TITLE:  Graduation Coach

REPORTS TO:  Commerce High School Principal

JOB OBJECTIVES:

The Graduation Coach will engage in a planning process of providing assistance to all high school students, individually and in groups, regarding high school graduation and postsecondary plans.  Each high school Graduation Coach provides full-time services related to high school graduation assistance activities, including but not limited to working with students, school faculty and staff, parents, or guardians, and community members.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (Functions essential to attaining job objectives): Generally, a high school Graduation Coach shall work to improve graduation rates for all population subgroups within the school by performing identified duties and responsibilities. In addition to the essential job functions outlined above, the Graduation Coach will perform the following job functions:

Strategic Goal #1 –Student Achievement

1. Utilize the profile of characteristics of potential dropouts developed by the Georgia Department of Education to identify high school students with the high probability of not graduating

2. Collaborate with feeder middle school to utilize the profile of characteristics of potential dropouts developed by the Georgia Department of Education to identify middle school students with the high probability of not graduating 

3. Employ the Georgia Department of Education School Improvement Data Utilization Guide to identify students scoring within a band of 5% above and 5% below proficiency levels (“bubble students”)

4. Employ the Georgia Department of Education School Improvement Data Utilization Guide to identify students scoring significantly below proficiency levels 

5. Conduct an analysis that focuses on data for individual students and subgroups such as:

●        Locally administered assessments: iReady and MAPS

●        State Standardized Tests: EOG and EOC

●        National Standardized Tests: SAT and ACT

●        Local Records: attendance records, behavior records, records of teacher conferences, records of parent conferences, records of student conferences, MTSS meeting minutes, grade retention records, and transcript records of credits earned

6. Develop and implement intervention strategies and individual achievement plans to increase the likelihood that these students will stay in school and graduate

7. Work with feeder middle school to help 8^th grade students develop a 6-year plan which includes their path to graduation, as well as college and/or career goals

8. Progress-monitor individual and subpopulations of students as they progress toward graduation

9. Conduct and analyze on-going formative and summative evaluation data of program effectiveness such as:

●        What interventions were most utilized in achievement plans created for each at risk student

●        Number and percent of at-risk students who met part or all of their goals in their academic plan

●        Number and percent of identified at risk students in the school compared to total school population and rationale for why the number/percent is higher or lower than the state average

Strategic Goal Area II – Stakeholder Engagement and Loyalty

1. Work with students to develop a graduation and achievement plan to include the best program to meet academic and post-secondary goals

2. Develop a “Graduation Team” for each identified student that minimally includes an administrator, two teachers, a counselor and/or school social worker or a representative from a local support or mentoring agency

3. Connect individual students and their parents with programs such as Communities in Schools, GAFutures, as well as area Technical Colleges

4. Work with Legacy Youth Mentoring to recruit business partners as mentors and connect individual students with mentors when needed

5. Provide training to parents of students identified as being at risk of not graduating

6. Identify and link area social agencies with youth at risk of not graduating and their parents/guardians

7. Conduct quarterly vertical team meetings among middle and high school faculty and staff to develop action steps to improve individual student and subgroup transition success rates

8. Develop partnerships with community organizations to support the goals of the high school graduation initiative

9. Communicate effectively with students, peers, administration, parents and public

10. Exhibit pleasant behavior and project a positive image when dealing with dealing with students, peers, administration, parents and public

11. Follow and enforce regulations concerning student conduct, discipline and attendance

Strategic Goal Area III – Efficient and Effective Operational Processes

1. Coordinate a transition program for 9th graders to successfully adapt to the scheduling and rigor of high school

2. Work with faculty and administrators to adapt curriculum and instruction to meet the needs of identified at risk students

3. Work with faculty and administrators to adapt curriculum and instruction to meet the needs of identified college bound students

Strategic Goal Area IV – Continuous System and School Improvement

1. Provide training to middle school and high school teachers on support measures that work with youth identified as at risk of not graduating and the youth’s parents/guardians

2. Train middle school and high school teachers on the components of an effective TAA -“teachers as advisors” program

3. Attend, participate, and redeliver as appropriate all required high school Graduation Coach training provided by the Department of Education and/or its collaborative partners

4. Work collaboratively with stakeholders to ensure student success

5. Assumes and performs all other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Principal

OTHER EXPECTATIONS:

1.  Adhere to the Code of Ethics for Educators in Georgia

2. Demonstrate prompt and regular attendance /timeliness

3. Complete assignments and requirements on time and in compliance with directions

4. Maintain accurate, complete, and appropriate records and file reports promptly

5. Maintain confidentiality of information and records for students and staff

JOB STANDARDS (Minimum qualifications needed to perform essential job functions):

1. Hold or be eligible for any certificate offered by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission

2. At least three years experience in working with high school students at any level;

3. Successful experiences working with at-risk students

4. Working knowledge of appropriate strategies for reducing behaviors that put students at risk of not graduating from high school

5. Ability to communicate effectively with youth and adults

6. Ability to analyze, develop, implement, and track intervention plans and strategies, graduation plans, and individual goals.

7. Knowledge of and the ability to analyze data, including that available from the Georgia Department of Education, the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, and from other sources

8. An understanding of the multiplicity of social services available in the community to support students at risk of not graduating

9. Knowledge of alternative education opportunities, e.g. Communities In Schools, Credit Recovery, Foothills, etc.

10. Maintain good job attendance

11. Submit to a required background check upon initial hire

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Hold or be eligible for a secondary certificate in a content area or counseling offered by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission

2. Has at least three years experience in working with secondary students

3. Has met Computer Competency Requirement as required by Georgia Law for teacher certification

JOB LOCATION and TERMS (Place(s) where work is performed):

Commerce High School

10 months- Beginning School Year 2021-2022

Send Resume to:

Mr. Will Smith, Principal

Commerce High School

william.smith@commercecityschools.org

Qualifications-

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)- minimum requirement

Current CPR certification

Instructions-

Complete substitute application

Background check (If approved)

Contact - Joy Tolbert (joy.tolbert@commercecityschools.org) or 706-335-5500