Education & Enrichment Specialist

PATHWAYS YOUTH & FAMILY SERVICES INC•San Antonio, TX

1d•$19 - $24•Onsite

About The Position

The Education & Enrichment Specialist supports the holistic development and well-being of children in Pathways Habilitative Homes. The role serves as an education liaison, identifying and coordinating children’s educational needs with schools, communicating with caregivers and school personnel, and supporting children with learning activities and schoolwork. The specialist also plans and delivers developmentally appropriate enrichment activities intended to foster purpose, satisfaction, social connection, cognitive function, and independence. The specialist coordinates volunteer activities and works with program leadership and case managers to address educational and behavioral needs. Responsibilities include maintaining education and activity records, supporting school enrollment and attendance documentation, participating in school meetings, and helping transport children when needed. The position is full-time, hourly and eligible for overtime, with a minimum of 40 hours per week, including late hours and/or weekends as needed. Local travel is required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
Ability to be resourceful, innovative, and proactive.
Ability to think independently and make decisions under pressure.
Ability to organize daily work by priority.
Ability to support the agency’s culture, growth, and success through communication, accountability, and positivity.
Ability to work efficiently and effectively independently and as part of a team.
Ability to accept feedback through supervision and willingness to learn, grow, and improve.
Competence using Microsoft Word, Excel, the Internet, and other software applications.
Ability to maintain confidential and sensitive information.
Valid Texas Type C driver’s license and at least three years of driving experience.
Access to reliable transportation and proof of current auto insurance.
Cleared motor vehicle driving record.
Three employment references.
Cleared background check and signed affidavit.
Current cleared tuberculosis test results, dated within 12 months before employment.
Cleared drug test.
Working cellular telephone available at all times.
With or without reasonable accommodation, ability to see, hear, read, speak, and write clearly; use a computer for extended periods; and perform frequent sitting and manual dexterity tasks.
Ability to frequently bend, stoop, reach, lift, carry, pull, climb, and kneel while interacting with children, and spend approximately half of the time walking or standing.
Ability to hear, speak, and see well enough to respond quickly in emergencies.
Ability to recognize the needs and moods of non-verbal children and distinguish between angry and combative behavior and between tones and volumes in conversation.
Ability to maintain a calm demeanor in tense situations and use de-escalation skills as trained.
Ability to participate in field trips and indoor and outdoor recreation and social activities as needed.
Ability to occasionally lift and move up to 25 pounds.
Ability to review data and format it into meaningful reports and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

Serve as the point of contact for each child’s teachers and other school personnel, including responding to calls from schools and district offices.
Communicate regularly with school principals, teachers, and staff about classroom activities, student behavior, progress, and challenges.
Share relevant educational information with the Program Administrator, Treatment Director, and Case Managers, and coordinate responses to schools and districts as needed.
Register and enroll children in school and maintain complete educational records and portfolios in accordance with applicable standards, district policy, and administrative regulations.
Support and monitor children as they complete learning activities, assignments, and homework, using virtual learning technology when necessary.
Attend Admission Review and Dismissal (ARD) meetings virtually or in person and assess educational progress and school district adherence to each child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
Attend monthly school district meetings.
Coordinate and document school absence notifications, obtain required documentation, and forward it to the child’s school.
Obtain school documentation needed for incident reports and communicate with schools about incidents or injuries at Hab Homes that may result in a report to the child abuse and neglect hotline.
Upload educational documents and school correspondence, including ARD reports and report cards, into extendedReach.
Assist with transporting children to and from school when necessary, including when behavioral or medical issues require pickup during the school day.
Assist program leadership in developing strategies to address behavioral challenges.
Collaborate with program leadership and Case Managers to develop and implement creative, engaging enrichment activities appropriate to children’s developmental and educational needs.
Assist in selecting and ordering books, equipment, and other instructional materials for enrichment activities.
Provide information to Case Managers to update children’s Service Plans, both proactively and when requested.
Assess children’s progress and adjust programs as needed.
Foster an environment that supports socialization, communication, and independence, and ensure a safe and inclusive setting for children, staff, visitors, and stakeholders.
Create and maintain personalized monthly recreation calendars featuring onsite and off-campus activities that promote community engagement and independence.
Oversee daily enrichment activities, particularly during summer and on weekends; this may include planning calendars, implementing programs, transporting children to off-campus activities, and documenting activities in shift logs or other required forms.
Design a volunteer program and coordinate and track volunteers and volunteer opportunities that benefit the program and children.