Graduation Coach - Interim @ Bessemer City High Tech and Industrial Engineering Academy

Definition

An employee in this position will identify characteristics of potential dropouts.  The Graduation Coach will collaborate with feeder middle school(s) to develop strategies for identifying potential dropouts to target middle school students at high risk for dropping out and/or not graduating.  This employee will utilize school improvement data to identify students scoring significantly below proficiency levels.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Conducts an analysis focusing on data for individual students and student subgroups such as:

o State standardized tests

o National standardized tests:  SAT and ACT

o Local records:  attendance records, behavior records, records of teacher conferences, SSMT (Student Services Management Team) meeting minutes, grade retention records, and records of credits earned.

• Develops and implement individual intervention strategies to increase the likelihood that at-risk students will stay in school and graduate.

• Works with students to develop individual graduation and achievement plans to best meet academic and postsecondary goals.

• Coordinates a transition program for incoming 9th graders to successfully adapt to the rigor of high school.

• Develops a “Graduation Team” for students identified at greatest risk of not graduating that includes at least one administrator, two teachers, and support personnel.

• Connects individual students and their parents with programs to help them learn how to prepare for and attain post-secondary goals.

• Develops a local mentoring program with business partners and connect high-risk students with mentors.

• Tracks longitudinal progress of students and subpopulations of students as they progress toward graduation.

• Provides training to parents of students as being at risk of not graduating.

• Provides training to middle and high school teachers and the youth’s parents/guardians on support measures for youth identifies as at risk of not graduating.

• Works with faculty and administrators to adapt curriculum and instruction to meet the needs of identified at-risk students.

• Identifies and links area social agencies with youth at risk of not graduating and their parents/guardians.

• Trains middle and high school teachers on the components of an effective “Teachers as Advisors” program; Conducts quarterly vertical team meetings among elementary, middle, and high school faculty and staff to develop action steps to improve individual student and subgroup transition success rates.

• Attends, participates, and redelivers, as appropriate, all professional learning pertaining to successful high school completion.

• Develops partnerships with community organizations to support the goals of the high school reform and Smaller Learning Communities initiatives.

• Conducts ongoing analysis of data regarding program effectiveness such as:

o Which interventions were most utilized in achievement plans created for each at-risk student and what are the success rates;

o Numbers and percentages of at-risk students who met part or all of their goals in their academic plan; and,

o Numbers and percentages of identified at-risk students in the school broken down by contributing factors and rationale for why the numbers are higher or lower than the state average.

• Compiles data and other information for various local, state, or federal reports.

• Maintains appropriate files and documentation as required by law.

• Performs other related work/activities as required by the position or as requested by the supervisor.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Considerable knowledge of local, state, and federal policies and procedures regarding education.

• Considerable knowledge of the organization and communication channels of the school system.

• Considerable knowledge of ethical guidelines applicable to the position as outlined by professional organizations and/or federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations.

• Considerable knowledge of the principles of supervision, organization, and administration.

• General knowledge of the Common Core and Essential Standards/North Carolina Standard Course of Study.

• Working knowledge of appropriate strategies for reducing behaviors that place students at risk of not graduating from high school.

• Knowledge of available alternative education opportunities such as credit recovery, etc.

• Skilled in listening and developing relationships with a broad range of audiences.

• Demonstrates understanding of Federal and State leadership and the impact of Federal and State decisions on the school district.

• Remains current with educational trends and changing Federal and State policies and procedures.

• Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or composite characteristics of data, people, or things.

• Ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving instructions, assignments or directions to subordinates or assistants.

• Ability to read a variety of correspondence, reports, forms, articles, proposals, contracts, etc. 

• Ability to prepare correspondence, reports, forms, evaluations, policies, etc. using prescribed formats.

• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form.

• Ability to record and deliver information, explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. 

• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with students and adults.

• Ability to analyze, comprehend, and utilize data to make informed decisions.

• Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages including medical, legal, and counseling terminology.

• Ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract; multiply and divide; and, utilize decimals and percentages.

• Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. 

• Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with emergency situations.

• Strong understanding of the growth and development of elementary and middle school children. 

• A meaningful understanding of elementary and middle school curriculum and schedule.

• Ability to plan, develop, implement, and evaluate programs.

• Ability to develop and implement policies, procedures, and standards for services offered.

• Ability to evaluate existing programs and make recommendations for improvements.

• Ability to use common office machines and popular computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet, and file maintenance programs.

• Ability to maintain complete and accurate records and statistics and to develop meaningful reports from that information.

• Ability to express ideas orally and in writing effectively and with excellent grammar.

• Ability to successfully make oral presentations before large groups of people; requires an understanding of adult learners.

• Ability to exercise considerable tact and courtesy in frequent contact with the public.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.

• Ability to work constructively within a team environment.

• Demonstrates an ability to manage fiscal, physical, and human resources to successfully carry out the functions and programs of the office.

• Understanding of the various social service and other resources available in the community to support students at risk of not graduating.

Physical Requirements

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear. The employee occasionally is required to sit and stoop, kneel, or crouch. 

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. 

• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Must be able to perform light work exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or up 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

• Must possess the visual acuity to prepare data, work with record processes, and do extensive reading and research.

• Requires the ability to talk and hear by means of the spoken word. (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving the nature of sounds by ear.)

Minimum Training and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree required.

• Master’s degree in Counseling or another appropriate field, preferred. 

• Minimum of three years experience in secondary schools.

• North Carolina Certification required.

• Successful experience working with secondary at-risk students.

Reports to:  Principal/Administrator

Salary: North Carolina Teacher Salary Schedule

Disclaimer

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to perform this job.

If offered a position, the prospective employee must pass a required health exam, criminal records check, and drug test.