Graduation Coach - Interim @ Bessemer City High Tech and Industrial Engineering Academy

Definition An employee in this position will identify characteristics of potential dropouts.  The Graduation Coach will collaborate with feeder middle school(s) to develop strategies for identifying potential dropouts to target middle school students at high risk for dropping out and/or not graduating.  This employee will utilize school improvement data to identify students scoring significantly below proficiency levels.
Duties and Responsibilities • Conducts an analysis focusing on data for individual students and student subgroups such as: o State standardized tests o National standardized tests:  SAT and ACT o Local records:  attendance records, behavior records, records of teacher conferences, SSMT (Student Services Management Team) meeting minutes, grade retention records, and records of credits earned. • Develops and implement individual intervention strategies to increase the likelihood that at-risk students will stay in school and graduate. • Works with students to develop individual graduation and achievement plans to best meet academic and postsecondary goals. • Coordinates a transition program for incoming 9th graders to successfully adapt to the rigor of high school. • Develops a “Graduation Team” for students identified at greatest risk of not graduating that includes at least one administrator, two teachers, and support personnel. • Connects individual students and their parents with programs to help them learn how to prepare for and attain post-secondary goals. • Develops a local mentoring program with business partners and connect high-risk students with mentors. • Tracks longitudinal progress of students and subpopulations of students as they progress toward graduation. • Provides training to parents of students as being at risk of not graduating. • Provides training to middle and high school teachers and the youth’s parents/guardians on support measures for youth identifies as at risk of not graduating. • Works with faculty and administrators to adapt curriculum and instruction to meet the needs of identified at-risk students. • Identifies and links area social agencies with youth at risk of not graduating and their parents/guardians. • Trains middle and high school teachers on the components of an effective “Teachers as Advisors” program; Conducts quarterly vertical team meetings among elementary, middle, and high school faculty and staff to develop action steps to improve individual student and subgroup transition success rates. • Attends, participates, and redelivers, as appropriate, all professional learning pertaining to successful high school completion. • Develops partnerships with community organizations to support the goals of the high school reform and Smaller Learning Communities initiatives. • Conducts ongoing analysis of data regarding program effectiveness such as: o Which interventions were most utilized in achievement plans created for each at-risk student and what are the success rates; o Numbers and percentages of at-risk students who met part or all of their goals in their academic plan; and, o Numbers and percentages of identified at-risk students in the school broken down by contributing factors and rationale for why the numbers are higher or lower than the state average. • Compiles data and other information for various local, state, or federal reports. • Maintains appropriate files and documentation as required by law. • Performs other related work/activities as required by the position or as requested by the supervisor.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities • Considerable knowledge of local, state, and federal policies and procedures regarding education. • Considerable knowledge of the organization and communication channels of the school system. • Considerable knowledge of ethical guidelines applicable to the position as outlined by professional organizations and/or federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations. • Considerable knowledge of the principles of supervision, organization, and administration. • General knowledge of the Common Core and Essential Standards/North Carolina Standard Course of Study. • Working knowledge of appropriate strategies for reducing behaviors that place students at risk of not graduating from high school. • Knowledge of available alternative education opportunities such as credit recovery, etc. • Skilled in listening and developing relationships with a broad range of audience