Step Up Student Success Specialist (Counselor)

STEP UP JOB POSTING

POSITION TITLE: Student Success Specialist (Counselor), McDaniel High School

REPORTS TO: Step Up Program Manager

FLSA STATUS: Exempt, Full-time (40 hours per week)

REGULAR/TEMPORARY: Regular

BENEFITS: Details of benefits outlined below

SALARY: $45,000 – 48,000 

START DATE: October 2023

APPLICATION CLOSING DATE: Sunday, September 24th

The mission of Open School Inc. is to develop connection, capability, and confidence in disconnected youth through relationship-based, quality learning experiences that result in their academic, personal, and community success. Open School Inc. is an education nonprofit in its 50th year of service. We currently operate an alternative high school in East Multnomah County and the Step Up after-school program.

Step Up is an in-school and after-school relationship-based mentoring, academic, and social-emotional support program that partners with students and their families throughout their high school journey within three Portland Public high schools: Franklin, McDaniel, and Roosevelt. Every year, Step Up enrolls and supports approximately 400 amazing students to find success in school. Our students are personally supported by a Step Up Advocate all year through comprehensive tutoring, strength-based advocacy, intentional mentoring, social/emotional support, character building, and family engagement activities.  Over 85% of Step Up students are youth who identify as Black, Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC).  Many of our students come from low income backgrounds and from marginalized communities.  For more information and videos, we encourage you to explore our website at www.openschoolnw.org. 

EQUITY STATEMENT

At Open School Inc, we recognize that there is an historic and persistent achievement gap between white students and students of color; closing that achievement gap while raising the achievement of all students is a top priority of our organization. Race must cease to be a reliable predictor of students’ achievement and success. In order to achieve this goal, we are committed to creating and fostering racial diversity and inclusivity at every level of our organization including but not limited to staff, students, and leadership.   

TO APPLY

Please email a COVER LETTER, RESUME, AND 3 PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES to jobs@openschoolnw.org by September 24th. Please reference the position title in the subject line. Applications are reviewed upon receipt.

Open School Inc is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an equitable and inclusive work environment. We highly value diversity, culture and lived experiences.  We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and seek to hire qualified individuals who reflect the diversity of the students and communities we serve.  We do not discriminate in any aspect of employment on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital status, national and ethnic origin, political affiliation, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status in accordance with the requirements of local, state, and federal law.

Open School Inc believes that each staff member makes a significant contribution to its success.  That contribution should not be limited by the assigned responsibilities outlined below.  This position description is designed to outline primary duties, qualifications and job conditions, but not limit the staff person nor the organization to just the work identified.  It is our expectation that each staff member will offer their services and ideas wherever and whenever necessary to ensure the success of our endeavors.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Step Up Student Success Specialist is responsible for ensuring that all high school Step Up students are provided the advocacy and social/emotional support necessary to be successful in school by working closely with their families and in collaboration with Site Leadership Team, School Administrators, Educators, and School Success Advocates. In partnership with the Site Supervisor, the Student Success Specialist ensures that the School Success Advocates have the tools they need to effectively promote social-emotional growth, student and  family advocacy with their group.  Together, the Student Success Specialist and Site Supervisor facilitate meaningful implementation of all elements of the Step Up program including but not limited to family engagement, school/teacher partnership, youth advocacy, and student enrollment.

This role embodies Step Up’s commitment to centering racial equity and social justice. Step Up is about creating authentic relationships, building community, and working from a strength-based approach in supporting predominantly BIPOC and marginalized students and families to find success in education.

SCHEDULE WORK HOURS

This position will work approximately 40 hours per week, 12 months per year. Occasionally will work weekends, nights, holidays; as well as occasional multiple day camps and retreats.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Student Outreach, Advocacy, and Intervention Duties:

• Responsible for creating and implementing social-emotional support interventions.
• Responsible for creating and implementing positive behavior support plans.
• Responsible for facilitation of large group experiential learning activities.
• Responsible for facilitation of social-emotional support groups.
• Responsible for connecting youth with community counseling and support referrals, as needed.
• Responsible for providing youth with one-on-one check-ins and counseling.
• Work in partnership with Site Supervisor to promote the program and facilitate the enrollment of students to the program and summer leadership camps.
• Organize and conduct visits to middle schools that feed into the high school to recruit for Step Up enrollment.
• Support students by providing meaningful information for problem-solving, healthy choice-making and increasing resiliency, self-direction, and motivation.
• Facilitate mediations and/or restorative justice processes.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and expertise to ensure Child Abuse and Neglect mandated reporting, as well as sexual conduct issues, are appropriately handled that includes assisting students, fellow staff members, filing reports with the Department of Human Services, creating and filing Incident Reports, follow up and tracking documentation.

Family Outreach Duties:

• Responsible for the family engagement component of Step Up’s program – both quantity and quality of our family engagement.
• Facilitate and maintain Family Partnership Plans.
• Work with Facilitation Coordinator to plan and organize Family Academy.
• Conduct home visits, and other outreach to families through phone calls and mailings.
• Responsible for connecting families with community counseling and support referrals, as needed.
• Assist in planning and facilitating family nights.
• Maintain open communication with parents/guardians regarding student conduct and achievement.

Advocate Support Duties:

• Assist in the professional development of Advocates, as needed.
• Act as a resource for Advocates, individually and as a group, to develop the skill set needed to work effectively with their students.
• Research, support and communicate service plans and community resources to staff for youth and family services.
• Maintain an up-to-date and accurate referral resource book.
• Attend community meetings as needed to ensure up-to-date information with service providers and community resources.

General Administrative Operations Duties:

• Provide documentation of student attendance for all student contact time, family resource referrals and donations.
• Assist in the coordination, facilitation and management of special events.
• Participate in Step Up camps and assist with planning, training, supervision, logistics, and interventions as needed.
• Responsible for meeting weekly with the Site Supervisor to update the Site Supervisor on specific student progress, student interventions that are needed and/or completed, family updates, progress made on “hot list” of students and report progress on tasks.
• Participate in Extended Step Up Leadership Team, participate in organization-wide counseling team meetings, and other program meetings as required.
• Provide task supervision, coaching, and guidance to Masters/Bachelors in Social Work interns.
• Responsible for writing reports and documenting significant interactions with youth to appropriate channels (School, CPS/DSH, Open School, Family, etc): Mandatory reports, Incident Reports, tracking student progress, and student interventions.
• Serve as site contact with partner district teachers, counselors, and administrative staff by:
  • acting as an ambassador for the program, answer inquiries from students, parents, community district partners, and stakeholders; 
  • serving as a site point person to represent the program with school counselors and school psychologists; 
  • serve on the school’s Student Intervention Team; 
  • maintaining a high level of professional and confidential behavior in dealing with sensitive information, families, partner organizations, school district employees, and the public;
  • attend community and partnership meetings, fairs, and/or groups.

Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree from four-year college or university in a related field
• Three (3) years-experience and/or training working with under-served youth and youth of color in an educational setting
• One (1) year of direct counseling experience
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to be collaborative and work with a diverse population to solve problems and provide high quality service
• Ability to be confidential and sensitive with program information and maintain a professional demeanor toward staff and students
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) training and experience
• Experience with racial equity, courageous conversations about race, and cultural and linguistic responsive pedagogy is preferred
• An equivalent combination of education, experience and lived experience

OTHER PREFERRED SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Bilingual or multi-lingual in one of our families’ home languages is considered a preference
• Mobility is a necessity. Student Success Specialists are required to travel throughout the school year for various aspects of this position. Having access to or owning a vehicle is preferred.
• Experience working in a high school setting
• First Aid/CPR certification preferred and can be provided by Step Up

REQUIREMENTS:

• Must successfully pass the Oregon Department of Education fingerprint-based criminal history verification background check.  Background checks are paid for by Step Up and provided by Portland Public Schools and the Oregon Department of Education
• Must attend Open School training and professional development workshops and activities 
• Must be able to position yourself as a learner and be willing to work with youth from a strength-based approach
• Must be willing to explore personal biases and perform necessary learning and unlearning to reduce or eliminate any personal belief systems that support these biases
• Must have a valid current valid driver’s license
• All Open School Inc. employees must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT AND JOB CONDITIONS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to do the following: 

• Regularly talk and hear
• Sitting for extended periods of time
• Walking for extended periods of time, including at school sites and on field trips or special events, including up and down stairs
• Lifting up to 20 pounds without assistance

BENEFITS

• • Paid time off (PTO) days
  • Paid break time scheduled during winter (2 weeks in December) and spring (1 week in March) breaks
  • 11 paid holidays
  • Extensive professional development and training
  • Technology stipend of $50/month
  • Eligibility for Open School’s health care plan (medical, dental, vision) 

• Eligibility to participate in a Flex Spending Account (FSA) plan 

• Eligibility for Open School’s 403(b) retirement plan 
• Eligibility to participate in our Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Group Life Insurance plan, paid by Open School Inc