Director of student support services 6-12
The Director of Student Support serves as a key member of the school’s leadership team and provides strategic leadership for the school’s comprehensive student support services, ensuring that every student has access to the academic, social emotional, behavioral, and family supports needed to thrive.
The Director oversees school wide systems aligned with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), restorative practices, social emotional learning (SEL), attendance initiatives, family engagement, and advisory programming. The Director is responsible for developing and implementing proactive systems of support, using data to drive decision making, ensuring compliance with applicable federal, state, charter, and school requirements, and advancing the school’s mission through strong leadership, collaboration, and continuous improvement. The Director of Student Support reports directly to the Executive Director.
Student Support Systems and School Climate
- Develop, implement, and oversee a comprehensive student support framework aligned with MTSS, restorative practices, and the school’s mission and values.
- Monitor attendance, behavior, social-emotional learning (SEL), and student engagement data to identify trends and coordinate timely interventions.
- Lead schoolwide initiatives that strengthen belonging, positive behavior, school climate, and social-emotional development.
- Coordinate support plans for students experiencing academic, attendance, behavioral, or social-emotional challenges.
- Support crisis response, restorative conferences, threat assessments, and student re-entry planning following disciplinary incidents or extended absences.
- Collaborate with school leadership to create a safe, inclusive, and culturally responsive learning environment.
Advisory Program Leadership
- Design, implement, and continuously improve the school’s Grades 6–12 Advisory Program.
- Develop advisory curriculum and resources aligned with SEL competencies, character development, college and career awareness, and student leadership.
- Train, coach, and support advisory staff in effective facilitation and relationship-building practices.
- Conduct walkthroughs and observations to monitor implementation fidelity.
- Use student survey, attendance, behavior, and school climate data to evaluate and strengthen the Advisory Program.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Leadership
- Lead implementation of the school’s SEL framework across Grades 6–12.
- Partner with instructional leaders to integrate SEL practices into classrooms and school culture.
- Provide professional development on SEL, trauma-informed practices, restorative approaches, de-escalation strategies, and relationship-centered discipline.
- Monitor SEL outcomes through student surveys, attendance, behavior, and school climate data.
- Coordinate targeted SEL interventions for students requiring additional support.
Supervision of Student Support Staff
- Directly supervise, coach, and evaluate School Social Workers, Guidance Counselors, and Social Work Interns.
- Ensure counseling and social work services address academic planning, social-emotional development, attendance, mental health, family engagement, and crisis intervention.
- Establish departmental goals, caseload expectations, documentation standards, supervision structures, and service delivery systems.
- Facilitate regular case management, clinical consultation, and Student Support Team meetings.
- Monitor documentation, service quality, and compliance with applicable laws, regulations, ethical standards, and school policies.
- Provide ongoing mentorship, coaching, and professional development to School Social Workers, Guidance Counselors, and Social Work Interns.
- Oversee graduate-level social work internship programs, including orientation, supervision, evaluation, and collaboration with university field placement coordinators.
Family Engagement and Parent Liaison Supervision
- Directly supervise the Parent Liaison.
- Develop and implement a comprehensive family engagement strategy that strengthens trust and partnership with families.
- Oversee parent outreach, family communications, workshops, events, and resource coordination.
- Analyze participation data and family feedback to improve engagement efforts.
- Build and maintain partnerships with community organizations that provide services and supports for students and families.
Parent Workshops and Family Education
- Create and oversee an annual calendar of parent workshops.
- Coordinate workshops on adolescent development, attendance, academic support, mental health awareness, digital citizenship, school expectations, and family engagement.
- Ensure workshops are accessible through multiple formats, languages, and scheduling options.
- Collaborate with counselors, instructional leaders, and community partners to facilitate family learning opportunities.
- Measure participation and impact and adjust programming accordingly.
Attendance and Student Success
- Supervise attendance initiatives and interventions.
- Develop systems to improve daily attendance, reduce chronic absenteeism, and strengthen family outreach.
- Monitor attendance trends and provide regular reports to school leadership.
- Coordinate attendance action plans and support services for chronically absent students.
- Collaborate with families and community agencies to remove barriers to attendance.
Leadership, Collaboration, and Compliance
- Serve as a member of the school’s leadership team.
- Collaborate with the Principal, Director of Special Populations, and other school leaders to coordinate comprehensive student supports.
- Facilitate Student Support Team (SST) meetings and monitor intervention effectiveness.
- Use data to evaluate programs, measure outcomes, and drive continuous improvement.
- Develop departmental goals and annual improvement plans aligned with the school’s strategic priorities.
- Lead department meetings and provide ongoing professional learning for student support staff.
- Maintain compliance with applicable federal, state, charter, and school requirements related to student support services.
- Prepare reports and presentations for school leadership, the Executive Director, and the Board of Trustees as needed.
- Ensure confidential student records are maintained in accordance with FERPA and other applicable regulations.
Qualifications
- Master’s degree in School Social Work, School Counseling, Educational Leadership, Psychology, or a related field.
- New York State certification in School Social Work, School Counseling, School Administration, or a related area preferred.
- Minimum of 3–5 years of successful leadership experience in student support services, counseling, school social work, family engagement, or school culture.
- Experience supervising School Social Workers, Guidance Counselors, Social Work Interns, attendance staff, family engagement staff, or other student support personnel.
- Experience providing clinical supervision, mentoring staff, and developing student support systems is strongly preferred.
- Strong knowledge of MTSS, SEL, restorative practices, trauma-informed approaches, attendance interventions, crisis response, and family engagement strategies.
- Demonstrated ability to analyze data, lead teams, manage systems, and improve student outcomes.
- Excellent communication, collaboration, organizational, leadership, and relationship-building skills.
Pay: $100,000.00 - $130,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
