Description:
Student Support Specialists are an integral part of the learning and teaching team. The Student Support Specialist provides instruction, interventions, and supervision to students who have been removed from the regular classroom. The Student Support Specialist assists with de-escalating students, facilitates restorative conferences, and helps students address issues that must be resolved for them to successfully return to the classroom. The specialist also serves as an important part of the building student response/crisis team.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The person in this assignment may perform all or some of the responsibilities defined below:
- Lead restorative conferences between students and students/staff.
- Advise students individually or in small groups regarding behavior related issues.
- Provide interventions designed to help students change behaviors, improve relationships, and repair damage resulting from misbehaviors.
- Act as part of the building response/crisis team, de-escalating
- Implement school wide and individual behavior support plans.
- Support implementation of teacher designed instructional activities and classroom routines.
- Communicate with teachers, counselors, and parents regarding students assigned to the In-School Intervention (ISI) program.
- Conduct teacher/therapist-designed instructional experiences.
- Work with individual and small groups of students.
- Supervise, model, and teach expected behaviors across educational settings, including ISI room, classrooms, cafeteria, grounds, office, hallways, etc.
- Foster student development through activities and active engagement with students.
- Promote students’ best interests through positive role modeling and student advocacy.
- Administer assessment materials as trained or delegated.
- Assist in preparation of instructional materials and perform clerical duties associated with general instruction program.
- May administer medications pursuant to Board policy and pursuant to state and federal law.
Each of the positions at the specific school serves as one unit of the whole team, and as such, is subject to assignment to tasks in other areas within the classification.
QUALIFICATIONS/ABILITIES:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Counseling, Psychology, Social Work, or related field required.
- Previous experience as a teacher, counselor, child psychologist, social worker, or related field.
- Demonstrated ability to provide behavioral, academic, and emotional intervention and support for students.
- Ability to build and maintain positive relationships with students, parents, and co-workers.
- Ability to remain calm in times of high stress.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Commitment to finding ways to keep students in school environment.
- Must possess or willingness to obtain certification in district de-escalation and restraint program.
- Knowledge of and/or experience with restorative practices.
- Knowledge of and/or experience with a variety of both positive and corrective behavior management techniques.
- Must be able to become proficient with district student information system.
- Must be able to work in a team setting and take direction.
- Ability to use proper grammar, spelling, and language in both oral and written communication, as well as basic math skills.
- Must possess organizational skills and the ability to work independently.
- Demonstrate basic computer skills, including the ability to create and modify documents and to adapt to new technologies.
- Ability to learn and operate a variety of educational/office equipment.
- Must have or obtain first aid certification.
- Must have access to reliable transportation.
- Ability to supervise recess/unstructured activities, including the ability to respond quickly to an emergency or student need anywhere on the grounds.