Social and Emotional Learning Specialist

SUMMARY: The Social and Emotional Learning Specialist will provide strategic support to K-8 school staff and administrators via professional development, consultation, monitoring, data collection, mentoring program, and program support.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Instructional Specialist will provide on-site coaching, technical assistance, and professional learning opportunities for teachers and instructional staff in elementary and middle schools. The SEL Instructional Specialist is charged with improving classroom instructional practices in ways that enhance students' social and emotional development. The SEL Instructional Specialist will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Provide support to school-based teams to identify priorities, develop action plans, and monitor progress at assigned schools with universal and tier 2 and 3 programming.
• Provide individualized, classroom-based coaching to support teachers in implementing best practices to promote SEL, establishing supportive learning environments, and developing supportive classroom management practices.
• Model best practices and teach sample lessons when appropriate.
• Plan design, and lead ongoing professional learning opportunities to improve instruction for SEL.
• Provide regular updates to leadership regarding SEL implementation progress.
• Assist in the administration and analysis of required surveys and develop recommendations based on findings.
• Assist in grant compliance for data collection and reporting.
• Provide site-based coaching to school personnel on social emotional learning frameworks, resources and interventions.
• Coordinate and conduct trainings on social emotional development and social emotional learning.
• Supports building-level Social and Emotional Learning Champions.
• Contributes SEL information to monthly newsletters for social workers and school counselors.
• Maintains reports and records related to Social and Emotional Learning programs.
• Establishes and maintains cooperative relationships with school personnel, community, and civic groups; provides consultation to schools.
• Coordinates with other departments, offices, and organizations to support Social and Emotional Learning programming.
• Participates in regular professional development to improve knowledge and skills.
• Maintains current and appropriate resources for educating stakeholders.
• Uses data to develop and implement comprehensive programs that meet student needs.
• Provides support services and collaborates with leaders to provide guidance that supports academic achievement, social/emotional success, and program/initiative implementation.
• Adheres to laws, policies, procedures, and ethical standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

This role provides privileged access to the inner workings of the IPS Student Services Department and to highly sensitive information. The successful candidate will be discrete, high-energy, agile-minded, strategic, proactive, a direct communicator, highly-organized and committed to the vision and values of Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) and the IPS Student Services Department. In addition, the following standards will generally define the successful incumbent:

• Experience working in or with an urban education system with a focus on social, emotional, and behavioral supports strongly preferred
• Must hold a valid Indiana School Services Personnel License or Teaching License
• Experience providing coaching and technical assistance to peer and non-peer audiences
• Knowledge of best practices in Multi-Tiered Systems of Support to meet students' social and emotional needs
• Working knowledge of federal and state student services laws, rules, and practices
• Broad knowledge of Indiana and IPS student services policies, practices and programs
• Ability to develop respectful professional relationships, build trust with teachers, support staff and administrators
• Excellent communication skills and strong analytical and writing capabilities
• Close attention to detail coupled with the ability to exercise good judgment
• Strong organizational, oral and written communication, and interpersonal skills
• Proactive, able to anticipate conflicts before they arise
• Ability to work well independently as well as collaboratively
• Ability to execute meetings, calls and emails with professionalism, courtesy and accuracy
• Personal qualities of maturity, humility, strong work ethic, sense of humor, and diligence
• Ability to effectively allocate and prioritize time to several tasks to ensure completion

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

None.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one, small group, and large group situations.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and use hands to find, handle, or feel. The employee frequently is required to talk or hear. The employee is required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.