So you want to be a Joplin R-8 newcomer and refugee coordinator

The Joplin R-8 School District plans to hire a newcomer and refugee coordinator and posted the position on the district website March 7.

The new position will be funded through a grant and will only continue as long as the grant remains funded.

This is what district officials are seeking:

Job Summary:

Working under supervision of the Director of Student Services, the job of Newcomer & Refugee Coordinator is done for the purpose of ensuring a welcoming school district environment for newcomers to the community. Work with parents to understand their rights and responsibilities in Joplin Schools, to access support services, and to connect them with education, and training programs and opportunities. Work to strengthen school district relationships with refugee services and immigrant resources; and to facilitate positive parent, school, and student relationships. The Coordinator will also work to develop Newcomer & EL Curriculum to support the learning of Newcomers & Refugee students. The Newcomer & Refugee Coordinator will lead the English Language Development Department; however, this role is not supervisory and will not serve to evaluate the ELD teachers and staff.

 

General Expectations:

• Supports the mission of Joplin Schools.
• Supports the value of education.
• Become familiar with, enforce, and follow all applicable Board policies and regulations, administrative procedures, other directions given by district administrators and supervisors, and state and federal laws.
• Properly supervise students at all times, if applicable to essential job functions.
• Obey all safety rules, including rules protecting the safety and welfare of students.
• Care for, properly use, and protect school property.
• Maintain courteous and professional relationships with students, parents/guardians, other district employees and the public.
• Communicate effectively with supervisors, department staff, all members of the school district, and community as required. 
• Provides excellence in customer service both internally and externally.
• Complies with privacy rights and safeguards confidential and/or sensitive information pertaining to staff and students.
• Reacts to change productively and receive and transmit constructive criticism as it relates to job duties.
• Actively participate in professional development and obtain skills and information necessary to effectively perform job duties.
• Conduct all official business in a professional and timely manner, utilizing district technology resources.
• Arrive to work and leave work at the time specified by supervisors and attend all required meetings pertinent to the position.
• Maintains accurate records and filing systems for accountability and audit purposes as required by law and Board policy.
• Solve practical problems utilizing math functions as needed to complete job duties. 
• Read and interpret documents such as work orders, safety rules, and handbooks and apply to job duties.

 

Essential Functions:

 

• Provide language support to ELD newcomers and their families through the Joplin Schools intake and registration process.
• Provide language support to Joplin Schools to assist ELD newcomer students, and their families in communicating effectively with teachers, administrators, office staff, nurses, and counselors.
• Coordinate meetings, information sessions, and special events to promote a welcoming school environment for all newcomer ELD students.
• Assist (after appropriate training) with testing and language assessments for the purpose of evaluating students’ academic and language abilities.
• Serve as liaison with building and district administrators to determine special needs of ELD newcomers and their families.
• Serve as liaison with outside agencies (e.g. refugee centers) to forecast newcomer families and strengthen relationships
• Provide language support to Joplin Schools to assist ELD newcomer students (both inside and outside the classroom), and their teachers, administrators, office staff, nurses, counselors and parents in communicating effectively.
• Provide language support to counselors and parents regarding newcomer placement information and conference and meeting scheduling for parents who do not speak English.
• Work with the Joplin Schools Curriculum Coordinator team to develop appropriate ELD & Newcomer Curriculum for implementation in Joplin Schools.
• Attend ELD and liaisons’ meetings to stay fully informed about District and Liaisons’ activities and efforts, to improve liaison skills, and to maintain open lines of communication.
• Participate in workshops, meetings, community events, etc. for the purpose of receiving and/or providing workshop presentations and information.
• Prepare a variety of written materials and/ or communications (e.g., newsletters, reports, logs, memos, handouts) for the purpose of documenting activities, providing written reference materials, and/or conveying information to newcomers and their families in a language other than English.
• Provide appropriate referrals and advocacy for families as needed and provide follow up to determine the outcome of services provided for the purpose of supporting families in working toward their goals.
• Provide data for a variety of reports (e.g., program participation, activity) for the purpose of meeting program, district, state and federal requirements.
• Respond to inquiries from a variety of sources (e.g., parents, community agencies, auditors, students) for the purpose of providing information and/or direction
• Maintain flexible work hours to accommodate school community communication needs at evening meetings and events.
• Perform other related duties as assigned

 

 

Supervisory Duties:

• Supervise students at all times

 

 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

 

Physical Demands:

• An individual who holds this position must have the ability to:
• Speak and hear in an environment where numerous conversations and activities may be taking place simultaneously
• Move around the classroom
• Read handwritten or printed material

 

Attendance:

• Consistent and regular attendance is an essential function of this position.

 

The work conditions and environment described here are representative of those that an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

 

Conditions and Environment:

• The individual who holds this position will regularly work in a school environment that is noisy and active.  Occasionally the individual will be required to work outdoors for short periods of time to perform such tasks as loading and unloading students from district transportation and supervising recess.