Parent Liaison

Grand Rapids Public Schools•Grand Rapids, MI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

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.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in education, social work, counseling, psychology, or a related field.
Minimum of three (3) years of relevant experience.
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.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in education, social work, counseling, psychology, or a related field.

Responsibilities

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.