Reports to: Head of School

Team: Programmatic Leadership Team (PLT)

Hours:

• 1^st & 3^rd Sunday: 6pm – 11pm
• Monday: 8am – 5pm
• Tuesday: 1pm – 10pm
• Wednesday: 1pm – 9pm
• Thursday: 8am – 5pm
• 2^nd & 4^th Friday: 8am – 1pm

Classification: 12-month employee

About SEED:

The mission of SEED schools is to prepare students academically, socially, and emotionally, for success in and beyond college in a public, college-prep, boarding school setting.

Based on the success of the first two schools in The SEED School network, one in Washington, D.C. and one in Baltimore, Maryland, The SEED School of Miami opened its doors to 60 founding students in the sixth grade in August 2014. At full scale, SEED Miami will grow to serve 400 students in grades 6-12, 100 percent of whom will come from underserved communities across South Florida.

As outlined in Florida legislation, an eligible SEED Miami student are all Florida residents, at risk of academic failure, and come from a family whose income is below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. They must also meet at least one of the below four additional risk factors:

• The child is served under the child welfare waiver demonstration, (to include foster care) or has been declared an adjudicated dependent by a court
• The student’s head of household is not the student’s custodial parent
• The student resides in a household that receives a housing voucher or has been determined eligible for public housing assistance
• A member of the student’s immediate family has been incarcerated

All students live on campus between Sunday afternoon and Friday afternoon and transportation is provided back and forth to home and school on the weekends.

* More information can be found on the school’s website: www.miami.seedschool.org

Position Overview

The Director of Student Support Services holds a central position within SEED’s boarding school community leading the effective coordination of services (school-based and contracted) related to our students’ social-emotional wellbeing, psychological stability, physical health, and behavioral needs. Under the direction of this senior leader, SEED is committed to individualized student support services and coordinated communication between students, parents, and practitioners to support our students’ success.

The Director of Student Support Services is responsible for oversight of the following departments:

1. Mental Health Services
2. Behavioral Health Services
3. Physical Health Services
4. Attendance Services
5. Family & Community Resources

He/she maintains responsibility for establishing and refining the structures and systems that will shape student supports for years to come at SEED. The Director brings a wealth of expertise and best practices that enables them to effectively marshal SEED’s resources and implement critical services to support our students as they work to achieve their goals for college and life. Reporting to the Head of School, the DSSS leads the management, implementation, coordination, assessment, and daily administration of student support services.

As a member of the school leadership team, the Director of Student Support Services works closely with the Middle and High School Directors of Academic Affairs, Middle and High School Directors of Student Affairs, Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management, and Head of School to provide seamless support to students throughout their SEED School experience. The Director participates in on-going assessment and evaluation of school progress and needs, development of action plans for improvement, and implementation of strategies resulting in improved outcomes and results.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Department Leadership

• Lead the hiring, support, and management of a Student Support Team (SST) comprised of: Mental Health Counselors, school nurses, Dean of School Culture and Climate, School-Community Resource Coordinator, and other contracted student support staff.
• Use data to inform practice and to make decisions; work with colleagues across departments to provide student growth and school performance data analysis.
• Lead and facilitate the SST in the development of individualized success plans for students that are appropriate in addressing a child’s total needs, utilization of evidence- based intervention strategies and programs, monitoring the fidelity of implementation of services, and measuring student progress towards individual goals.
• Develop and implement accountability systems which reflect the mission and values of the school, including outcomes-based programming and staff evaluation plans that clearly articulate expectations.
• Assist in external relationship management, including public and private agencies that relate to student services; coordinate the services provided to students on and off the school campus.
• Manage compliance regulations and respond to compliance requirements (of the state, school district, or other public and private agencies) in a timely and thorough fashion.
• Establish routines, systems, and protocols for the school in collaboration with the Head of School to respond to circumstances including instances of student emergency such as physical illness, concern of self-harm, mandated reporting, and risky behaviors.

• Develop partnerships with off-campus providers and resources to share with families.
• Lead the SST in the development of proactive strategies (curriculum, parent education, group talk, etc.) to prevent or reduce risky behaviors.
• Prepare annual operating budget for the student support office and manage expenditures within the annual budget.
• Lead, coach, and supervise the student support staff for continuous improvement in meeting the diverse needs of students through ongoing professional development.
• Work in collaboration with school leaders and all members of the SEED community to build and sustain a culture of student growth and achievement in the areas of social skill development, emotional health, and academic accomplishment.
• Partner with parents and caregivers of all SEED students to build trusting, coordinated, and collaborative supports through regular communication of information and progress.

Mental Health Services

• Lead, supervise, and manage the school counseling team
• Ensure that counseling services are provided to students through primary and secondary intervention strategies
• Ensure that the delivery of services to students is implemented consistently and effectively and is well planned and thoughtfully coordinated
• Generate protocol for all staff to have access to appropriate and relevant information regarding a student’s needs and emotional wellbeing
• Develop partnerships with community resources that support the mental health needs of SEED students and families
• Oversee the implementation of monthly Family Workshops

Behavioral Health Services

In collaboration with the Dean of School Culture and Climate, the Director of Student Support Services will:

• Guide the school culture and climate team
• Ensure that behavioral supports provided to students are consistent and aligned with other student support services being delivered
• Adhere to the Model of Care in his/her interactions with students and assist in coaching staff to properly utilize this method in their own spaces
• Contribute to a positive student-adult school culture

Physical Health Services

• Lead, supervise, and manage the school health services team
• Develop and implement programming that promotes healthy lifestyles
• Oversee the careful delivery of healthcare for each student

• Manage the School Based Health Clinic (SBHC)
• Work with each family to discuss, assess, determine, and identify the specific healthcare needs and issues for each student
• Collaborate with local hospitals and community healthcare providers to develop emergency protocols, points of contact, and all other healthcare needs of students
• Collaborate with food service to plan healthy meals and snacks for students and faculty
• Train relevant staff on protocols for medication management and specific student health care procedures
• Plan annual CPR training for all staff
• Ensure that all students are up to date on immunizations and input this information into DSIS according to District protocol and deadlines
• Refine documentation & filing systems for medication administration, student health forms, and other relevant paperwork
• Identify opportunities for students to exercise and lead physically active lives in collaboration with the Directors of Student Affairs and Head of School

Attendance & Community Resource Services

• Lead, supervise, and manage the School-Community Resource Coordinator
• Ensure that daily attendance reports are generated and submitted to the District according to protocol
• Lead the truancy response team according to the processes and procedures outlined in the school handbook
• Coordinate with the Head of School and Director of Admissions to ensure that FTE week requirements are met
• Support the SCRC in developing a Parent Resource Center in the school lobby
• Oversee the process of Friday Folder distribution

Other Professional Duties

• Participate as a member of the Programmatic Leadership Team
• Adhere to the professional and ethical standards as outlined in the SEED Miami Staff Manual
• Model the school’s Core Values (Respect, Self-Discipline, Compassion, Responsibility, Integrity, and Gratitude) in all environments and times and in their interactions with all school stakeholders
• Engage in home visits (according to the protocol and expectations outlined in the staff handbook)
• Other duties as assigned

Core Competencies

• An ability to exercise patience, professionalism, and support towards students, staff and families
• Strong organization skills and a relentless pursuit of excellence
• The ability to build positive and deep relationships with students, parents, and staff
• The ability to effectively analyze data and utilize data to drive practice
• An unyielding belief in all children’s ability to achieve excellence

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in education, social sciences, psychology, or applicable field.
• Licensed in school counseling, psychology, social work, or applicable field.
• Three to five years of experience in administration, supervision, and program development.
• Knowledge of social, emotional, and cognitive development as well as health/medical needs of students in grades 6-12.
• Experience working with diverse students and their families.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills required, with demonstrated strengths in report writing and oral presentations.
• Must be knowledgeable in the use of technology to develop and maintain systems and processes.

Required Attributes

• Dedicated. You are committed to the SEED School mission and vision: the belief that with the right resources any child can complete college and achieve his or her dreams.
• Accountable. Your personal integrity is unquestioned. You keep your word, have exceptional follow-through, and own your mistakes. You believe in high standards and continuous improvement. You have impeccable judgment.
• Rapport builder. You have a strong moral and ethical character, with the ability to develop positive and lasting relationships. You consistently engender confidence and trust. You are genuine and compassionate.
• Great Communicator. You are an active listener and have an exceptional ability to communicate with stakeholders and build confidence at all levels. You are perceived as being accessible, engaging, and highly visible. You possess strong writing skills. You are able to appropriately balance transparent communication with an understanding and respect of the confidentiality and privacy mandated by law.
• Problem Solver. You have the ability to analyze data and develop innovative approaches to solve issues. You smoothly manage through ambiguity and are able to shape answers to questions when no template exists. You easily shift gears and reprioritize as needed.
• Team Player. You have a collaborative and inclusive work style; you are comfortable sharing both information and credit.
• Enthusiastic. You possess a high level of energy and enthusiasm. You totally immerse yourself in your work and take pride in a job done exceptionally well.