Hybrid School Based Family Support Coordinator - Parks Elementary at Oklahoma City Public Schools

School Based Family Support Coordinator 

*This position is funded through a grant from OK Department of Human Services and Restore OKC.  Continuance of the position is based upon the annual award of this grant.

Position Summary:

The School-Based Family Support Coordinator provides prevention and early intervention to children, youth, and families from assigned schools through community-based partnerships. This is a unique program that requires specialists to be competent to work in an area of practice incorporating knowledge, skills and abilities to be effective across schools and communities. The role provides support services to students and families; develops prevention and intervention strategies; assesses students and families; provides case management; monitors student progress; and makes referrals.

The Family Support Coordinator helps maintain a positive collaboration with school personnel to communicate and support the needs of children and families when obstacles hinder the success of the student and the family. Focuses on student social-emotional and well-being through the development of programs and resources. Makes a significant impact on the well-being of their communities, improving outcomes, and reducing risk factors and child welfare engagement for the families they serve.

Essential Duties:

• Conduct interviews and complete needs assessments (e.g. gathering information regarding underlying needs, safety screening, assessment of needs).

• Make plans for intervention and change through referrals to other services including:

   

  1. Preventative Child Welfare – Safe Families

  2. Workforce/Employment – RestoreOKC, Work Ready, Urban League

  3. After-School Services – Boys & Girls Club, Urban League, Urban Bridge

  4. Addiction – Oakwood Springs; Arcadia Trails

  5. Mental Health Services – Spring Eternal;

  6. Housing – Homeless Alliance at RestoreOKC

• Maintain a working knowledge & updated list on Monday.com of the community resources to be able to appropriately refer to individuals and families.

• Develop and maintain relationships between participating systems for the benefit of serving children and families’ needs.

• Multi-task and efficiently prioritize the needs of other collaborators and clients.

• Navigate challenging conversations by building rapport and maintaining proper engagement using a prevention and strengths-based approach.

• Maintain quality case documentation with necessary records and reports ensuring confidentiality of students and their families.

• Offer support to families faced with a challenge by linking to community resources and services. Some of those direct services may include TANF, SNAP, medical, dental, and vision assistance. Reources may also include connection to housing and utility assistance, health and parent education, chronic absenteeism, parental divorce, and counseling services.

• Help students stay on track educationally while guiding the student through out-of-classroom obstacles that would affect their success in the classroom.

• Act as an advocate for students and develop and coordinate prevention and intervention activities within the school.

• Provides families with information related to the needs of their child and acts as a resource to parents/guardians by providing family support activities.

• Lead and provide educational pieces to staff, students, and families.

• Provide information to students and families on bullying, school safety, personal hygiene, and nutrition.

• Collaborates with school staff to develop intervention and prevention strategies for students and develops individualized service plans to facilitate achievement.

• Assists in developing and implementing crisis intervention, trauma informed care, student and family support interventions, problem solving/decision making, grief, anger management, and substance abuse programs.

• Attend all mandatory training associated with the position

• Be knowledgeable of child development across the lifespan and engage children on a developmentally appropriate level, be approachable, non-judgmental, and empathetic.

• Assess for possible student triggers and utilize appropriate interventions for challenging child behaviors (i.e., de-escalation and trauma informed strategies).

• Conducts individual and group counseling in areas of crisis intervention, family intervention, problem solving/decision-making, conflict mediation, substance abuse, grief, and anger management.

• Acts as a member of the school crisis team and provides referral services as needed.

• During the summer months, follow up with students and families  identified as being at-risk during the school year and develop programs for the students.

• Assist in developing and coordinating Wolf Pack Week and Lion Week, specifically recruiting those families to participate in camp.

• Demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities to engage, interview, assess, and intervene and provide meaningful and effective services to children, youth, and adults from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities, specifically racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and disabilities.

• Interacts with students, parents, school personnel, and community agencies as part of the school's team.

• Participate in multi-disciplinary meetings regarding families’ and children’s needs with teachers, counselors, school administrators and child advocates within the confines of confidentiality.

• Works directly with students and their families, providing an array of preventive and identified service needs readily accessible to students and their families, especially during times of crisis or intervention.

• Serves as a liaison between their assigned school and such agencies as human services, court services, community services board, and/or community-based mental health agencies regarding substance abuse and/or social-emotional concerns affecting a student’s progress in the academic environment.

• Works with students and their families providing social services and if needed, helps assist with resource applications.

Job Specifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. 

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills and/or Abilities):

• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in counseling, education, human services, or related field.

• Minimum of 2 years experience in human services or related fields.

• Knowledge in available community resources and experience in referrals.

• Experience in working with children and families as a support system.

• Creative problem solving skills including negotiation and conflict resolution.

• Strong mentoring, coaching experience to a team with diverse levels of expertise.

• Superior management skills; ability to engage direct and indirect reports and peers.

• Energetic, flexible, collaborative, and proactive; a leader who can positively and productively impact both the strategy and culture.

• Strong communication skills.

• Proof of good driving record (MVR).  Frequent local travel is required.

• Understand the importance of human development and trauma when providing School-Based Services.

• Understand how family science and family systems impact children.

• Understand the impact of trauma (i.e., intergenerational trauma, ACEs) on child development & child behavior and best practices in working with children who have experienced early trauma.

• Understand the science of hope, and how the use of hope focuses on goals, pathways and motivation to achieve improved outcomes and well-being.

• Address children and families with cultural humility, maintaining a stance of curiosity about their history and experiences while exhibiting a willingness to seek understanding from the clients’ unique perspectives.

• Understand how culture, customs and rituals are valued by the family members.

• Ability to respectfully engage with children and families, maintaining their dignity and self-worth. Models non-discriminatory practices in all activities.

• Ability to effectively manage difficult conversations with children and family

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills and/or Abilities):

*Relevant experience may be substituted for formal education at a 2:1 ratio.  Therefore for every 1 year of college lacking, 2 years of directly relevant experience may be substituted.

Physical/Mental Requirements:   

• Must have adequate manual dexterity to write legibly and perform required duties on a computer.  

• Must have adequate visual acuity to read, interpret and transcribe written material and other required duties. 

• Requires normal range of hearing and clear speaking abilities to interact appropriately with others in person and on the telephone. 

• Requires some stooping, bending, stretching and occasional lifting not to exceed 25 pounds.  

• Sitting for prolonged periods of time.

• May periodically require work outside of normal business hours, including weekends, under sometimes. stressful conditions in order to meet business needs and strict deadlines.

 Work Environment:  

• Office duties will be performed in a well-lighted, climate-controlled environment.

• Will require time in office, as well as external meeting locations with community partners or schools throughout the OKC metro area.

• May require participation in meetings and activities outside of normal business hours, including weekends and holidays.  

• May be required to work overtime and weekends and holidays.

• Able to bend and stoop, lift 25lbs, stand and/or sit for extended periods of time.

Reports To:    Site Administrator     

FSLA Status:    Exempt        

Compensation:  Salary Schedule 807 ($45,000 - $55,000) depending on experience

Work Days:         242

FTE:        100

This job description is not intended to be all inclusive. The employee will also perform other reasonably related business duties as assigned by the supervisor or appropriate administrator.  Oklahoma City Public Schools reserves the right to, update, revise or change job duties as the need prevails. This document is for communication only and not intended to imply a written or implied contract of employment. The Board of Education and Superintendent may approve alternatives to the listed qualifications.