POSITION SUMMARY:

The Pupil Personnel Worker (PPW) serves as a support to the Supervisor to promote advocacy for all. Their primary purpose is to insure the Pupil Personnel Services' compliance of all board policy, administrative procedures, COMAR and other laws relative to students receiving appropriate services and due process. The Pupil Personnel Worker position is charged with providing technical assistance to other PPWs around Federal, State, and School laws, and serving as a PPW for assigned schools in accordance with the system's needs. They also assist other PPWs with establishing methods for data collection to achieve the identified system's outcomes: increasing attendance, reducing suspensions, expulsions and reducing the numbers of students failing one or more courses.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

• Provides data and anecdotal reports on a regular basis, and as directed or requested, to the PPW Supervisor on student outcomes for attendance, suspensions, expulsions, etc.;

• Provides accurate interpretation of the COMAR, board policy, administrative procedures and other related law to other PPWs, administrators and community;

• Ensures the proper implementation of each law into the daily practice of PPWs;

• Interprets 504 and IDEA for students needing special services and modifications accurately;

• Provides accurate interpretation of the use of the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook to newer PPWs;

• Interprets process and use of the SST, SIT and IEP teams accurately;

• Develops handbooks, PowerPoint presentations and other usable guidelines to be utilized by PPWs as a quick reference for the handling, processing and compliance of all appropriate policies and procedures;

• Reports known illegal, or unethical practices and gross violations of these laws to the PPW Supervisor;

• Recommends the consultation with General Counsel as needed to resolve difficult legal compliance issues;

• Identifies potential areas of compliance vulnerability and risk, develops and implements corrective action plans for resolution of problematic issues, and provides general guidance on how to avoid or deal with similar situations in the future;

• Serves on the committee to review and recommend necessary revisions of the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook to ensure continuing currency and relevance in providing;

• Partners with community agencies such as DJS, Health and human resources, Department of Child and Family to ensure our knowledge of changes to current policy and guidelines related to student-centered services; and

• Responds to alleged violations of rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and Standards of Conduct by evaluating or recommending the initiation of investigative procedures.

Training to other PPWs

• Institutes and maintains an effective compliance program for the organization, including promoting; (a) proper use of all the laws and procedures (b) heightened awareness of Standards of Conduct, and (c) understanding of new and existing compliance issues and related policies and procedures;

• Develops and provides training for a uniform system of packaging long-term suspension and expulsion requests;

• Provides training on best practices in implementing the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook;

• Develops uniform materials that will be used throughout the system to train all staff and students on the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook;

• Provides training on mandated reporting to PPWs on child abuse and neglect;

• Provides training on the use of the Interagency Council regarding chronic absenteeism;

• Works with the PPW Supervisor to develop an effective training program, including appropriate introductory training for new employees and ongoing training for all PPWs; and

• Monitors the performance of the Compliance Program and relates activities on a continuing basis, taking appropriate steps to improve its effectiveness.

• Coordinates and oversees the long-term suspensions process;

• Hears and mediates all long-term suspension cases and effectively ensures due process for students; and

• Provides direction towards compliance issues to appropriate existing channels and investigates to resolve all issues regarding suspensions.

PPW Service to assigned school/schools

• Develops and implements strategies and programs designed to improve student achievement by significantly decreasing the behaviors negatively affecting student learning;

• Identifies, creates, and assesses services to address students' needs;

• Assists the principal and the leadership team with the development and implementation of the school improvement plan in order to ensure that preventative strategies are embedded with accountability measures;

• Conducts frequent and ongoing appropriate group and individual sessions and workshops designed to increase student attendance, improve student achievement and truant negative behaviors;

• Participates in relevant professional development and team building sessions with principals, parent liaisons, school counselors, teachers, and other resource providers designed to clarify and make explicit new roles, responsibilities and duties of all resource personnel as well as their relationships with and to each other;

• Provides consultation, support and resolution on school-based issues through collaboration with parents/guardians, advocates or legal counsel and make appropriate referrals as warranted;

• Serves as a coach and increases the number of PBIS schools;

• Provides crisis support for schools;

• Designs, implements and evaluates processes and procedures for PPW services to include student referrals, Placement and continuous assessments;

• Submits documentation and statistical reports as required by the Division of Student Services confirming improved student performance and other required outcomes;

• Conducts home and community visits to develop intimate relationships and strong partnerships with students, parents and/or guardians;

• Collaborates with all stakeholder groups including central office, building administrators, staff, parent councils, community originations and other outside agencies and appropriate departments to bring programs in the schools to assist with promoting positive behavior intervention;

• Serves as the CEOs designee for long-term suspensions; investigating and writing reports for expulsion requests;

• Works collaboratively with the school counseling team and other appropriate personnel to present parent workshops on various issues supporting student achievement;

• Supports school teams for SST/IEP/SIT and 504; and

• Attends and participates in local, regional and state meetings/conferences as a designated representative of PGCPS.

QUALIFICATIONS:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• Seven (7) years working as Pupil Personnel Worker;

• Effective communication and human relations skills;

• Demonstrated leadership and organizational skills;

• Effective writing skills; and

• Ability to work with and among groups of diverse populations.

• Ability to work with colleagues.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

Master's degree from an accredited college or university in pupil personnel or related field (School Guidance Counselor, Education, Social Work, Early Childhood Education, Elementary or Secondary Education, Sociology, Psychology, Special Education, Administration and Supervision, or Human Growth and Development).

CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

State Certification as a Pupil Personnel Worker, must hold or be eligible for a Standard Professional Certificate or Advanced Professional Certificate.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

No direct supervisory responsibilities.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands 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 the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, talk, hear, walk, sit, and use fingers, tools or controls. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision such as to read handwritten or typed material, the ability to adjust focus, and depth perception. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may occasionally push or lift up to 25 lbs.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Bilingual - Spanish speaker preferred.

Please complete ALL sections and provide applicable details to ensure full consideration. If you need assistance with submitting your application online, please contact the Employee Support Services at 301-780-2191. Appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities are available upon request.