Student Safety Coach
Student Services
Part-time 4 hrs/day
10 months (200 days)/year
This position will focus primarily on students enrolled in Albemarle County Public Schools who live in local group homes. This individual will assist Division leadership and group home staff with student enrollment, planning, progress monitoring, and excution of transition plans to ensure student engagement and success in our secondary schools.This position has been funded for the 2026-27 school year only.
Are you looking to work in a school division where students are engaged in authentic, challenging, and relevant learning experiences, becoming lifelong contributors and leaders in our dynamic and diverse society? Then look no further!
In Albemarle County Public Schools, we work together as a team to end the predictive value of race, class, gender, and special capacities for our children’s success through high-quality teaching and learning for all. We seek to build relationships with families and communities to ensure that every student succeeds. We will know every student!
We are the first public school division in Virginia, and among the first in the country, to develop and implement an Anti-Racism policy with the expressed purpose of building school communities that share the responsibility to recognize and end racism, eliminate inequitable practices that result in achievement gaps, and support the unique gifts, talents, and interests of every child. In ACPS, “all” really means all.
ACPS employees enjoy competitive pay and benefits, including health & dental coverage, retirement, flexible spending accounts, paid time off, wellness program, discounts on gym memberships, and more! Be sure to check out our website to learn more about our Division and our Schools.
GENERAL DEFINITION OF WORK:
Collaborate extensively with school staff and students to promote educational equity and maintain a positive school environment. Responsible for student safety by providing positive behavior and social-emotional interventions, crisis prevention and intervention, emergency support services, and managing building security for staff, students, and visitors.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The following identifies the primary and essential functions of the position and is not intended to be an exhaustive listing of all duties.
- Serve as an advocate for educational equity for all students and families, with a particular emphasis on equity in behavior, safety planning, and response;
- Proactively identify and makes recommendations to reduce safety risks and liability, prevent and manage workplace violence and improve school-community relations relating to safety;
- Coach, direct, and receive feedback to inform staff in times of crisis/physical intervention while following IEPs or Personalized Learning Plans;
- Respond to crisis situations, triage, and / or call 911, EMS, and or Crisis Team as directed by administrators, as needed;
- Develop positive relationships with all students in the building;
- Promote and reinforce positive student behavior;
- Debrief problematic behavior with students by using a non-punitive, non-adversarial, trauma-informed model of care / problem solving;
- Be knowledgeable of specific disabilities and individual learning characteristics, including IEPs, 504s, and Personalized Learning Plans;
- Collaborates with staff in observing, recording, and charting behaviors;
- Collaborates with staff to manage crises, problems, and behavior management;
- Participate in professional activities and meetings that may include but are not limited to IEP, School Based Intervention Team, Threat Assessment and School Safety Liaison Team meetings, as needed;
- Provide active supervision to students in the hallway, lunchroom, and recreational areas.
- Observe and draft observation notes on incidents that occur within the building or facility, including documenting / reporting damage to property via available technology applications;
- Lead/support students and staff during restorative practices;
- Work with other Student Safety Coaches to communicate and problem solve situations together that occur through the school day;
- Follow district procedures and policies;
- Follow and fulfill daily documentation requirements, which may include but is not limited to paper-based forms, or computer or web-based electronic applications;
- Help create and maintain a working relationship with the local police and fire and rescue departments;
- Coordinate in the development and implementation of action plans to provide a safe environment and immediate response to imminent threats of violence, criminal incidents, emergency medical incidents, vehicular accidents, and others;
- Coordinate with school administrators to process serious violations of the codes of school conduct which include but are not limited to narcotics, tobacco, or alcohol;
- Coordinate with school administration with investigations that include but are not limited to accidents, behavioral incidents, and issues related to harassment, discrimination, and violations of school board policy;
- Conduct, document and report findings of inspections, reviews and audits of buildings, grounds, and student and staff procedures (i.e. drills) to ensure security and safety through compliance with State and local codes and regulations; communicate with police and fire department personnel as needed;
- Reset alarm systems and test for proper operation as necessary;
- Respond to fire and burglar alarms;
- Coordinates with staff, police, and emergency personnel in handling emergencies or disruptive situations for which school administration has determined warrants the intervention of law enforcement or emergency personnel;
- Coordinates with school administration and staff to ensure the security of the building though implementation, monitoring and review of visitor protocols;
- Notify the school administration or, if circumstances warrant, law enforcement or appropriate emergency personnel of any emergency, incident, or potentially dangerous situation for which police, and/or appropriate emergency personnel may be needed;
- Assist administration and staff with home visits, as needed;
- Supports students, school, and division with efforts to prevent and address truancy;
- Perform any duties and responsibilities that are within the scope of employment, as assigned by their supervisor, and not otherwise prohibited by law or regulation.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
Knowledge of: De-escalation techniques; Holds and restraints, always relying on least restrictive interventions; Trauma informed practices; Restorative practices; Basic First Aid, required; Principles, practices, and techniques employed in establishing and maintaining building security.
Skills to: Operate a variety of security and safety equipment including fire extinguishers, mobile phones, school security camera systems, and hand-held radios; Effectively communicate, orally and in writing with individuals and through mass communication; Effectively work with students, parents, and staff of diverse ethnic/racial and socioeconomic backgrounds; Understanding childhood trauma and effectively work with students in a trauma sensitive school environment; Demonstrate problem solving and responsible decision-making; Observe and detect unusual occurrences or behavior; Communicate bilingually in Spanish and English, is preferred.
Ability to: Physically intervene with physically aggressive students using proper procedures and equipment; Proactively identify and suggest ways to reduce safety risks and liability, prevent and manage workplace violence and improve school-community relations relating to safety; Coach, direct, and receive feedback to inform staff in times of crisis/physical intervention while following IEPs or Personalized Learning Plans; Provide de-escalation techniques to students who are upset, distressed, distraught or dysregulated; Work closely with building administrators to provide building security; Communicate with administration about all safety concerns, critical incidents, restrictive procedures, and any type of weapon that gets confiscated; Recognize, identify, and intervene when students are becoming aggressive, or disorderly, due to behavior or emotional decompensation; Provide, in rare instances, physical security intervention practices to detain, confine, or restrain physically aggressive students only when necessary (Always using least restrictive techniques); Coordinate emergency preparedness activities, drills, and safety committees in collaboration with the building administrator.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- A bachelor’s degree in psychology, counseling, social work, law enforcement, criminal justice, or related field or any combination of related education or experience equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree.
- One year of related experience required. Successful completion of the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services School Security Officer Training and Certification is required after 24 months of employment.
- Possesses a valid driver’s license by his or her state of residence to operate a motor vehicle. Must be eligible to transport students in a vehicle.
PHYSICAL CONDITIONS AND NATURE OF WORK CONTACTS:
Work is typically performed in a school setting with some work in an office setting. Exposure to stressful situations, such as demanding students, visitors, public. There is regular involvement with professional partners, evaluators, school principals, administrators, staff, and community members. Frequent need to motivate, establish rapport, gain support, persuade or influence individuals and groups. Requires extensive walking, standing, running and frequent heavy lifting and pushing. The conditions of this work will require the candidate to be able to concentrate on work tasks amidst distraction, such as distractions from telephone, customers, co-workers, etc. The conditions of this work will require the candidate to exert self-control in very difficult situations or when dealing with difficult people. There may be occasions when employees in this job classification may receive minor injuries as a result of students acting out, hitting, throwing objects, scratching and hair pulling. The employee may have to physically restrain some students.
PG 16 Exempt 2025-26
