Assistant: Student Advocate - Annapolis High

About the Role

Performs school-based duties supporting the goal of maintaining a safe and orderly environment. Assists the administration, guidance, and teaching staff with student-teacher and student-student conflicts. Engages students outside classrooms and serves as an early signal to school administration regarding student discipline and school safety.

Responsibilities

• Assists teachers and the administration in maintaining the flow of traffic in the building.
• Monitors all areas outside the classroom where students tend to congregate, including hallways, bathrooms, cafeteria (breakfasts and lunches), parking lots, and outside areas.
• Monitors entrances and exits, as directed.
• Monitors students during school via cameras and computers, as directed.
• Supports a safe school environment by monitoring hot spots in the community.
• Participates in behavior modification activities for students, as directed.
• Escorts students to and from classrooms, as directed.
• Assists students to regain their self-control and helps them transition from classrooms to office and back as necessary.
• Uses intervention techniques to help students deescalate, including non-violent crisis intervention.
• Seeks assistance if student behavior becomes violent or disruptive.
• Conducts after school administrative detentions, Saturday School, and other alternative to suspension programs, as requested.
• Communicates with student families through conferences and phone calls, as directed.
• Serves as contact for student and parent referrals and acts as liaison between parents, the community, and school.
• Assists the administration in gathering information for investigations.
• Assists the administration when responding to teachers requesting help with students in need.
• Ensures that all required forms and procedures are completed and adequate records are maintained on students.
• Participates in planning activities with other staff.
• Assists at athletic events, as assigned.
• Supports the schools Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) programs by knowing and enforcing the rules of behaviors outside the classroom and providing positive rewards when students behave appropriately.
• Mentors a caseload of students and monitors grades and attendance of identified students, as directed.
• Monitors peer mediations, as directed.
• Monitors improvements in student performance and provides positive feedback.
• Supports students in adhering to the Code of Student Conduct, including the dress code, athletic events, cell phone policy, and anti-bullying/harassment policies.
• Supports the school attendance goals by calling identified students when absent and assisting students when tardy.
• Serves on the County Crisis Team to assist other schools that might have a student crisis/disruption, as directed.
• Participates in on-going professional development and training.
• Performs other related duties as assigned within the same classification or lower.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or Equivalency Certificate required.
• Ability to develop rapport with young people.
• Skill in deescalating aggressive behaviors.
• Ability to exercise considerable patience, courtesy, tact, and good judgment in working with students, teachers, administrators, fellow employees, and parents.
• Training and/or experience working with youth preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively work and communicate with diverse populations.
• Demonstrated proficiency with business technology applications (e.g., Video/Web Conferencing, Microsoft Office Suite - Word, Excel, Outlook, and/or PowerPoint preferred).
• For new permanent secretarial/clerical/technician hires, a minimum score on a pre-employment assessment is required.

Qualifications

• Hold or be eligible for Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) Certification issued by AACPS/Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) preferred; or
• Hold or be eligible for Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) Certification issued by Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc preferred.

Career Ladder Requirements

Qualification Requirements for Employment in Higher Grade as a New Hire or Transfer:

• Two (2) additional years of successful experience required.
• Achievement of Registered Behavior Technician Certification or Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) Certification required.

Eligibility for Consideration for Advancement from Lower Grade to Higher Grade:

• Two (2) years of continuous successful experience in the position at the Lower Grade level.
• Mastery of all responsibilities and duties of the position.
• Achievement of Professional Certification, License, or evidence of course completion in pursuit of such certification or license, if applicable.
• Evidence of completion of additional training recommended by supervisor and/or participation in approved professional development programs or courses, approved in advance by the supervisor.
• Successful completion of a minimum of one professional development within the last two years is required.
• Successful completion of job-specific professional developments identified on the job description, performance evaluations, and/or the supervisor’s documented recommendation.
• Achievement of identified goals as they relate to the needs of the district and as established by the supervisor.
• Consistent maintenance of an effective and orderly work environment.
• Consistent compliance with general office procedures such as standards contained in the AACPS Employee Handbook; demonstration of discretion and excellent customer service; regular and punctual attendance; and building dress code, including wearing AACPS ID badge.
• Above Satisfactory overall job performance for the two most recent consecutive years of Performance Ratings.
• Letter of Recommendation written by the supervisor.

Additional Requirements for Advancement from Lower Grade to Higher Grade:

• Achievement of Registered Behavior Technician Certification or Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) Certification required.

Physical Demands / Working Conditions

The physical demands and working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Physical Demands:
  • Standing: between 1/3 and 2/3 percent of the time
  • Walking: between 1/3 and 2/3 percent of the time
  • Sitting: under 1/3 percent of the time
  • Keyboarding: between 1/3 and 2/3 percent of the time
  • Talking: between 1/3 and 2/3 percent of the time
  • Hearing: between 1/3 and 2/3 percent of the time
  • Vision: No special vision requirements
• Work Environment:
  • Location: Office, school, or similar indoor environment over 2/3 percent of the time
  • Noise Level: Moderate, between 1/3 and 2/3 percent of the time