CLASS SPECIFICATION School/Family Outreach Assistant GENERAL PURPOSE Under general supervision, serves as liaison between the District and parents to address student issues, including attendance, truancy, residency, behavioral and home situations; provides assistance and information to parents and makes referrals to appropriate community resource and public assistance agencies; conducts home visits for students that have been identified as at-risk to assist parents in finding solutions and perform child safety checks; facilitates parent involvement in school activities; and performs related duties as assigned. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS School/Family Outreach Assistants are responsible for providing support and liaison to students and parents to address student attendance, truancy and behavioral problems that may stem from situations in the home. Incumbents monitor student attendance and tardiness, identify students that may be at-risk, conduct home visits to address student problems and refer parents to appropriate public assistance and community organizations. Incumbents also serve as liaison between the District and parents by scheduling parent and student meetings and conferences, provide translation for meetings and facilitate parent involvement in student educational activities. School/Family Outreach Assistant is distinguished from Family Services Case Manager in that incumbents in the latter class are responsible for planning, organizing, supervising and overseeing case management services for assigned schools. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this class. There will typically be an assigned schedule for these duties. 1. Works with administrators, faculty, probation officers and staff to address attendance issues; checks in tardy students; calls parents to verify absences and collects documentation; monitors student attendance and tardiness and updates student attendance files; prepares regular reports regarding student attendance and tardiness and presents special cases to appropriate community resource agencies (ie. Family Solutions and Montclair Community Collaborative) panel; prepares letters and notices and makes calls to parents regarding attendance issues; conducts home visits for students that have poor attendance or identified as high-risk to assist in finding solutions and perform child safety checks; provides crisis response for students under distress; gathers and prepares incentives for attendance program; meets with students that are identified with poor attendance and develops positive incentive plans; may schedule and transport parents and students for District, SARB, SART and ELAC meetings and conferences. 2. Assists and provides information to parents and students; researches potential resources for District families; refers parents to appropriate community resource and public assistance agencies; works with public assistance agencies to locate and provide regular and emergency assistance and transportation to families, including food, clothing, uniforms, medical supplies, counseling and emergency shelter; makes home visits to provide families with emergency supplies; assists parents in completion of paperwork, including student registration, health insurance applications and immigration paperwork; prepares and distributes resource manuals to schools; serves as liaison between faculty and parents and assists with parent-teacher conferences; assists parents in making doctor’s appointments, transports families as needed to appointments and provides translation as needed. 3. Works with administrators and staff to identify students and families for referral to case management; prepares and maintains student files and records; attends regular case management and program management meetings; interviews, identifies and documents student weaknesses, strengths and family stability and support; meets with administrators, counselors, probation officers, school police, parents and students to address behavioral problems; refers students to Child Protective Services in accordance with legal requirements. 4. Assists student with Student Study Team (SST) processes and may act as SST chairperson for a school site; schedules, coordinates and chairs meetings and appointments; prepares information, packets and materials; researches, gathers and inputs data; invites parents by mail and phone; attends and assists with SST meetings, including translating and recording information; prepares SST schedule for administrators, staff, faculty and parents. 5. Assists with and facilitates parent involvement; coordinates parent involvement days; notifies parents of District meetings; coordinates parent participation at District meetings and conferences; creates parent involvement invitations and recognition awards; assists with parent education workshops; may teach a variety of classes for parents, including preschool preparedness and parent literacy; prepares and distributes materials and handouts; maintains parent centers and encourages use by parents; administers the Parents and Educators Program (PEP). 6. Attends a variety of meetings, workshops, committees, training sessions and conferences as required; prepares materials and handouts; makes presentations; provides translation for meetings as needed. 7. Maintains confidential student and family records and files; enters student information into case management and attendance programs. 8. Assists with organizing and coordinating community and District special events; compiles and distributes community information to families at community-wide events. 9. Assists in gathering data and information for school grants; interacts with public agencies and community organizations to fundraise monies for District programs. OTHER DUTIES 1. May supervise students during nutrition breaks and yard time; may greet students and parents and sign-in parents before school. 2. May coordinate field trips for faculty; makes reservations for locations and transportation; orders sack lunches; collects money from students, prepares receipts and deposits money. 3. May make up Saturday school lists; mails letters and calls parents to confirm; schedules teachers to teach Saturday school. 4. May monitor student uniform dress code; maintains log of students who have received violations; issues loaner uniforms; notifies parents; keeps inventory of school uniforms clean and organized. 5. May transport sick students home. 6. May troubleshoot computer problems for staff; moves and reassembles computers and equipment for staff; maintains office equipment. QUALIFICATIONS Knowledge of: 1. Characteristics and behaviors of students at K-8 grade levels applicable to areas of assigned responsibility. 2. State laws, codes and regulations and District policies and practices pertaining to student attendance, the enforcement of attendance policies and those related to minors. 3. Personal safety precautions and procedures in potentially volatile or dangerous situations. 4. Community resources and agencies available to address underlying causes for attendance problems. 5. Basic methods and techniques for assessing child and family needs and making appropriate social service referrals. 6. Basic facilitation, negotiation and conflict resolution techniques and tactics. 7. Basic child, adolescent or developmental psychology and group dynamic theories and practices. 8. Values, problems and concerns of various cultural groups living in the community. Ability to: 1. Organize, set priorities and exercise sound independent judgment within areas of responsibility. 2. Read, understand, interpret, explain and apply school programs, policies, procedures and guidelines and Education Code provisions. 3. Obtain and accurately assess information, some of which may be highly sensitive or confidential, via telephone contacts and site visits. 4. Utilize conflict resolution and negotiating techniques to resolve problems and persuade individuals to take a constructive course of action. 5. Utilize listening, negotiation, persuasion and counseling skills in contacts with students and parents/guardians on difficult, sensitive and confidential matters, sometimes involving issues that are emotionally upsetting. 6. Observe and accurately interpret situations and individuals’ actions and behaviors. 7. Interact effectively with parents and children of diverse backgrounds, experiences and interests. 8. Recruit and maintain the interest of parents and help increase their participation in school activities. 9. Develop and maintain files, records and reports. 10. Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, in English and a designated second language as needed. 11. Operate a computer, using standard business software. 12. Maintain detailed documentation. 13. Exercise tact, objectivity, sensitivity and judgment in dealing with a variety of people in a variety of situations. 14. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with administrators, faculty, staff, probation officers, law enforcement, representatives of other public and governmental agencies, parents, students, the public and others encountered in the course of work, some of whom may be upset and abusive. Education, Training and Experience: Graduation from high school or G.E.D. equivalent, with additional college-level coursework in psychology, human development, sociology, police science or a closely related field; and at least two years of progressively responsible experience working with high-risk children or adolescents in an organ¬ized setting; or some combination of education, training and experience that produces the requisite know¬ledge and ability. Experience in a public agency is preferred. Licenses; Certificates; Special Requirements: A valid California Class C driver's license, a good driving record and the ability to maintain insurability under the District’s vehicle insurance policy. PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Physical Demands While performing the duties of this class, an employee is regularly required to sit; talk or hear, in person, in meetings and by telephone; use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate standard office equipment; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to walk and stand. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. Mental Demands While performing the duties of this class, the employee is regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret complex data, information and documents; analyze and solve problems; observe and interpret people and situations; use math and mathematical reasoning; learn and apply new information or skills; perform highly detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks with constant interruptions; work under intensive deadlines and interact with administrators, faculty, staff, probation officers, law enforcement, representatives of other public and governmental agencies, parents, students, the public and others encountered in the course of work, some of whom may be upset and abusive. WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Employees typically work in a school office, and the noise level can be occasionally loud.