Safety Specialist, High School

Purpose: The WHS Safety Specialist plays an integral and meaningful role in fostering a culture of safety and belonging. The specific responsibilities listed ensure that students and staff will be able to actively participate in a school learning community, where all students and staff are inspired to engage and excel to their fullest potential.

Position Title:           Safety Specialist (Middle School)

Job Classification:    Class 10, $34.65/hour, 10 months

Qualifications:        

1. High School Diploma required, college degree preferred
2. Successful completion of Basic School Resource Officer Course offered by the National Association of School Resource, or an approved equivalent course of instruction*
3. CPI certified*
4. First Aid, CPR/AED certification*
5. Ability to communicate effectively in oral and written form and ability to understand non-verbal cues
6. Ability to relate to students, staff, and parents/guardians in a courteous manner
7. Sound judgment and decision-making ability
8. Understanding of and commitment to confidentiality
9. Any additional or alternative qualifications as deemed appropriate by the Board of School Directors.

* If not current, training will be arranged prior to commencement of duties.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Maintain the safety and protection of students, faculty, and staff on the campus of Wissahickon Middle School by being visible on the school campus, proximal to students and staff’s needs, and available to the administration.
2. Cultivate relationships with students and staff that will have strong preventative implications.
3. Assure confidentially of all matters pertaining to students and staff.
4. Engage in informal student mentoring and culturally responsive practices, and Restorative Practices.
5. Surveil and supervise building and grounds, parking lots, and crosswalks.
6. Perform daily routine security, including checking student and staff parking lots and monitoring and securing all exterior doors to ensure a safe school environment.
7. Monitor interior of building by checking hallways, bathrooms, and locker rooms.
8. Report to supervisor any incidence of visitor, student, or employee actions, which could result in injury or loss to students and staff, or which may violate the law or school policy.
9. Provide both physical security throughout the building and work to prevent and calmly diffuse/de-escalate physical and verbal altercations involving students.
10. Supervise the In-School Suspension room and actively monitor the in-house camera system to help proactively support a safe and secure school climate.
11. Collaborate with the attendance clerk to sign-in students arriving late to school.
12. Notify the administrative staff, police, fire department, or other appropriate authorities of security or emergency situations.
13. Demonstrate proficiency with surveillance camera system and student-scheduling software.
14. Assist in monitoring students in non-instructional settings.
15. Cooperate with local law enforcement officials including but not limited to the school resource officer.
16. Monitor student arrival and dismissal including but not limited to student parking lot, busses, etc.
17. Assume any other duties assigned by the Building Principal or their designee.

*This list is intended to be illustrative rather than complete and serves to show major duties and responsibilities and differentiates the position from others in the district.

Physical Necessities and Work Environment:

Position requires sitting, standing, walking or moving throughout the building, often for extended periods of the workday.  Must be able to hear (40 decibel loss maximum), verbally communicate, and have vision requirements of near acuity of 20 inches or less and far acuity of 20 feet or more with depth perception, accommodation and field vision. Performs a variety of duties, able to make judgments and work under high level of stress. May have to lift and/or hold students or adults involved in adversarial encounters. Lifts/carries equipment, supplies and materials weighing no more than 50 pounds.  Climbs stairs in and or around the building.  Will require bending and reaching to secure items from shelves and racks. Requires use of either hand for simple grasping, fine manipulation, and push/pull functions. Subject to inside and outside environmental conditions.

The position holder must be able to perform the essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations. It is the responsibility of the employee to timely inform the Wissahickon School District’s Director of Human Resources of any and all reasonable accommodations that will be required.