Community Connect Schools

Help children build foundational academic and social-emotional skills while earning your Federal Work-Study award

About

The Community Connect Schools program provides opportunities for Northwestern students to earn their Federal Work-Study award while making an impact in local schools. 

Community Connect Schools participants work in preschools, elementary schools, and high schools in Evanston and Chicago. They might provide 1-on-1 tutoring or homework help, lead small group lessons or activities, or support after school or enrichment programs. Participants work to foster positive educational outcomes for all children while providing classroom support for local teachers and building valuable professional skills.

Community Connect Schools participants have access to all the benefits of the Community Connect program, including advising on community-based jobs, assistance with resumes, interviews, and hiring processes, educational programming, and ongoing coaching and support. They are also offered additional training, professional development, and skill building focused specifically on education and youth development, as well as opportunities for reflection and community building with team members working across school sites.

Make an impact on the local community, gain hands-on classroom experience, build relationships with children, teachers, and peers, and develop valuable skills in facilitation, leadership, and teamwork!

Early Childhood Team

Community Connect Schools has a special focus on early childhood education. For over 15 years, teams of trained Northwestern students have taught critical language, literacy, and social-emotional skills to local preschoolers, in partnership with Jumpstart, a national early education organization working toward the day every child in America enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. While that partnership has ended, this new initiative builds on the success of that work.
  
Positions Available
CC Schools’ Early Childhood Team is looking for enthusiastic student staff to work in early childhood classrooms at preschools in Evanston and Rogers Park. Student staff are placed in a classroom for 5–10 hours a week, where they work in teams of 2–5 to support classroom activities, facilitate curriculum, and help promote the academic and social-emotional growth of young children.

Two positions are available for the 25-26 academic year:

  • Site Leaders serve as a lead staff member at a Community Connect Schools partner site. Site Leaders coordinate communication and classroom support for 2–5 team members, as well as work directly with children. This position is a great fit for students who have leadership experience and want to further develop their skills in program management and community-based work. Site Leaders earn $18.75/hour and are supervised by classroom teachers and Community Connect Schools staff.
  • Early Childhood Aides work directly with children in early childhood classrooms, engaging in both small and large group activities with the guidance of their Site Leader and the classroom teacher. Early Childhood Aides support the classroom environment and curriculum, fostering the academic and social-emotional growth of the children in their classroom. Early Childhood Aides earn $16.75/hour and are supervised by Site Leaders.

Full job descriptions can be found here and posted to the Student Job Board. Previous experience working with youth in a school or other programmatic setting is preferred but not required.

How It Works
Early Childhood Team members complete an application and interview, and are selected and placed on a school team based on their preferences and schedule availability. Team members receive orientation and training in early childhood education, classroom management, and curriculum support from Community Connect Schools staff. Once onboarding and training is completed, team members commit to working a regularly scheduled 5–10 hours/week at their school site. Team members also take part in team meetings and ongoing training and supervision throughout the year.

Apply

  • To apply for a position on the Early Childhood Team, complete the Community Connect Schools: Early Childhood Team Application for 25-26. Apply by October 1st for priority consideration. The application will remain open until all positions on the Early Childhood Team have been filled.
  • To apply for a Community Connect Schools position with another age group or at an independent school site, check the Student Job Board for current position openings and details on how to apply.
    To view only Community Connect positions, under Location, choose ‘School, Nonprofit, Community Service, or Government Agency.’ Additional positions will continue to be posted throughout the coming weeks.