Student Retention Specialist

FLEX HIGH SCHOOL OHIO

Full Time, Monday - Friday; 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Competitive compensation package starting from $45,760/year

Do you have a passion to work one-on-one with students and help them soar? As a Paraprofessional at Flex High School, you will encourage, challenge and help students grow in confidence and academics, and graduate high school – no matter their obstacle.

The Flex High Advantage

Our personalized learning model is what makes Flex High School unique. Our students are at the center of our mission, which means that staff is unified, and priorities are set to reach the best outcome for all students. Some the other advantages we offer are:

• Our student-counselor ratio is 1:250, which is far below many traditional schools.
• We offer free tutors for students and labs that supplement their instruction and reduce academic discouragement.
• With the support of Lifelong Learning, an educational services organization, staff receives all the tools/resources needed to do their job without any personal financial investment.
• We provide ongoing professional learning, continuing education (subsidized), career advancement opportunities for staff throughout the school year.
• Our staff has a close relationship with and is supported by their area supervisor/leadership. We empower them to succeed.
• We operate year-round with generous holiday, vacation and seasonal breaks.

Come learn more about us at https://flexhigh.org

How You Will Make an Impact

The Student Retention Specialist is responsible for addressing attendance concerns that may impact a student’s academic success. The position will work with students identified through the Attendance Intervention team process and provide strategies and interventions to identify barriers, monitor progress and support consistent school attendance. This position will work in collaboration with the student, parent/caregiver, and school support teams to review academic progress based on set guidelines. This position will interact with community agencies and law enforcement. This position reports to the Principal or designee.

RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES

This list is illustrative only and is not intended to be a comprehensive list of tasks performed by this classification. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.Serve as a liaison between the parent and the school team regarding student attendance

• Participate in Attendance Intervention Meetings (AIM) and Student Retention Meetings (SRM)
• Investigate student absences and withdrawals and encourage school engagement and readmission
• Collaborate with school employees to identify and address barriers to student attendance
• Contact parents/legal guardian and students to obtain information concerning reasons for pupil absences from school
• Provide interventions and strategies to promote increased attendance
• Build positive and collaborative relationships with student and parent/caregiver and building staff
• Initiate student and parent communication and connections
• Conduct home visits to follow up on attendance problems and to observe home situations that may interfere with attendance
• Develop, establish, and coordinate community resource contacts
• Provide weekly progress reports to supervisor regarding student and asset retrieval along with comprehensive reports tracking all contacts with current or former students
• Provide information related to the importance of regular school attendance and the impact of related State legislation pertaining to student attendance and truancy
• Track, compile, and analyze the enrollment status of students leaving our school at outside schools
• Secure and track return of schoolbooks report tracking all contact with current or former students
• Work with local law enforcement for student retention
• Prepare a wide variety of documents including letters, reports
• Participate in staff meetings, trainings and school events
• Perform administrative duties, responsibilities, and activities that may be assigned or changed from time to time

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES

• Understanding of State public education laws related to Child Welfare and Attendance
• Knowledge of HB410 laws and procedures
• Knowledge of academic and behavior supports
• Knowledge of Trauma Informed Practices
• Knowledge of de-escalation strategies
• Skills in progress monitoring
• Strong organizational and planning skills; handle multiple competing projects, meet schedules and timelines
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with teams, parents/legal guardians, students, and school officials
• Perform data entry and data compilation from a variety of sources with accuracy
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions
• Self-sufficient and focused on excellent customer service

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate degree required; Bachelor’s degree preferred
• 2 years equivalent experience in public school environment, social services, community, youth, family, and school relation including working with courts and law enforcement
• Ability to effectively communicate with students, families/caregivers, school personnel and community partners both orally and in writing
• Commitment to inclusivity and understanding of students, families and barriers from a multi-cultural lens
• Skilled in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams)
• Ability to travel in performance of job duties is required
• Ability to lift, carry, push, pull objects weighing up to 10 pounds (almost all office jobs)

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Mental Demands: high workflow management, high project coordination, high people engagement.
• Finger Dexterity: using primarily just the fingers to make small movements such as typing, picking up small objects, or pinching fingers together.
• Talking: especially where one must convey detailed or important instructions or ideas accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Average Hearing: able to hear average or normal conversations and receive ordinary information.
• Average Visual Abilities: ordinary acuity necessary to prepare or inspect documents or operate machinery.
• Frequent multi-tasking, changing of task priorities, repetitious exacting work required.
• Working in a noisy, distracting environment with frequent deadline pressures