Native American Student Engagement Specialist

Fargo Public Schools•Fargo, ND

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Student Engagement Specialist serves as a culturally responsive engagement professional dedicated to supporting students in grades 6-8 through mentoring, family engagement, culturally grounded programming, and collaboration with school teams. This position promotes academic achievement, school attendance, cultural identity, and school connectedness through collaboration with students, families, and school staff.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in education, human services, Native American or Indigenous studies, youth development, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
Experience working with adolescents and engaging families in a school, community, or youth-serving setting.
Demonstrated knowledge of Native American cultures and culturally responsive practices.
Ability to build trusting relationships, facilitate student groups, collaborate with school and community partners, and maintain confidential records.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with Native American youth and families, preferably at the middle school level.
Experience facilitating Warrior Circles, restorative practices, or other culturally grounded group activities.
Knowledge of school-based student support systems, family engagement, and community resources.
Experience collaborating with Native American communities, tribal representatives, or Native-serving organizations.

Responsibilities

Participates in middle school MTSS-SEB and student-support teams, as appropriate, to identify student needs, coordinate culturally responsive Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports, monitor student progress, and align services across school, family, and community systems.
Develops trusting, positive relationships with students through regular mentoring, check-ins, and engagement activities.
Collaborates with students, families, school staff, and community partners to identify barriers to success, coordinate supports and interventions, and connect students with appropriate resources.
Encourages student self-advocacy, leadership development, positive decision-making, goal setting, and a strong sense of cultural identity, belonging, and school connectedness.
Facilitates Warrior Circles and other culturally responsive activities that promote peer support, social-emotional growth, restorative problem-solving, and relationship-building through Indigenous teachings and cultural knowledge.
Cultivates youth leadership by providing opportunities for students to participate in and co-facilitate culturally grounded activities and discussions.
Maintains fidelity to Warrior Circle practices, program expectations, and established implementation guidelines.
Maintains accurate and confidential documentation of student participation, mentoring contacts, Warrior Circles, family engagement, referrals, interventions, and other program services, and contributes information required for program monitoring and grant reporting.
Collaborates with tribal representatives, Native-serving organizations, cultural knowledge keepers, and other community partners, as appropriate, to strengthen culturally grounded supports and connections for students and families.
Develops and implements proactive family-engagement strategies, which may include regular caregiver communication, participation in conferences and school events, caregiver circles, and home visits coordinated with school-based staff.
Assists in the planning and execution of cultural events, as needed.
Collaborates with building administrators and school staff to support and monitor student attendance, school engagement, belonging, behavioral progress, and progress toward academic goals.
Participates in staff meetings and trainings as required by the Native American Education Coordinator or building administration.
Supports school staff in strengthening culturally responsive engagement of Native American students and families through consultation, modeling, resources, and learning opportunities developed in collaboration with the Native American Education Coordinator.