Social Emotional Learning Specialist

  • STRIVE Prep
  • Denver, CO
  • Sep 01, 2021
Full time Education

Job Description

Position: Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialist
Reports to: Principal 
Department: Mental Health Team (MHT)
Location: STRIVE Prep - Kepner Middle School (Southwest Denver)
Salary: $52,000 - $70,000 based on years of experience + $2,500 added to your base upon successful completion of your LCSW (not required) + a $3,000 signing bonus.

STRIVE Prep is a Denver-based community of public charter schools that challenges every student to strive for college and thrive throughout life by helping them to discover and develop the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary to succeed in college and beyond. We encourage you to read our 2021 Impact Report and learn more about what a career at STRIVE Prep is like here

We seek dedicated educators that live STRIVE Prep’s core values of achievement, justice, & perseverance every day and are committed to growing as an anti-racist educator

POSITION SUMMARY

The SEL Specialist promotes the social-emotional wellness of students and staff through programming that supports a positive culture and climate, coordinates universal social-emotional instruction, and provides evidence-based targeted supports. The SEL specialist supports students across the continuum with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). This support may include, but is not limited to, one-on-one support, group work, small group counseling, classroom and teacher support, and collaborative problem solving with both prevention and intervention models. The SEL Specialist supports the effective implementation of the network’s SEL vision. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
INTEGRATED MTSS STRUCTURES AND PROCESSES

  • Lead and partner with school staff and school community to build a positive school culture and climate by coordinating universal social-emotional programming and supports such as universal SEL instruction, data-based decision making, safe school planning, professional development, and facilitation of tier 2 supports, which may include psychoeducational counseling groups
  • Support assigned campus with establishing an integrated MTSS team 
  • Organize and facilitate the administration of the school-wide social-emotional and behavioral screener (i.e., Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BASC-3 BESS)) during 2-3 benchmark windows throughout the school year
  • As a member of the integrated MTSS team, analyze a variety of data to identify needs for social-emotional programming and continuously improve existing social-emotional programming 
  • Monitor and adapt to student response to academic, behavioral, and social-emotional intervention 
  • Celebrate and learn from performance gains and systemic improvement
  • In collaboration with the mental health team, culture team, and school leadership team, analyze school-wide trends around attendance, behavior/discipline data, and safety responses and develop and lead initiatives to address challenges and social-emotional wellness
  • Invest in and directly support stakeholders in developing the school-level infrastructure necessary for the implementation of social-emotional programming and interventions
  • Serve as the social-emotional learning expert, providing expert in and direct facilitation of social-emotional programs and interventions
  • Work with teachers and school staff to support students’ individual needs through teacher consultation, team meetings, and MTSS process

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL PROGRAMMING AND SUPPORTS 

  • Provide evidence-based, age/grade/developmentally appropriate social-emotional interventions to students in small group and one-on-one settings 
  • In collaboration with integrated MTSS team, culture team, mental health team, and school leadership implement systems and routines that create a safe, predictable, and welcoming school and classroom culture
  • Lead implementation of assigned school-wide campus social-emotional program, including direct facilitation of the program and support for teachers with the internalization and implementation of assigned campus social-emotional curriculum (e.g., lead implementation fidelity checks)
  • Respect for diversity in the home, school, local and global communities.

TARGETED, RESPONSIVE COACHING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND CLASSROOM CULTURE

  • Develop and provide professional learning or content for adult learners 
  • Support teachers in building meaningful relationships with students and families
  • Provide coaching, modeling, and ongoing consultation with behavioral and social-emotional interventions

PREVENTATIVE AND RESPONSIVE CRISIS SERVICES

  • Collaborates with school personnel, parents, students, and community resources to provide competent mental health support during and after crisis situations and support network crisis responses as needed and follow ERCM network response team procedures
  • Conducts suicide risk reviews and self-injury inventory process according to training and best practices (e.g., follow protocol, inform parents, provide recommendations and referrals to community services, and often provide follow up counseling and support at school)
  • Participates in threat response system process according to training and best practices 
  • As appropriate, offers families resources and referrals for services in the community and support families in navigating those services 

OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED

  • Current School Counselor endorsement on a valid Colorado License or hold current CDE Special Services Provider License with a School Psychologist or School Social Worker endorsement 
  • If an applicant does not hold a current relevant CDE License, must be willing to pursue and be eligible to receive licensure in their field within 2 years of employment. The applicant could start with obtaining their TEE by that timeline if needed
  • Learn more here

REQUIREMENTS

  • Master’s degree in counseling, school psychologist, social worker, or another related mental health field
  • A commitment to the social-emotional well-being of all scholars and the culture of the school. If the opening is located at any of the following STRIVE Prep campuses: Kepner, Montbello, Green Valley Ranch, or Federal this position will utilize the COMPASS: Valor's Social-Emotional Approach. We encourage you to check out this amazing program! 
  • Speaks at least conversational Spanish and has experience working with and supporting Emergent Bilinguals 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • At least 2 years of urban school-based experience in the area(s) of mental health, intervention, special education, counseling, and/or school culture
  • Experience with data collection and analysis
  • Demonstrated success working with students of color and students with varied abilities 
  • Experience in Title I and/or charter schools
  • Training and experience with effective, research-based behavioral interventions and strategies for supporting urban youth 
  • Experience leading and managing adults 

INTERVIEW EXPECTATIONS

For most of our positions, we hire on a rolling basis. Therefore, we recommend that you submit your application as soon as you are able. Most processes include a 30 minute phone interview with a member of our Talent Team then a 1-2 hour final interview over Zoom unless otherwise noted by your interviewer. You can read more about our process as well as get tips on preparing for an interview here!  

TOTAL REWARDS

  • Competitive Compensation and benefits including paying 100% of individual benefits. 
  • On average, our network provides a 4% annual salary increase which is one of the highest in the Denver education market. 
  • STRIVE Prep 5 Year Club: After 5 years of continual employment, all employees are eligible for your choice of a 3 weeks paid Sabbatical or a pay out. 
  • Industry high 6+ weeks of annual vacation/PTO. Hard work is rewarded with ample time to refresh. 
  • Participation in the Colorado PERA retirement program, including a PERA 401k option.
  • Opportunity to work with passionate, mission-driven colleagues who are invested in your personal and professional growth. 
  • Equipment provided: laptop
  • Weekly coaching sessions 

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

STRIVE Prep is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other status protected by law or regulation. STRIVE Prep works to make a college preparatory education for all students in our community the norm, rather than the exception. To achieve this we are committed to building and sustaining a diverse team by maintaining hiring and recruiting processes that are free from bias. 

Not interested but know someone who would be a great fit? Refer them here and earn $200 for each successful hire! 

Occupations

Other, Junior-High School, Mental Health

Salary

$52,000 - $70,000 based on years of experience + $2,500 added to your base upon successful completion of your LCSW (not required) + a $3,000 signing bonus.

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