Specialist III – Student Support Services (LAN) at Fort Worth ISD

Specialist III – Student Support Services (LAN)

Reports to: Principal
PC#: 22378 
Grade 204
219 Days
Salary: $73,781 - $88,892
FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Purpose
 
Supports all students to accelerate learning, and close achievement gaps by meeting their social and emotional health needs. Oversees and aligns Student Support Services (SSS) programming to enhance and improve student academic achievement through the delivery of evidence-based programs and services that address students' emotional, social, and behavioral health needs in the academic setting. Monitors MTSS behavior interventions and strategies for efficacy. Collaborates with campus stakeholders to monitor progress of students and campus goals.
 
 
 
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
 

• Oversees and leads campus-based, short-term individual and structured group counseling to students who are experiencing emotional, social, behavioral, or mental health issues.
• Responsible for managing campus-based, short-term individual and structured group counseling services, for students identified as being at-risk for academic failure, dropping out, and/or disciplinary action by the administrator, including students assigned to In-School Suspension (ISS) or secondary school On Campus Intervention (OCI), and those transitioning from Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP), treatment, or out-of-home placement.
• Develops and oversees the implementation of Student Support Plans and provides follow up.
• Provides information, training, education, and consultation services with parents, teachers, administrators, and other relevant stakeholders to enhance work with students.
• Maintains records of all student, parent, school staff, and community contacts in a timely manner and ensures confidentiality of such records.
• Supports and/or facilitates student leadership development initiatives.
• Facilitates and serves as campus resource for all Restorative and Relational Practice strategies with conflict mediation between students, as needed, to resolve matters impacting student achievement.
• Sustains cooperative and professional working relationships with peers, students, administrators, and all other school/District employees.
• Continues to acquire professional knowledge of current developments in the educational field by attending seminars, workshops, or professional meetings; conducts research as approved by the Executive Director.
• Attends meetings, trainings, and professional learning as directed.

 
School & Community Relations
 

• Serves as a resource to faculty, staff, and administration in areas of intervention services, including mental health services.
• Participates in Professional Learning Communities (PLC) with staff from other campuses to share best practices.
• Demonstrates short-term interventions in working with students, families, and staff.
• Makes home visits as needed to gather information relating to students.
• Oversees all home visit initiatives and conducts regular check-ins with SSS, monitoring student attendance in real time.
• Provides outside referral resources as needed. Tracks and oversees all referrals, including but not limited to contacting families, meeting regularly with SSS team, and collaborating with vendors/community organizations.
• Participates in campus multidisciplinary team meetings to develop solutions for struggling students (i.e., Response to Intervention (RtI), Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD), Student Attendance Review Team (SART) meetings, Student Support Team (SST), Attendance Committee, Discipline Committee, and so forth).
• Oversees the implementation of all appropriate awareness and prevention programs and classroom presentations in collaboration with other Student Support Services personnel (i.e., “It’s Not Okay” (INOK) initiative, student clubs, Red Ribbon Week, and others).
• Oversees investigations of referrals/allegations related to the District’s INOK initiative: Friends For Life, Speak Up!, school staff, students, and parents.
• Acts as lead liaison and main point of contact for the District with parents and/or community agencies
• Provides Creates and leads wellness opportunities/training for faculty as requested by administrators.

 
Crisis Support
 

• Oversees and supports with intervention services in situations that are deemed crisis or critical by campus administrators to students, parents, and school staff.
• Oversees or directly provides suicide risk prevention education to school staff, students, and parents as required by state law in collaboration with Guidance & Counseling.
• Serves as a member of, or acts and serves as the Lead for the Trauma Response Team, coordinating crisis response on campus as well as responding to other campuses affected by a traumatic event as requested.
• Oversees or directly provides suicide, trauma and violence risk assessments for students (including emergency parent conferences), and possibly staff, and makes appropriate referrals.
• Responsible for the monitoring of and oversight of all case management services to students with severe and chronic problems that are leading to disciplinary action by the administrator (including third-party hearings, suspensions, or expulsions).
• Oversees all referrals for social services that are beyond the purview of the campus.

 
Program Management
 

• Lead all communication efforts with students, families, and guardians including but not limited to 1:1 meetings, group facilitation, as well as any social media related communications and outreach.
• Develops and is responsible for managing all relationships with students and parents in multiple situations and contexts.
• Provides leadership in the organization with development and delivery of programs and services to internal and external stakeholders.
• Compiles, maintains, and files all reports, records, and other required documents.
• Provides information, training, education, and consultation services to schools and communities concerning intervention issues across the Leadership Academy Network.

 
Safety
 

• Performs preventive maintenance on tools and equipment and ensures equipment is in safe operating condition.
• Follows established safety procedures and techniques to perform job duties including lifting and climbing; operates tools and equipment according to established safety procedures.
• Corrects unsafe conditions in work area and promptly reports any conditions that are not immediately correctable to supervisor.

 
Supervisory Responsibilities
 

• None.

 
Personal Work Relationships
 

• All Fort Worth ISD employees must maintain a commitment to the District’s mission, vision, and strategic goals.
• Exhibits high professionalism, standards of conduct and work ethic.
• Demonstrates high quality customer service; builds rapport/relationship with the consumer.
• Demonstrates cultural competence in interactions with others; is respectful of co-workers; communicates and acts as a team player; promotes teamwork; responds and acts appropriately in confrontational situations.

 
Other Duties as Assigned
 

• Performs all job-related duties as assigned and in accordance to the Board rules, policies and regulations.  All employees are expected to comply with lawful directives in rare situations driven by need where a team effort is required.

 
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
 

• Knowledge of prevention and intervention strategies, including behavior management interventions.
• Knowledge of applicable federal and state laws regarding education and students.
• Knowledge of casework methods.
• Knowledge of multicultural diversity issues in the work place, as well as regional differences in word usage/idioms, cultural/attitudinal differences, customs, and social norms.
• Skill in leading and directing Professional Learning Communities.
• Skill in giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points communicated, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining cooperative working relationships with others contacted in the course of work.
• Skill in individual and group counseling.
• Skill in communicating effectively, both orally and in writing with staff and the community in a multi-ethnic educational environment.
• Skill in interpersonal relationships, including using tact, patience, and courtesy.
• Skill in providing exceptional service to both internal and external customers.
• Ability to design, develop, conduct, and/or facilitate the presentation of employee professional learning programs.
• Ability to use software programs and technology mediums to create innovative and appealing professional learning presentations, and to use software to create spreadsheets, databases, and do word processing.
• Ability to organize and coordinate work, including maintaining attention to details and quality, and prioritize work while meeting multiple deadlines.
• Ability to engage in self-evaluation with regard to performance and professional growth.
• Ability to work effectively in collaborative teams, including teams from other departments.
• Ability to handle difficult and stressful situations with professional composure.
• Ability to effectively conference with teachers, parents, and students.
• Ability to present information in one-on-one, small group, and large group situations to students, parents, and district staff.
• Ability to engage in self-evaluation with regard to performance and professional growth.

 
Travel Requirements
 

• Travels to school district buildings and professional meetings as required.

 
Physical & Mental Demands, Work Hazards
 

• Tools/Equipment Used:  Standard office equipment, including computer and peripherals.
• Posture:  Prolonged sitting and standing; occasional stooping, squatting, kneeling, bending, pushing/pulling, and twisting.
• Motion:  Frequent repetitive hand motions, including keyboarding and use of mouse; occasional reaching.
• Lifting:  Occasional light lifting and carrying (less than 15 pounds).
• Environment:  Work is performed in an office setting; may require occasional irregular and/or prolonged hours.
• Attendance:  Regular and punctual attendance at the worksite is required for this position and may be required to work evenings and weekends.
• Mental Demands:  Maintains emotional control under stress; works with frequent interruptions; regularly required to speak publicly or listen intently to other points of view.

 
Minimum Required Qualifications
 

• Education: 
  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Education or a-related field required;
  • Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in related field preferred.
• Certification/License:  Possess a valid Texas professional license in at least one of the following in the State of Texas.
  • Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC);
  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC);
  • Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT);
  • Licensed Social Worker (LBSW, LMSW, LCSW).
• Experience: 
  • 6 years’ working with children, adolescents and families in a clinical or school-based setting, providing assessment, counseling, and case management services required;
  • Experience in coordinating and supervising services provided to children and families in elementary and/or secondary school setting preferred.
• Language:  Bilingual (English/Spanish) working proficiency preferred in some settings.

 
This is a grant-funded position and is contingent on availability of funds.
 
This document is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required.