SEL Engagement Liaison
Position Overview:
The SEL Engagement Liaison will work within the public school district to address chronic absenteeism among students in grades K-12, with a particular focus on leveraging school and community resources. This role is essential for supporting students and families in a low-income, highly diverse urban community, helping to reduce absenteeism and improve student engagement, academic achievement, and overall well-being. The liaison will collaborate with families, school staff, and community organizations to create comprehensive, culturally responsive support systems to reduce barriers to consistent attendance.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and Implement Attendance Strategies:
- Create and execute strategic plans to reduce chronic absenteeism district-wide, with targeted interventions for high-risk students.
- Analyze attendance data to identify trends, root causes, and student populations most affected by chronic absenteeism.
- Collaborate with school staff, including counselors, social workers, and administrators, to address individual student attendance issues.
- Community and Family Engagement:
- Build relationships with families, acting as a liaison to support their engagement with the school.
- Conduct home visits, where necessary, to understand barriers to attendance (e.g., transportation, housing instability, mental health, family illness).
- Connect families with local resources (housing, healthcare, food assistance) and assist them in navigating these services.
- Organize workshops, outreach events, and information sessions to educate families about the importance of regular attendance and provide tools for overcoming obstacles.
- Collaborate with School and Community Resources:
- Coordinate with community-based organizations, social services, and government agencies to provide wraparound support for students.
- Establish partnerships with local non-profits, businesses, and health services to offer mentoring, after-school programs, transportation assistance, and mental health support.
- Work with cultural and language organizations to ensure outreach and services are culturally relevant and accessible to non-English-speaking families.
- Culturally Responsive Support:
- Develop attendance initiatives that are culturally sensitive and responsive to the diverse backgrounds of students and their families.
- Train staff in understanding cultural factors that may impact attendance and promote inclusive strategies to engage students from all backgrounds.
- Advocate for policies and programs that address systemic issues contributing to chronic absenteeism in marginalized communities.
- Data Monitoring and Reporting:
- Regularly track and monitor attendance data, including rates of chronic absenteeism and the success of implemented interventions.
- Prepare reports for district leadership, outlining attendance trends, intervention outcomes, and areas requiring further attention.
- Utilize data to make informed adjustments to intervention strategies and ensure continued improvement in attendance rates.
- Program Evaluation and Improvement:
- Continuously assess the effectiveness of attendance programs and interventions.
- Solicit feedback from students, families, and staff to improve services.
- Implement innovative approaches to reduce absenteeism, particularly through community engagement and resource mobilization.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in education, social work, public health, or a related field.
- Experience working with diverse, low-income, urban populations and understanding the challenges they face related to attendance.
- Strong knowledge of community resources and services available to families in urban settings.
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships with students, families, school staff, and community organizations.
- Experience with data analysis and using data to inform program decisions.
- Excellent communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
- Bilingual or multilingual skills preferred.
Desired Qualities:
- Passion for promoting student success and closing achievement gaps.
- Commitment to equity and culturally responsive practices.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities.
- Strong advocacy skills for students and families facing barriers to education.
Reports To: Director of Social Emotional Learning
Annual Salary: $60,500 Full Time Position/ Title IV Federal Grant Funded Position
Application Process:
- Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and three professional references.
This role will require a compassionate, creative, and community-oriented individual committed to addressing chronic absenteeism through a multi-faceted and culturally sensitive approach.
Everett Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.
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