TITLE: Wellness Specialist - USS Support Cadre

WHO WE ARE:

Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) is a student-focused, innovative educational organization committed to academic excellence. Our mission is to empower and educate all students to think critically, creatively, and responsibly, to embrace diversity, and to pursue their dreams with a purpose. We are a family of excellent public schools in which every student has the opportunity to succeed and the power to create their own future.

Led by forward-thinking leadership and our commitment to prioritizing students, racial equity, and authentic engagement with our families, team members, and communities, our staff have diverse opportunities to develop their careers in a challenging but rewarding environment. We are an organization for people who are passionate about education and who are committed to the Indianapolis community.

SUMMARY OF OPPORTUNITY:

We are looking for a Wellness Specialist who will positively impact student success by addressing barriers to student learning, including social, emotional, and mental health challenges, and provide planning, carrying out, evaluating, and assisting in the application of positive behavior supports at the school-wide, family, student, and teacher levels. As a member of the Unified Student Supports Team, you will receive excellent benefits, opportunities to grow within your role and the organization, and collaborative and supportive colleagues who put students first.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

The following outlines what your core duties and responsibilities will be for this position and provides a sample overview of what your day-to-day may look like.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides assessment and instruction/intervention at the school-wide prevention level, at the targeted classroom/small group level, and at the individual behavioral/mental health level to address issues that present learning readiness.
• Utilizes student, school, and community data to plan, identify, and implement evidence-based, culturally competent prevention strategies to meet student needs.
• Collaborate with school teams during MTSS/Problem-solving meetings to identify students with the most need and recommend appropriate Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions.
• Work collaboratively with school professionals, parents, and community leaders in a culturally responsive manner to support the optimum learning environment for students.
• Analyze data- assessments, attendance, discipline, academics, and other pertinent information - to determine appropriate interventions to reduce suspensions and other disciplinary occurrences while improving student engagement and academic achievement in the general education environment.
• Assists in developing positive behavioral intervention strategies.
• Consults with school staff and parents regarding strategies for helping students cope with personal and social concerns.
• Accesses and links community resources to students, families, and the school in response to identified needs. To accomplish this responsibility home and agency visits are required.
• Provide professional development to individual teachers, groups of teachers, and/or entire school staff on issues related to crisis intervention, restorative practices, and factors that can affect the development and implementation of interventions and/or student progress.
• Maintain records of students served and their progress
• Assist in the collection, and compilation of student, parent, teacher, and community data
• Attend professional meetings
• Discusses pupils' academic and behavioral attitudes and achievements with the teacher.

“Day In the Life” Overview

On a regular day, as the USS Wellness Specialist, you might:

• Promote highly specialized positive behavior interventions in which students in need thrive by prioritizing behavior instruction that is explicit, intensive, accelerated, and provides ample practice.
• Works cooperatively with building administrators to promote positive behavior.
• Attend problem-solving meetings to discuss the current discipline trends in the building.
• Assists school teams with the use of ongoing assessments strategies to record student successes or failures of planned interventions and systems.
• Monitor school/classroom to ensure an equitable safe, non-threatening, nurturing learning environment.
• Consult with school social workers, counselors, therapists, and teachers when appropriate.
• Engage parents in the student behavior intervention plan process and empower parents by providing them with skills and techniques to support the positive behavior development of their child.
• Review behavior referrals and other pertinent information school-wide data reports.
• Other duties as assigned.

WHAT YOU’ll BRING: SKILLS AND MINDSETS

As an ideal candidate for this role, you will be able to achieve the following:

• Highly-developed communications skills (written/verbal) and interpersonal savvy
• Results/action-orientation; project management skills
• Racial equity mindset and other critical indicators related to DEI
• Organizational agility; developed negotiation skills
• Unquestionable personal code of ethics, integrity, diversity, and trust
• Able to successfully navigate within varying degrees of ambiguity in a fast-paced environment
• Strong strategic analysis skills
• Ability to be creative in developing alternatives to meet IPS Instructional needs
• A track record of developing and maintaining strong working relationships with and among a diverse group of actors
• Excellent communication skills and strong analytical and writing capabilities
• Close attention to detail coupled with the ability to exercise good judgment
• Strong organizational, oral and written communication, and interpersonal skills
• Proactive nature; able to anticipate conflicts before they arise
• Ability to work well independently as well as collaboratively
• Ability to execute meetings, calls, and emails with professionalism, courtesy, and accuracy
• Personal qualities of maturity, humility, strong work ethic, sense of humor, and diligence
• Ability to effectively allocate and prioritize time to several tasks to ensure completion of all

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS

• Required a Master’s Degree in Social Work.
• Must hold a valid Indiana School Services Personnel License as a School Social Worker and Indiana Professional Standards Board License.
• Experience working in a school environment is preferred.

FLSA CLASSIFICATION:

Exempt

ELIGIBILITY FOR REMOTE WORK:

Not eligible

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical requirements 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 individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to sit; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

EEOC STATEMENT:

Indianapolis Public Schools, in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies, will not discriminate in its programs, facilities, or employment or educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status, domestic violence victim status, homelessness or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations, or ordinances. Indianapolis Public Schools does not tolerate any form of retaliation or bias-based intimidation, threat, or harassment that demeans individuals’ dignity or interferes with their ability to learn or work.

DISCLAIMER:

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the above representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This job description is illustrative only, and is not a comprehensive list of all essential functions and duties performed by the occupant of this position. Factors such as regular and punctual attendance are not routinely listed in job descriptions, but are an essential function.