Coordinator of Mental Health and Transitional Education
Coordinator - Mental Health & Transitional Education
Student Services Job Description
Job Description Overview:
This is a multi-faceted, district-wide leadership position. The scope is to find solutions for, and develop plans to address, the needs of students and families struggling with transition, and in addressing concerns around mental health.
This coordinator develops and implements district-wide mental health plans and coordinates comprehensive mental health support services across the district to maximize opportunities for student learning and development. The coordinator will also work with students who are experiencing homelessness, who are in a court-ordered placement outside of their home (foster care), or who are participants in the US Department of Justice’s “Safe at Home” program. This coordinator will also advocate for potential resources that are student-centered to ensure students are available to learn based on the rights granted under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
Student Services staff regularly examine how their personal experiences and biases impact their ability to effectively serve all students. They possess a deep understanding of the systemic biases within the education system which serve to perpetuate inequities for some students and families. They understand their role as a change agent and work with other staff, students, and community to redesign the system in a manner which actively repays the educational debt owed to historically marginalized students and families.
Qualifications:
- Master’s Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, and/or Educational Administration.
- DPI License in School Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, and/or Educational Administration.
- Minimum of five years of experience in student services in an educational environment preferred.
- Demonstrates leadership ability and expertise in student services and mental health.
- Demonstrates positive constructive relations with students, staff and parents.
Contract Length: 210 days
Essential Job Functions:
The duties and responsibilities described below are considered the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required for the job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
- Ensures proper coordination of transitional education services.
- Develop systems and strategies that ensure a smooth enrollment process for families who are experiencing homelessness.
- Work collaboratively with school social work team to identify needs and support students who are in transition.
- Use data, implement strategies to address systems barriers as well as implement individual student plans.
- Facilitate connections between families and appropriate community agencies such as housing, employment, shelter, food, mental health services, etc.
- Support student services teams and teachers in meeting the academic, social and emotional needs of students experiencing homelessness, out-of-home placement, etc. through Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
- Promote equity in programming for all students with a focus on students of color, students with disabilities, and students who are bilingual.
- Ensures high quality implementation of mental health programming.
- Supports student services staff: psychologists, counselors, social workers, nurses, etc., in creating and monitoring proactive systems of support for students to allow for collaborative problem solving among staff, students and parents.
- Provide overall direction and guidance for school-based mental health teams.
- Align mental health services within MCPASD’s Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) that promote social emotional well-being.
- Foster and grow community partnerships that extend the reach of the district’s systems of supports.
- Coordinate Trauma Sensitive Schools (TSS) team training and advocate for culturally responsive and trauma-sensitive practices throughout Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS).
- Administrative oversight of Building Bridges, K-8, school-based mental health stabilization program.
- Support cognitive-behavioral, skill and school-based group interventions.
- Act as a primary resource for student services, administrators, and parents when barriers occur involving a student accessing mental health services or programming.
- In collaboration with school and district student services and leadership teams, work collaboratively to review and assess current data and trends to plan for future programming.
- Model advocacy and leadership within the district and community.
- Identify school, district and larger community barriers to learning and develop specific plans to address those barriers.
- Serve as a member of school and/or district safety and/or crisis teams to provide support and assistance to students and families as they navigate crisis and emergencies.
- Active participant and leader in district and community teams and committees, such as the Homeless Education Network of Dane County and Dane County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative.
- Provide updates to the Director of Student Services, Assistant Director of Student Services and Leadership Team regarding Mental Health programming and services in MCPASD on a regular basis.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities at the time of hire, or for the continuation of employment.
- Commit to high standards, ethical principles, social justice, honesty, fairness, and treating others with dignity and respect.
- Promote equitable education and positively influence outcomes that directly affect the lives of children, youth, families, and school communities.
- Direct and/or plan activities of others.
- Ability to organize and establish priorities.
- Ability to make reasonable independent judgements and decisions.
- Ability to function as a team member.
- Ability to handle confidential matters properly.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Ability to interact effectively with others.
- Demonstrate effective organizational skills.
- Exhibit strong public relating skills.
- Communicate effectively with staff, students, and parents.
- Perform effectively under stress.
Working Conditions:
This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, copiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. This job requires sufficient mobility to access District facilities and to participate in meetings, workshops, and conferences inside and outside of the District.
Physical Requirements:
The physical requirements and work environment described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform those functions.
- This is a light job, which involves exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
- This job involves sitting, standing, bending, twisting, walking and needs to frequently move about for significant periods of time.
- Reaching, handling objects and papers and fine manipulation are performed frequently.
- Verbal and auditory communication are both frequently involved.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, distance, color and peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
EEO Statement:
The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District is an equal opportunity employer. The school district does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, political affiliation, disability, sex or sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship, handicap, marital status, ancestry, color or any other reason prohibited by state or federal law.