Receptionist

Position(s): Receptionist

Reports To: Director of Operations

Works closely with: Family & Community Engagement Coordinator and Operations Team

Compensation: Very competitive and commensurate with experience. A competitive benefits package and extensive professional development opportunities are also available. Status: Full Time, 7:00-4:30 pm

Work Schedule: Monday – Friday

FLSA Status: Exempt

Join our Team!!

We are seeking a dedicated Receptionist that serves as the first point of contact and “face of the school” for students, families, staff, visitors, and community members at Merrick Academy Charter School. This role is responsible for creating a welcoming, professional, and organized front-office environment while supporting daily school operations, including attendance, entry, visitor management, communications, and general administrative needs.

About Merrick Academy

Merrick Academy is one of the first charter schools to open in New York City and the first to open (2000) in Queens. With a rich history and deep roots in the local community, Merrick Academy is an all-inclusive, independent Charter School with approximately 1000 students in grades K-8 and a faculty and staff of 125. Queens’ first charter school, Merrick, has been educating children for over 26 years. Merrick Academy is a STEAM-based school cultivating critical thinking, problem-solving, and inquiry amongst all learners in an environment that provides extensive whole-child support. We believe in ensuring equity and empowerment for all learners through effective and innovative approaches to teaching and learning fostered by a world-class faculty.

Leading at Merrick Academy

Educators at Merrick Academy have a deep passion for STEAM-based education and for providing individualized learning support for all students. Through cutting-edge STEAM labs and electives (such as robotics, digital media arts, visual arts, coding, engineering, music, creative writing, foreign language, and chess), enrichment camps, and a host of grants focused on expanding the STEAM program, we are committed to providing a relevant and exceptional educational experience for all students.

In addition to our rigorous Common Core-aligned curriculum, our family-oriented staff is culturally diverse; we celebrate the diversity in people and ideas. We are passionate about engaging families in meaningful ways. Educators are provided with intense development and learning opportunities. Data-driven instruction focuses on data-driven practices, cultural responsiveness, and innovative practices. We foster an intensive collaborative environment that includes daily data dives, curriculum planning, grade team meetings, and the time to connect with colleagues.

The Receptionist leads the school’s efforts to create a positive, structured, safe, joyful, nurturing and academically focused school culture across grades pre-K-8. The Receptionist works closely with the Chief Supports Officer, Principal, and Dean to set and drive a vision for productive and equitable school culture including systems, structures, routines, and traditions.

To be successful as a Receptionist at Merrick, the ideal candidate must be a problem solver who is creative and builds relationships to reach goals; a coachable person with a desire to grow as a professional; and a person with exceptional communication, organization, and critical thinking skills. The top candidate will have excellent listening and observational skills, as well as an empathetic mindset.

Responsibilities of the Receptionist include, but are not limited to:

Key Responsibilities

Office Support

• Serve as the first point of contact and warmly greet students, families, staff, visitors, vendors, and community members.

• Manage and support our students with health, behavior, and other needs

• Answer, screen, and direct incoming phone calls and respond appropriately to emails and internal Google Chat communications.

• Support morning entry and daily front-office operations.

• Follow school visitor-management and safety protocols and ensure all visitors properly check in.

• Notify the Director of Operations of vendor arrivals, deliveries, facilities visits, and other operational needs.

• Receive and distribute mail, packages, deliveries, and school communications.
• Maintain organized front-office records, contact lists, filing systems, and documentation.
• Monitor front-office and general office supplies and submit supply requests through the MACS ordering system.
• Support logistics for school events, meetings, family engagement activities, and schoolwide communications.
• Provide general administrative and operational support to the Operations Team and school leadership.
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion when handling student, family, and staff information.
• Support the DOO with operational support/requests
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Contribute to positive communication and relationship building with parents, the larger school community, and external parties

Faculty and School Leadership Support

• Provide support during emergency situations as directed

• Assist with scheduling requests and needs for School Directors, Deans, and other faculty members

• Manage and support students with health, behavior, and other needs when they are transitioning back to the classroom to minimize disrupting instruction

Curriculum Assessment and Resource Support

• Process requests for in-house books and math materials, including receiving and reviewing requests, locating the materials in storage rooms and other locations, and delivering them to teachers

Support of School-Wide School Functions

• Assist with school busing and dismissal functions

• Assist with preparation of documents for the Board Meetings (as requested)

Team Support

• Support and assist the team with any other administrative activities and projects that may arise related to School Operations

• Perform additional tasks as needed in support of other departments

Qualifications

• Minimum: Associate's Degree / Bachelors of Arts (BA) highly preferred.

• Excellent English written and verbal communication skills. Bilingual in Spanish, Creole a plus.

• Flexibility to work weekday afternoons and occasional evenings and weekends as needed

• Able to navigate difficult conversations with families and demonstrate empathy and/or discretion around sensitive information

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills

• Comfortable using technology, including a laptop and cell phone, and able to learn new programs quickly. Proficiency with Google Workspace, including Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Calendar.

• Ability to work in a team as well as follow-through independently on required tasks

• Ability to shift priorities, multi-task, and prioritize with a high volume of matters

• Meticulous attention to detail with an ability to produce high-quality work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment

• Experience with ATS, PowerSchool, ParentSquare, or similar student information/communication systems preferred.

• Demonstrates professionalism, discretion, sound judgment, reliability, and a strong customer-service mindset.

• Must be comfortable working with children and families and contributing to a welcoming, inclusive school community.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY SPECIFICATIONS

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here represent those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee may occasionally lift and move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work environment characteristics described here represent those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT:

I have read and understand the responsibilities and qualifications required to perform this job successfully. This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed by an individual in this position. This description implies that these are the only duties to be performed, and it is not an exhaustive list of all knowledge, skills, or abilities required. There may be additional duties as assigned. The employee must follow any job-related instructions and perform other duties requested by anyone authorized to give instructions or assignments.

This description excludes the marginal functions incident to the performance of this job’s fundamental duties. All essential job duties and responsibilities are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee will possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

• It is the policy of Merrick Academy to provide educational and employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, alienage and citizen status, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, prior record of arrest or conviction (except as provided by law), sexual orientation, gender (sex), or any other protected class, and to maintain an environment free of discriminatory harassment, including sexual harassment, or retaliation as required by civil rights law.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $45,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Experience:

• Customer service: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $45,000 - $65,000