Family Liaison

Job Description:

The School-based Parent Liaison creates a welcoming school environment for families; conducts outreach through a variety of communications to empower parents/guardians to be actively engaged in their children's education; organizes family involvement events/activities; manages school-based volunteer opportunities; and works with the principal and school administration to address parent/guardian issues and concerns at the school.

The School-based Parent Liaison is supervised and evaluated by the School Principal/Administration with feedback provided by the Family and Community Engagement Center (FACE) staff.

We are seeking a detail-oriented and tech-savvy individual with strong proficiency in the Google platform and general computer skills. The ideal candidate will effectively manage and support various tasks related to productivity, communication, and data organization using Google Workspace and other common computer applications.

Qualifications:

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

Certificates & Licenses: Valid Driver's License

Experience:

• At least two years of professional experience working with community-based outreach program, schools and/or non-profits with increasing levels of responsibility is required.
• Experience working with culturally diverse communities.

Key Competencies:

• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with other team members.
• Understanding and sensitivity for diverse cultural, ethnic and socio-economic background of students.
• Ability to determine and assess confidential material and maintain confidentiality.
• Excellent time management, customer service skills and people skills.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evening and weekend availability.
• Ability to work in high-pace work environment and use good judgment.
• Passionate and committed to the mission of ACPS.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in Spanish, Arabic or Amharic is strongly desired.

Essential Functions:

Creates a welcoming school environment

• Establishes trusting relationships and serves as a point of contact for families.
• Assists families in efforts to navigate the school system, connecting them to appropriate staff/resource.
• Advocates for families, as appropriate.
• Works closely with other school staff to coordinate services for students and families, including: School Support Team members, English Learner (EL) and Specialized Instruction staff, teachers and administrators.
• Provides information on services available to eligible students and families and encourages participation, as appropriate.
• Provides community referrals to families as needed.
• Works with bilingual parents/guardians and staff to ensure use of language access systems (i.e., Language Line) and ensures necessary interpreter services are available at parent-teacher conferences, school meetings/activities and upon request.
• Ensures signs, bulletin boards and other displays are visible at school entrance and/or lobby to welcome families and provide important information in the language's families speak.
• Attends appropriate trainings and meetings.

Conducts outreach to empower parents/guardians to be actively engaged in their children's education:

• Coordinates communications and outreach materials for families, including flyer distribution, robo-calls, text messages and personal outreach to share important school and event information in the languages they speak.
• Solicits feedback from families on topics including welcoming environment, parent engagement opportunities and perceived access to information/resources.
• Stays abreast of ACPS and community information, resources and supports available to families and makes available to all families served.
• Keeps track of contacts with parents/guardians and provides updated information as needed.
• Attends parent support meetings and other relevant meetings within the community.
• Assists in the communication of matters concerning the division that impact the school community as
• appropriate.

Organize family involvement events/activities:

• Organizes FACE-sponsored workshops/events to support family engagement efforts within the school.
• Facilitates information sessions for parents/guardians (i.e. Parent Coffees/Principal Chats).
• As appropriate, coordinates Parent Support Groups and/or other training opportunities for families.

Manages school-based volunteer opportunities:

• Engages in a broad-based needs assessment to establish priorities for the school volunteer program, works with principal/admin and other staff to identify specific volunteer needs and develops volunteer job descriptions.
• Recruits parents/guardians to volunteer, assists with application process, screens school volunteers and identifies appropriate placement for volunteer in the school.
• Provides basic orientation for all school-based volunteers and serves as point of contact.
• Keeps appropriate volunteer records and tracks volunteer activity.

Working with the principal to address parent/guardian issues and concerns at the school:

• Works with school principal/admin and/or other appropriate school staff to address and resolve specific parent/guardian concerns.
• Assists school administrators in the development or revision of strategies to facilitate school-family collaboration.
• Works with school's leadership team to develop an appropriate involvement component of the school's plan.
• Attends appropriate trainings and meetings at school.
• Performs other related duties as assigned to ensure efficient and effective functioning of the work unit.

Clearances:

• Criminal Justice Fingerprint/Background Clearance.
• Tuberculosis Skin Test.

Public Health Compliance

• Must follow safety and health protocols.

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