Bilingual Family Liaison

Job Title: Bilingual Family Liaison
Grade Level/Terms of Employment: Pay Grade 117.2/260 days

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Work Location: N/A
Immediate Supervisor: Team Lead, Office of Engagement

General Description:
Bilingual Family Liaisons play a crucial role in strengthening the connection between school, home, and the community, specifically focusing on neighborhoods within their assigned region by building a supportive bridge between diverse families and educational institutions. Bilingual Family Liaisons actively support initiatives to enhance student attendance by leveraging family strengths, providing resources, and engaging in advocacy efforts that inform division programs and policies. They are integral members of the Engagement model, which revolves around empowering families with protective factors to enhance children's and families' overall health and well-being.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develops and maintains relationships with families, school staff, and communities, ensuring cultural sensitivity and effective two-way communication in multiple languages.
• Assists newcomer families in navigating their transition, providing personalized support, resources, and guidance, ensuring a smooth integration into the community and school system.
• Possesses a deep understanding of barriers related to attendance and collaborates with families to address these barriers effectively.
• Develops and implements engaging programs that support the growth of multilingual students and their families, fostering an inclusive and welcoming educational atmosphere.
• Acts as the official liaison between the school and the Language Justice team and is responsible for ensuring language support services are being used effectively within the school.
• Acts as the official liaison between the school and Welcome Center team by checking SmartChoice daily for new enrollments, working with Language Instruction Education Programs (LIEP) teachers to ensure all newcomers are WIDA screened and tagged, and is WIDA screener trained to assist Welcome Center during peak enrollment periods
• Provides direct intervention for chronically absent students and identified families requiring additional resources and support, emphasizing linguistic and cultural considerations.
• Offers attendance support through active participation in weekly Student Attendance Support Team (SAST) Meetings, making outreach calls for 5-, 10-, and 15-day missed absences, and conducting home visits when necessary.
• Creates and monitors attendance plans that incorporate additional family support incentives and multilingual resources to produce comprehensive plans for families
• Supports the transportation of students and families to school, as well as engagement in community events, ensuring accessibility for all language communities.
• Liaises with various public agencies and neighborhood-specific organizations providing services to youth, facilitating effective communication and collaboration.
• Supports school-wide and district-wide advocacy efforts, ensuring the inclusion of bilingual and multicultural perspectives.
• Assists in drop-out recovery community outreach efforts, recognizing and addressing language-specific challenges.
• Supports daytime and evening Office of Engagement activities, ensuring accessibility for families with diverse language backgrounds.

Qualifications:

• Spanish as a native/second language is required.
• Valid Virginia Driver’s License
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in human services, social science, counseling, or related fields preferred
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and solve problems creatively required
• Excellent communication (oral and written), organizational, presentation, and public relations skills
• Demonstrated understanding of and sensitivity to the diverse cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds of families
• The ability to work a flexible 40-hour work week may include afternoon and weekend events.
• Experience with school, family, and community planning activities and programs preferred
• Ability to stand for long periods, walk for long distances, climb stairs, and move frequently in and out of a car

HOW TO APPLY: All applicants (including RPS employees) must submit an online application. Please access website at: www.rvaschools.net 

Please upload the following information with your application: a current resume, transcript, and license if applicable.

Three reference names and contact information will be required if you progress to the interview step of the selection process. Richmond Public Schools will conduct a background investigation, fingerprinting, and tuberculosis screening as a condition of employment.  EOE.

Salary : $66,427 - $102,151