Student Wholeness Specialist - SY 2019-2020
District Office

District Office - Position - Other

Job Number 8600000351
Start Date
Open Date 02/01/2019
Closing Date

The Next Application Deadline is April 30, 2019. Applications received after March 15th will be reviewed in early May 2019.
The Baltimore City Public Schools' Blueprint for Success lays out a plan for how we will move towards our goal of building a generation of young people with the skills, knowledge, and understanding to succeed in college, careers, and their community. Student wholeness is a focus area in this plan. Student wholeness rooms are a part of the district's social and emotional learning (SEL) strategy. They are safe, inclusive spaces where students calm down, cultivate SEL skills that will enable them to thrive in the classroom, and access a variety of academic, social, and emotional supports. Combined with other support, student wholeness rooms are expected to contribute to a more positive learning environment that promotes high academic and behavioral expectations, support improvement in student growth and attendance, and reduce disciplinary referrals.
In 2018, as part of our plan to address student wholeness, City Schools created 20 Student Wholeness Specialist positions to work in 20 Intensive Learning Sites (ILS) - schools that focus deeply on student wholeness. Student Wholeness Specialist is a 12-month (i.e., year-round) position. For the 2019-2020 school year, City Schools seeks 20 additional Student Wholeness Specialists for newly identified ILS.
By helping children build their SEL competencies and be more aware of their feelings, the Student Wholeness Specialist will lead the implementation and management of the student wholeness room(s) within a school. The Student Wholeness Specialist will de-escalate as well as prevent the escalation of inappropriate behaviors and prepare students to manage their own behavior successfully by leveraging the tools, resources, and space available within the student wholeness room.
Each Student Wholeness Specialist will work in close cooperation with on-site counselors, mental health support staff, teachers, administrators, and others to coordinate SEL support for students. In addition, the Staff Associate will collect, track, monitor, and analyze data trends to support school staff and administrators in understanding student needs, behaviors, referral and room use, as well as resources. Specialist will be instrumental in connecting students, staff, parents and community members with effective resources for social emotional well-being.
This position does not require the Student Wholeness Specialist to be a mental health professional. If the Specialist identifies a student in need of mental health support, s/he will immediately refer the student to the appropriate staff. Students facing serious mental health crises will be directed to qualified mental health staff and services, rather than to the wholeness room.

Essential Functions Supports SEL

• Builds relationships with students, with a focus on those referred to the Student Wholeness Room, develop an understanding of their support needs, and provide appropriate support.
• Assists students to develop awareness of and the ability to manage their behavior, including providing tools and cultivating skills for self-calming.
• Assists students, teachers, and fellow classmates in welcoming a student back to their assigned classroom.
• Continues to build relationship with referred students by checking in with staff and student through classroom visits.
• Cultivates school culture and climate by supporting new and transferring student and family orientations, back to school nights, and other school events.

Supports Academics

• Partners with classroom teachers to coordinate missed assignments for referred students.
• Supports teachers in identifying and integrating effective strategies for behavior management.
• Ensures student has access to high-quality academic materials for students using the wholeness room.

Participates in coaching, professional development & team meetings

• Participates in professional learning opportunities, coaching sessions, and meetings.
• Attends all district-provided professional learning sessions to deepen their understanding of SEL and share best practices with other student wholeness specialists

Manages processes, operations and coordination with staff

• Collects, tracks, monitors, and analyzes data associated with student referrals to ensure effective reporting and use of data to support schoolwide SEL.
• Maintains log of all student, teacher, principal and family communication.
• Maintains detailed work log highlighting tasks performed (i.e. interventions implemented, referrals addressed/managed and other supports provided) and report on work, as required.
• Meets regularly with the principal and other key staff to share trends regarding student needs, behaviors, referral and room use, as well as resource access.
• Participates in collaborative planning meetings, as requested, to support problem-solving and developing proactive strategies for meeting the needs of students, especially for those referred to the Student Wholeness Room.
• Participates in Student Support Team meetings for referred students.
• Serves as a member of the School SEL Core Team.
• Maintains the Student Wholeness Room as a neat and orderly space.
• Performs and promotes all activities in compliance with equal employment and nondiscrimination policies; follows federal laws, state laws, school boards policies and the professional standards.

Maximum Salary 53254.00
Minimum Salary 42942.00
Desired Qualifications

• Associate's or bachelor's degree in education or social service field preferred. Evidence of equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of accreditation.
  
• Ability to assess student social and emotional well-being to support the student or refer them to appropriate staff and/or services.
• Ability to maintain a calm, collected presence in the face of potentially stressful, emotional, escalating, and/or challenging situations.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective and appropriate working relationships with school staff, faculty, students, families, and community partners.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in the use of computer applications and ability to learn new skills associated with district- specific tools (e.g., Microsoft Office and Online Professional Learning software).

Full time or Part time Full time
Additional Details
Qualified candidates for the above position must submit the following:

• Completed online application
• Resume that clearly demonstrates the above minimum qualifications. It is important that you include all experiences and education related to the position to which you are applying.
• Upload copies of all transcripts - undergraduate, graduate and all MSDE Certifications
• Must provide three (3) professional references to include: name, title, business address, e-mail address and phone number
• All documentation/certification necessary (scanned copies accepted) to substantiate minimum qualifications; must be uploaded into application
• All documentation must be scanned and uploaded to application

Benefits -- This position is eligible for benefits. To review the available options please see the information relevant to the union for this position by viewing the following link: http://www.baltimorecityschools.org
Baltimore City Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry or national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or age in its employment, programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups. For inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies, please contact Equal Opportunity Manager, Title IX Coordinator Equal Employment Opportunity and Title IX Compliance Office 200 E. North Avenue, Room 208 Baltimore, MD 21202; 410-396-8542 (phone); 410-396-2955 (fax).
This position is affiliated with the Paraprofessionals and School Related Personnel (PSRP) bargaining unit.