Student Support Specialist

Position Description

Position: Student Support Specialist

JOB GOAL: The Student Support Specialist is to identify and assist students to overcome barriers that interfere with learning through the use of assessment, counseling, consultation, coordination of school and community resources, and program development.  The Student Support Specialist utilizes knowledge of human behavior, social, cultural and community influences to help create a positive learning climate. Provides case management services.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Preferred: Degree in social work or similar field. 
• Experience in school setting desirable. 
• Preferred:  Certification or Licensure: School or Social Work approval through the State of Michigan, Department of Education, and Licensed with the State of Michigan Board of Examiners.  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Must maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Ability to work independently and make decisions in accordance with established policies and regulations.
• High moral character, and good attendance record.
• Polite, courteous, and tactful with internal and external customers.
• Ability to be an ambassador for the organization at all times.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

Assessment / Evaluation

• Provides psychological assessments to determine the social, emotional, behavioral needs of students for the purpose of pinpointing the source of school or parental concerns; provides effective intervention strategies which will lead the student to be more successful in school.
• Collects and records information to share with appropriate personnel as a component of case study.
• Initiates parent conferences or contact.
• Interviews students and others.
• Observes student in various environments when appropriate.
• Serves on multidisciplinary team(s) to address needs of students with or without disabilities to assure implementation of appropriate services, programming and/or placement.
• Assists in the development of intervention strategies to meet individual social, emotional learning needs.

Consultation

• Contributes special knowledge of human behavior and relationships to staff.
• Provides consultation to administrators and teachers on broad areas of mental health.
• Consults with classroom teachers to help in the development of classroom management programs and work with particular students or manage particular classes of students.
• Consults with parents regarding ways they can help their child become effective in school.  Will confer with parents concerning their feeling about special education services/placements; assists them at multi-disciplinary conferences.
• Provides emotional support to parents

Intervention

• Employs appropriate social work methods in situations affecting the student's educational progress.
  • Locates resources for meeting student needs.
  • Provides information about resources to parents, students, and others.
  • Assists parents and students to avail themselves of resources.
• Provides crisis intervention services.  Participates as a member of the crisis response team.
• Assists teachers, administrators, and counselors in the identification and reporting of suspected child abuse and neglect.
• Deals with students experiencing emotional traumas i.e. anger outbursts, anxiety, panic attacks, etc.

Coordination / Liaison

• Serves as liaison between school, families and community agencies.
• Serves on interdisciplinary teams within the school system.
• Serves on inter-agency committees.
• Makes appropriate referrals to community agencies e.g. counseling, financial assistance, medical, psychological.
• Identifies and develops strategies to ameliorate the factors that contribute to a student's excessive absences.
• Assists in the recognition, identification of child abuse/neglect situations.
• Responsible for reporting child abuse/neglect and educational neglect situations to the appropriate authorities.

Planning / Preparation

• Assists the school in planning programs that prevent, reduce or alleviate situations which interfere with the learning process of students.
• Participates in multidisciplinary staff conferences regarding systems needs.
• Plans programs for preventive education (drug awareness, child abuse, sexual harassment,   attendance, etc.)
• Participates in school research.
• Provides input as requested into district-wide and departmental policy and planning decisions.
• Participates in district-wide and departmental meetings.
• Attends state and national meetings as representative of system.
• Assists in developing departmental policy

Charlotte Public Schools complies with all state and federal laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination and with all regulations of the U.S. Department of Education.  It is the policy of Charlotte Board of Education that no person on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, height, weight, or handicap shall be discriminated against, excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination in any program or activity for which it is responsible.