Education & Enrichment Specialist

Description

Job Summary

Aligned with Pathways' mission, strategic plan, and budget goals, the Education and Enrichment Specialist will play a crucial role in fostering the holistic development and well-being of the children under our care. The Enrichment Specialist will serve in the pivotal role of education liaison, ensuring that the children's educational needs are not only identified but also effectively communicated, coordinated, and met within the school setting.The Enrichment Specialist will maintain consistent communication and provide support to the children and their caregivers while crafting and implementing enriching activities aimed at cultivating a profound sense of purpose and meaning in their lives. By curating and organizing enrichment activities, the Enrichment Specialist help nurture increased feelings of satisfaction and social connectedness among the children as well as reduce stress and tension, promote improved cognitive function, and enhance overall brain health in each child. Additionally, the Enrichment Specialist will be actively involved in coordinating and guiding the efforts of volunteers and volunteer activities and opportunities at Habilitative Homes for the benefit of the program and children.

Essential Duties:

• Serve as the point of contact for each child’s teacher and other school personnel, and assist students with learning activities, i.e., field all calls from school(s) personnel where children attend and the district office.  
• Provide ongoing and regular communication with school principals, teachers, and necessary staff regarding classroom activities and student’s behaviors, progress, and challenges. Communicate relevant information to Program Administrator, Treatment Director and Case Managers at Hab Homes and work with them to develop responses to school(s) and district as necessary.
• Register and enroll all children in school and maintain accurate and complete student records as required by minimum standards, district policy, and administrative regulations, which includes but is not limited to, education portfolios, the uploading of educational documents, correspondence with school staff, etc.
• Support, assist, and monitor (using operating virtual learning technology, if necessary) the children as they complete tasks, assignments, and homework.
• Attend Admission Review and Dismissals (ARDs) virtually or in person to assess how the child is progressing in school and the school district’s adherence to the child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
• Attend monthly school district meetings.
• Communicate with each child’s teacher and other personnel and ensure appropriate documentation is obtained for scheduled and unforeseen absences from school. Forward the appropriate documentation to the child’s school.
• Ensure all documentation is received from the school to help complete Incident Reports and other unusual or non-reportable incidents that happen at school
• Communicate with a child’s school when a child has an incident or injury at Hab Homes that may result in a call to the child abuse and neglect hotline from the school
• Upload documents into extendedReach including but not limited to ARD reports, Report Cards, mail and phone correspondence with the school(s) and district(s). 
• Assist with transportation for new children to and from school when necessary as well as when behavioral or medical issues arise during the school day necessitating that a child be picked up from school.
• Assist the Program Administrator, Program Manager, and Treatment Director in developing strategies to address behavioral challenges.
• In collaboration with the Program Administrator, Program Manager, Treatment Director, and Case Managers, develop and implement creative and engaging enrichment activities that are appropriate for the group that may also benefit a child individually. The activities must align with the developmental and educational needs of the children.
• Assist in the selection of books, equipment, and other instructional materials necessary to support specialized enrichment activities within Habilitative Homes and coordinate the ordering of these items, if necessary.
• Assist in the Program Administrator, Program Manager and/or Treatment Director in planning and implementing enrichment activities that align with the developmental and educational needs of the children.
• Provide information to update and inform each child’s Service Plan, proactively and as requested by the Case Manager.
• Assess progress and adjust programs as needed to ensure the best possible outcomes for all children.
• Foster a positive and supportive environment that encourages socialization, communication, and independence.
• Ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all children, staff, visitors and stakeholders.  
• Create and maintain personalized monthly recreational calendars that includes onsite and off campus activities. These activities are intended to assist with increasing community engagement and personal independence.
• Oversee the daily enrichment activities of the children, especially during the summer months and on weekends. This may include the creation and maintenance of personalized recreational calendars, implementation of enrichment programs, transportation of clients to off campus activities, and documentation of these activities in the shift logs or other required forms.
• Design a volunteer program and then coordinate and track the efforts of volunteers and volunteer activities and opportunities, which benefit the program and children. 

Supervisor:                Program Administrator.

Supervises:               N/A.

Work Hours:              Full-time, working a minimum of 40 hours per week (including late hours and/or weekends as needed).

Classification:           Hourly eligible for overtime.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to be resourceful, innovative, and proactive.
• Ability to think independently to make decisions under pressure.
• Ability to organize a daily workload by priorities.
• Ability to support the agency’s culture, growth, and success through communication, accountability, and positivity.
• Ability to work efficiently and effectively both individually and as part of a team.
• Ability to appropriately accept feedback through the supervision process.
• Possess a willingness to learn, grow, and improve.
• Competent in using Microsoft Word, Excel, the Internet, and other software applications.
• Ability to maintain confidential and sensitive information.

Additional Requirements

• Proof of valid Texas Driver’s License (Type C) and at least three years of driving experience.
• Access to reliable transportation.
• Proof of valid/current auto insurance.
• Cleared motor vehicle driving record.
• Three employment references.
• Cleared background check and signed affidavit.
• Cleared tuberculosis (TB) test results (current within 12 months prior to employment).
• Cleared drug test.
• Working cellular telephone at all times.

Physical & Mental Demands

With or without reasonable accommodation, frequent seeing, hearing, and reading, speaking, and writing clearly. Use of a computer for long hours. Frequent sitting, manual dexterity about 50% of the time. The physical and mental requirements of this job include the following: frequent bending, stooping, reaching, lifting, carrying, pulling, climbing and kneeling in interactions with the children. Approximately 50% of the time spent walking or standing. Must hear, speak and see well to respond quickly in emergencies. Ability to recognize the needs and moods of non-verbal children recognize the difference between angry and combative and the ability to differentiate tone and volume in conversations. Ability to maintain a calm demeanor in tense situations and use appropriate de-escalation skills as trained. May require participation in field trips, recreation and social activities (both indoors and outdoors). Occasional lifting and moving of up to 25 points. Ability to review data and format into meaningful reports. Ability to meet deadlines.