Parent Liaison

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were written out in this job description.

GRPS MISSION: Our mission is to ensure that all scholars are educated, self-directed and productive members of society.

Parent Liaison

Department: Community & Scholar Affairs
Bargaining Unit: Support Non-Exempt
Wage: Compensation range listed is based on an average 1-15 years of experience, as determined by Human Resources
Grade 207 - Specific salary based on relevant years of experience
Direct Supervisor: Director of Community & Scholar Affairs

JOB SUMMARY
The Parent Liaison works to bridge the gap between parents, the school, and the district by helping parents get the information and support they need to ensure their child's academic and social success. Parents will have someone to help them navigate the process of re-entry after their scholar has been suspended or expelled. This position will work directly with community agencies to ensure that parents are aware of resources that will help their scholars become re-engaged with the educational process and environment.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Essential functions under the Americans with Disabilities Act may include any of the following duties, knowledge, and skills. This list is illustrative only and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by employees in this position. Regular on time and in person attendance is an essential function of this job. Other essential functions may include, but are not limited to the following:
• The position is full-time and reports to the Director of Community and Scholar Affairs
• Provide support services to parents and families of scholars who struggle with academic and social-emotional needs.
• Connect parents/guardians to in-district and community resources, including counseling services for the family.
• Provide parents/guardians with information about district policies and practices that will help their scholar in the future.
• Collaborate with parents/guardians in the decision-making/planning process designed to impact their scholar's academic and social growth.
• Assist parents/guardians, utilizing a team approach, in assessing and implementing an appropriate intervention plan.
• Maintain connection with parents/guardians to follow-up to ensure that all suspension conditions are being met.
• Conduct restorative re-entry meetings with parents and building staff to ensure that parents/guardians and scholars feel connected once the scholar returns to the building.
• Provide scholars, parents/guardians, and staff with support after scholars are back in the educational environment.
• Connect scholars and parents/guardians with specific support staff who will be their point-person in the building.
• Conduct restorative conferences with parents/guardians who have conflicts with the district staff.
• Work with building administrators and various staff to support scholars to build relationships.
• Provide training for parents and district staff on how to conduct various restorative practices.
• Work with Administrators to ensure that parents and scholars are aware of the District's policies and procedures.
• Provide training to staff on how to better connect with parents/guardians who feel marginalized.
• Ensure that scholars and parents/guardians are aware of options that allow scholars to continue their education while they are on long-term suspension or expulsion.
• Conduct home visits when necessary.
• Work with school counselors to ensure that parents/guardians and scholars are aware of academic requirements, including but not limited to: classes required, credits required, seat time required, assignments and assessments required, as well as post-secondary options.
• Survey and collect data from parent/guardians regarding how to best engage with them and support them. Data may include but is not limited to scholar achievement, attendance, scholar behavior, parent participation in events and meetings, and parent surveys.
• Work with the Office of Family Engagement on parent training.
• Interact with co-workers, administrators, parents, scholars and the community in a positive, supportive and cooperative ways.
• Actively participate, support and attend Parent/Community Engagement activities.
• Consistently demonstrate dependable attendance and punctuality.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Education and Experience:
• Bachelor's degree in education, social work, counseling, psychology, or a related field.
• Minimum of three (3) years of relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Master's degree in education, social work, counseling, psychology, or a related field.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Demonstrated experience working with at-risk, urban scholars and families
• Working knowledge of Windows based programs.
• Demonstrated experience engaging parents and connecting parents to various resources.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively function as a professional team member.
• Demonstrated excellent communication skills (oral and written).
• Demonstrated ability to deal with the multiplicity of an urban community population.
• Working knowledge of the District's e-mail, scholar systems or the willingness and the ability to learn.
• Demonstrated excellent organizational skills.
• Demonstrated excellent leadership skills.
• Demonstrated excellent attendance and punctuality
• Demonstrated ability to work with confidential information and maintain a high degree of confidentiality.

ADA REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands, work environment factors, and mental functions described below 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.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, talk, and hear (in a quiet or noisy environment). The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust/focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
The noise level in the work environment is usually loud to moderate. Work is performed indoors although there will be required outdoor activities. The employee is directly responsible for the safety, well-being, and work output of scholars.

MENTAL FUNCTIONS
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to compare, analyze, communicate both orally and in writing, copy, coordinate, instruct, compute, synthesize, evaluate, use interpersonal skills, compile and negotiate.

Non-Discrimination
The Grand Rapids Public Schools will not discriminate against any person based on race, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, height, weight, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, disability, veteran, or military status.

Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations: Assistance with the application process may be requested through the Human Resources Department at (616) 819-2022 or humanresources@grps.org.