color by educating, informing and providing resources to our breakthrough community at large.
General Job Description
SEL Specialists are vital to the mental health and development of students, who experience difficulties at home as well as the classroom. They serve as the bridge between school years for our students, staff and families who otherwise do not have access to resources. SELS are experienced professionals who will be able to assist students/staff through social and emotional challenges or liaising with other agencies and organizations outside of Breakthrough. In addition to one-on-one meetings, SELS will inform, collect data, educate and engage fully with the Breakthrough Fort Worth community. SELS will select social and emotional learning topics and themes they feel are age appropriate to present to students/staff on a weekly basis. Exemplary SELS effectively communicate their expertise, remain accessible to our community, and assist in the leadership development of our staff. SELS will work the Breakthrough Summer Admin Team (Program Director, Operations Director, Dean of Students, and Dean of Faculty) and is expected to attend weekly meetings to discuss needs for students and staff.
Specific SELS Responsibilities
Pre-summer
- Complete Pre-Summer Trainings (2 sessions during April and May, dates TBD)
- Understand and internalize the Breakthrough Culture, Expectations, and procedures; modify and elevate the sustainability of this position as needed in consultation with Breakthrough directors
- Connect with the Breakthrough Families via Family Night Intro Letter and need assessment survey (June 14-15)
- Familiarize yourself with the names of the students
- Confirm summer schedule for SEL Takeovers
Teacher Orientation (June 2-13)
- Participate in training (dates and schedule TBD) from June 2-June 13
- Lead orientation workshops relating to interactions with students, procedures on how refer student to the SELS, student/teacher interactions
- Familiarize self with the procedure on how the Breakthrough Staff reach out to you for assistance regarding their own wellbeing, a peer, or a student
- Participate in a Salesforce training with our Director of Operations to learn how to track student progress
- Lead purposeful professional development training on managing stress, managing and leading peers, that prepare teachers for their role and build relationship with staff
- Be available to teaching fellows to check in on their wellbeing leading up to program start
- Meet with the Operations Director on goals for the summer and growth opportunities.
- Prepare SEL Takeover Lessons & Mental Health ASM Presentations
Six-Week Summer Program (June 16-July 26):
- Immersion into the community and culture of the program
- Participate in daily check ins with Program Director, DOS, DOF, and 10th Grade Deans to assess the needs of the community
- Follow up with all teacher referrals by meeting with students one-on-one (Grades 7-10)
- Follow up with Dean of Faculty referrals by meeting with TFs one-on-one
- Meet weekly with teams to discuss student well being, progress, and red flags
- Be available for teachers to check in with about their wellbeing during the program
- Participate in TL check ins with Dean of Faculty
- Create a quiet space for students during lunch that are sensitive to the volume and over stimulations
- Participate in daily admin team meetings
- Present tools that students can use to manage stress, anxiety, healthy relationships, etc. during All School Meeting
- Report to the Operations Director
Post-Summer Wrap Up (July 28-July 30)
- Meet with every team to discuss student end of summer progress with the Dean of Students
- Create resources for students and families of year round services and opportunities
- Reflect on summer experiences and growth through creation of POL
- Be available to teachers to check in on their wellbeing as the program is wrapping up
- Participate in an exit interview with someone from the yearound staff to provide feedback
Qualifications
- Master’s degree required
- A licensed mental health professional (counselor, social worker, therapist or psychologist)
- Superior presentation, writing and organizational skills
- High degree of flexibility, ability to multitask between projects
- Ability to deliver positive, constructive, and honest feedback, both written and verbal
- Outstanding knowledge of subject matter and broad knowledge of available resources
- Comfort and confidence in working with children and adults
- Creativity, energy, and commitment to excellence
- Commitment to and passion for teaching fifth and sixth graders from diverse backgrounds
- Prior experience with Breakthrough, Fort Worth, and/or in college preparatory schools is highly desirable
- Expertise in ethical, legal, and confidentiality related to school counseling practices
Summer Program Important Dates
- First day of training: Monday, June 2, 2025
- Family Night: Tuesday, June 10 and Wednesday, June 11
- Last day of training: Friday, June 13, 2025
- First day of program: Monday, June 16, 2025
- Happy Juneteenth! No school Thursday, June 19, 2025 and Friday, June 20, 2025
- Happy Fourth of July: No School Friday, July 4, 2025
- Last day of program: Friday, July 25, 2025
- End of summer celebration: Saturday, July 26, 2025
- Summer wrap up start: Monday, July 28, 2025
- End of summer faculty dinner: Tuesday, July 29, 2025
- Last day of wrap up: Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Commitment and Compensation
- Pre-summer meetings and preparation with program staff in early and late April.
- Teacher orientation, June 2-13
- Six-week program, June 16- July 26
- 8:00am-5:30pm, Monday-Thursday
- May require some work off-site via email or phone with teachers and families if needed
- Wrap Up Week, July 28-July 30 (10 hours)
- Schedule is TBD
- Staff Dinner will be held on the evening of Tuesday, July 29
- SELS is entitled to take no more than 2 days off for personal or professional reasons. These dates may not be during teacher orientations or evaluation week (except in cases of emergency). Written notice of anticipated absences should be given at least 2 weeks in advance.
- Compensation is $4,000 for the summer
Please contact Jesssica Manzano-Valdez at jessica.manzano-valdez@fwcd.com for more information or questions about the position.
