After School Program Lead Instructor &

 Customer Experience Specialist

Job Description

At Keystone Science School, we believe that the power of inspiring curiosity and critical thinking, through the lens of science, changes lives and strengthens communities. We create future leaders who can problem solve and work together in an ever-evolving world and workplace environment.

Located in Summit County, Colorado, Keystone Science School’s historic campus serves as the home base for our diverse suite of inquiry-based learning programs. We combine hands-on science education with outdoor adventure to create engaging experiences for our students. Curriculum themes include environmental science, leadership, teambuilding, STEM, physical activity, and nutrition. We are committed to serving students from diverse backgrounds, and we strive to make our programs accessible across the socioeconomic spectrum. Employees enjoy rewarding work, a positive workplace culture, competitive compensation and benefits, and staff housing, based on position offered. Visit www.KeystoneScienceSchool.org to learn more!

Program Overview and Job Summary:  

This is a shared position between two Keystone Science School departments, the After School program and the Customer Experience team. 

After School:

The KSS After School Program is held at the local Summit School District elementary schools.  Each elementary school is assigned a Lead Instructor to lead the program with two Program Instructors. The program focuses on promoting physical activity,  fun games, intentional learning, and a healthy snack to students in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade.  The program is grant-funded through partnerships with community organizations.

The After School Lead Instructor is responsible for facilitating engaging activities with children, completing administrative tasks, and developing and implementing the after school curriculum. . Administrative tasks include: prepping and facilitating daily snacks, planning objective focused activities and games, conducting parent and student surveys and assessments, communicating with parents and families, tracking class attendance, and managing all licensing rules and regulations for the site.

Main areas of focus when working the after school programs:

• 70% Program Facilitation
• 15% Curriculum Development
• 15% Administrative Tasks

Customer Experience:

The purpose of the Customer Experience Specialist is to act as part of a team of liaisons between Keystone Science School and customers. The Customer Experience Specialist is responsible for upholding the KSS brand in external communications with prospective and currently enrolled clients, which includes both English and Spanish speakers. This position uses phone, electronic chat features, and email to answer questions, comments, and concerns for participants and parents of our programs.

Customer Experience Specialists act as a registrar and support the collection of program payment and camper paperwork. Additionally, Specialists support parent communication throughout the summer camp season which includes assisting with parent newsletters, social media, and other mediums of parent communication. This position assists with parent check-in and could be called on to support program instructors as a substitute educator once or twice throughout the summer.  Given the diverse population of our student body, Customer Experience Specialists who are fluent Spanish speakers will be prioritized.

Main areas of focus when working in Customer Experience:

• 40% Participant communication and interaction;
• 35% Administration and office support;
• 20% Content Creation and Digital Marketing Support;
• 5% Other duties as assigned.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities as Lead Instructor:

• Emphasis on daily program facilitation of the after school curriculum; 
• Plan and manage daily program curriculum and assigned administrative duties; 
• Work collaboratively and professionally with a varied group of colleagues to supervise a diverse group of up to 30 elementary age participants; 

• Prepare and serve snacks using safe food handling procedures; 
• Interact with program participants and families with a high level of energy and enthusiasm; 
• Communicate clearly and effectively to express concerns and needs to Programs Manager; 
• Supervise and maintain high standards of health and safety, and follow Risk Management policies in all activities;
• Attend all staff meetings and trainings as assigned;

• Other duties as assigned. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities as Customer Experience Specialist:

• Participant Communication
  • Communicate with participants through phone, in-person, and written mediums, which includes answering programmatic and logistics questions;
  • Partner with the Customer Experience Manager and Program Managers to increase registrations for programs, such as Camp Programs and Girls in STEM, through email, online chat applications, and phone;
  • Communicate programmatic logistical information to Program Coordinators collected throughout the registration and intake process;
  • Draft written information to communicate logistical details to program participants;
  • Attend events and fairs to increase awareness and registration for KSS programs.
• Administration and Office Support
  • Work with accounts receivable for all fee-for-service programs, which includes reporting and collections of any current or late balances;
  • Create and distribute group program agreements and deposit information;
  • Collect participant paperwork and disseminate necessary information to various departments within KSS;
  • Oversee the purchasing, inventory, and shipping of online orders for the KSS School Store;
  • Provide basic office support with the team of Customer Experience Specialists, which includes responsibilities such as mail collection and distribution and office/programmatic supply ordering.

• Content Creation and Digital Marketing Support
  • Draft email campaign content and support the management of email lists;
  • Collect, organize, and post on KSS social media outlets sharing the KSS story
  • Edit photos and videos to be used within KSS social media outlets.
  • Draft blog posts and other content to support the goals of the KSS marketing department;

• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities – Minimum Requirements:

• Have an interest in, respect for, and ability to work with children; 
• Strong work ethic and will work until the job is complete; 

• Motivation to contribute positively to the KSS at-large community; 
• Interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written or oral form; 
• Multi-task efficiently while managing a high-volume workload in a fast-paced, changing environment; 
• Superior customer service skills with the ability to be creative and think ‘outside the box’; 
• Strong command of communication, writing, and organizational skills; 

• Effectively interact with people of diverse backgrounds and different levels of experience; 
• Ability to work in a busy environment with many distractions; 
• Ability to track information and manage high volume of data.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including days, weekends, and occasional nights

Required Education, Experience, and Certifications:  

• Verifiable education and/or experience teaching school aged children in an active and dynamic learning environment (one of the following): 

• A four (4) year college degree with a major such as recreation, outdoor education, education with a specialty in health/physical education, art, elementary or early childhood education, or a subject in the human services field;
• Two (2) years of college training (any field) and six months (910 hours) of full-time or equivalent part-time experience supervising groups of four (4) or more children;

• Experience in a leadership role; 
• Current First Aid and CPR certifications, or ability to obtain before the first day of employment; 

• Age 21+ with an excellent driving record and a valid driver’s license;
• Must be able to successfully pass a comprehensive background check.

Preferred Skills:

• Comprehension of the Spanish language via written and/or verbal form; 
• Experience working with children with special needs; 
• Proficiency with Google Drive and CampSite. 

Travel Expectations:  

The After School Program Lead Instructor may be required to attend meetings and materials pick-up at the Keystone Science School campus and will be required to travel to one or more elementary schools within Summit County. Locations include Dillon Valley, Frisco, Silverthorne, and Summit Cove elementary schools. As a Customer Experience Specialist, travel will be limited to events on behalf of Keystone Science School. 

Physical Demands of this Position:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to: sit; stand; use hands and fingers to feel, handle, or hold objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit for extended periods of time, stand, and walk. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This position requires the employee to work in close contact with his/her teammates and children. The office space is small, and the employee must have the ability to stay focused while others are working in close proximity. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but varies seasonally due to programs and staffing.

The typical work day:

When in the role of After School Lead Instructor, the work schedule follows the Summit School District calendar. The program will NOT be held on any No School days or in the event of school cancellations or early releases. The after school program is typically held Monday-Friday from 3:45pm to 5:35pm.  It is expected that the Lead Instructor facilitates a debrief with the instructors and clean-up of the space prior to leaving the school. Lead Instructor must be able to work at the following days/times:

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Fridays from 3:45p-5:35p (± 15 minutes)
• Wednesday from 2:50p-5:35p (± 15 minutes) 

Additionally, time will be required for administrative tasks, lesson planning, snack prep, parent correspondence, and program set-up and take down.  When the Lead Instructor is not preparing for or implementing the After School program, they will be working as a Customer Experience Specialist based out of the Keystone Science School office.

Compensation and Benefits:  

• Hourly rate of $18-24, depending on experience. Staff are eligible to be considered for raises.
• 75% employer-paid medical and dental premiums for the employee and dependents;
• 100% employer-paid short- and long-term disability, $50,000 life insurance policy with matching AD&D benefit;
• Up to 120 paid PTO hours, 96 paid sick hours, and 80 paid holiday hours, pro-rated based on hours worked;
• 401K retirement savings plan with a 3% employer match contribution;
• Discounts for family members on KSS programs, plus access to outdoor industry pro deals and a discounted ski pass

Application Instructions:

Please submit the Employment Application (Seasonal Positions) found at www.KeystoneScienceSchool.org/Employment. Please include your resume, cover letter and 3 references. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. For more information, please contact the Human Resources department at [email protected].

Equal Employment Opportunity

Keystone Science School is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a wide variety of backgrounds. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type, without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, religion, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.