Director of Family & Community Outreach 2026-2027

Job Title:  Director of Family & Community Outreach                                                           Wage/Hour Status: Exempt

Reports to: Executive Director of Student, Family & Community Engagement

Pay Grade: 7 Administrative Education

Dept./School: Academics and School Leadership                                                                Initiated Date: April 2026

WHO WE ARE

La Joya Independent School District (ISD) is committed to excellence for students and our community. We have a strong, 100-year legacy in the Rio Grande Valley. The district’s vision - Educational Excellence: The Right of Every Student -  conveys our urgent focus on students.

Our work is rooted in five district priorities, which require collaboration and deep commitment to supporting one another as we serve the community.  

1. Customer Service
2. Trust & Transparency
3. High-Quality Instruction
4. Excellence in Leadership
5. Integrity & Accountability

We are focused on ensuring every student in La Joya ISD has access to a high-quality, best-fit school as we work to improve from a B-district to an A-rated district. We serve more than 22,000 students in more than 30 schools and span six municipalities, covering more than 220 square miles. 

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking a strategic and equity-driven leader to serve as the Director of Student Support Services. This leader will be responsible for designing, leading, and implementing a districtwide vision for student support systems that improve student attendance, behavior, mental health, school connectedness, and successful transitions for all students.

The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated track record of improving student outcomes through strong systems of prevention, intervention, and support. You will lead the district’s work related to behavioral and mental health supports, attendance improvement, student discipline and hearings, transition planning, nursing services, and wraparound support for students and families.

You will oversee the systems, partnerships, and staff necessary to ensure that students have access to the support they need to be successful in school and beyond. The ideal candidate must possess the ability to lead adaptive change, develop staff, and build systems to support program quality and expansion at scale. You must possess the commitment, urgency, and system leadership skills needed to improve student outcomes in a fast-paced, evolving educational environment.

WHY LA JOYA ISD

You will be joining a district that is building on a legacy of achievement while rapidly improving and creating systems to reach new heights for student outcomes. You will receive intentional, targeted support in your leadership journey and have access to the highest-quality, research-based resources and instructional materials. We are also a district focused on continuous improvement and rigorous analysis of where we need to grow and learn.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education/Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree required; preferred in Education, Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, Educational Leadership, Nursing, or related field
• Master’s degree preferred
• Valid or eligible to receive Texas Principal Certification or MId-Management Certification  preferred

Experience:

• Minimum of three years of leadership or supervisory experience required
• Demonstrated success working with diverse and multilingual families
• Experience in Title I parent and family engagement requirements preferred
• Experience coordinating community partnerships and districtwide family engagement initiatives preferred

Special Knowledge and Skills

• Proven success in leading a school or district community toward continuous improvement in student outcomes with a relentless pursuit of excellence for all students. 
• Deep knowledge of family engagement research, best practices, and compliance requirements
• Ability to build trust and collaborative partnerships across diverse stakeholder groups
• Strong understanding of Title I parent and family engagement requirements
• Experience using and interpreting student, attendance, discipline, and intervention data to inform decision-making and improve student outcomes
• Proven experience to use and interpret data to inform decision-making processes that allow for intentional actions and lead to improved student/campus achievement 

• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills (written and oral)
• Leadership, management, and organizational skills
• Experience with diverse populations
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) required

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

Executive Leadership

• Serve as a transformational leader working to create a best-in-class learning environment. 
• Participate in professional development and training to improve skills related to job assignment.
• Foster team collaboration and shared ownership of student success across content teams and campuses.
• Set ambitious goals for family participation, engagement outcomes, and community partnerships; monitor progress and make adjustments as needed.
• Foster collaboration and shared ownership of family engagement across campuses and departments.
• Serve as a strategic leader who builds and implements a high-impact, equitable academic advancement program aligned to district and state goals.
• Provide for two-way communication with staff, students, parents, and community.
• Demonstrate professional, ethical, and responsible behavior. Serve as a role model for all campus staff.
• Develop and set annual performance objectives.

System Leadership:

• Promote the expectation for high-level performance from staff and students and recognize excellence and achievement.
• Lead the development and implementation of districtwide family engagement initiatives aligned to academic achievement, attendance, wellness, literacy, digital access, and postsecondary readiness.
• Serve as the district’s key advisor on family engagement practices to executive leadership, principals, and campus teams.
• Develop systems and expectations for campus-based family engagement efforts.
• Monitor family engagement implementation across campuses to ensure consistency, quality, and alignment to district goals.
• Ensure all family outreach practices reflect the cultural and linguistic diversity of La Joya ISD students and families.
• Support campus leaders in strengthening communication, trust, and partnership with families.
• Develop systems for gathering family feedback and using that information to improve district and campus practices.
• Partner with community organizations, healthcare providers, mental health agencies, juvenile justice agencies, and local nonprofits to expand wraparound support for students and families.
• Utilize campus data for corrective action leading to improvement, as well as for recognition of success.
• Evaluate and adjust educational programs and approaches to ensure rapid student acceleration.
• Disaggregate and interpret data in order to assist in developing appropriate next steps for campus improvement.
• Support campus leaders in analyzing data and developing action plans to improve teaching and learning.

Family Empowerment

• Create and implement districtwide programs that support parent learning in literacy, attendance, digital access, college and career readiness, and student wellness.
• Facilitate the advisory councils as directed and ensure family voice is represented in district initiatives and decision-making processes.
• Develop resources and workshops that help families better support student success at home.
• Create opportunities for parents and families to engage meaningfully in school improvement efforts.
• Support campuses in increasing parent participation in events, conferences, trainings, and advisory groups.

Community Partnership Development

• Articulate the mission and purpose of student support services to the community and solicit its support in realizing the mission.
• Cultivate and manage relationships with local agencies, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, higher education institutions, and community partners.
• Develop partnerships that provide resources and support for students and families.
• Represent La Joya ISD in regional and statewide collaborations related to family engagement and student support.
• Coordinate with community organizations to provide services related to health, wellness, housing, food access, attendance, and other family needs.
• Support campuses in building strong local partnerships that benefit students and families.

• Communicate with parents, families, and communities on a regular and consistent basis to ensure clear and consistent messaging to parents.
• Demonstrate awareness of school and community needs and initiate activities to meet those needs using appropriate and effective techniques to encourage community and parent involvement.

Professional Learning Community (PLC’s)

• Design and facilitate onboarding, training, and professional learning for staff supporting family and community engagement.
• Design and deliver professional development sessions for campus staff on family engagement topics.
• Ensure family engagement staff are equipped with tools, resources, and clear expectations for success.

Effective Feedback

• Supervise, coach, and evaluate all assigned staff..
• Provide coaching and meaningful feedback to campus-based staff to improve effectiveness and consistency.
• Monitor program data and conduct site visits to evaluate effectiveness and fidelity of implementation.
• Provide programmatic feedback to staff, administrators, and campus teams based on observations, data analysis, and stakeholder feedback.
• Develop systems to monitor the effectiveness of family engagement services. 

Compliance and Program Monitoring

• Ensure compliance with Title I, Part A parent and family engagement requirements.
• Lead districtwide documentation, monitoring, evaluation, and auditing of parent involvement efforts at the district and campus levels.
• Maintain accurate records and required reports related to family engagement activities and compliance requirements.
• Monitor campus implementation of required family engagement policies, meetings, and communications.
• Ensure all district family engagement efforts comply with state and federal laws and district policy.

Culture & Climate

• Create, cultivate and lead a culture of excellence, support, and community for all stakeholders.
• Build capacity among staff to sustain a culture of college readiness, career exploration, academic rigor, and postsecondary success.
• Facilitate effective and timely resolution of conflicts.
• Identify, analyze, and apply research findings (e.g., effective school correlates) to promote school improvement.
• Promote inclusive practices that reflect the cultural and linguistic diversity of La Joya ISD students
• Follow all policies, practices, and procedures that create optimal learning conditions for students with special needs in alignment with IDEA.

Personnel Management

• Select, train, supervise and evaluate all assigned staff fairly and in alignment with proper policies and procedures.
• Ensure accurate documentation on any and all recommendations relative to assignment, retention, discipline and dismissal. 
• Observe employee performance, record observations, and conduct evaluation conferences with staff with the lens of both support and accountability for all employees. 
• Coach staff and help them identify and develop appropriate professional growth opportunities as well as accomplish improvement goals.

Management of Fiscal, Administrative, and Facilities Functions

• Ensure all employees follow proper protocols to maintain accurate records as required
• Ensure compliance with all TEA, FERPA, IDEA, Section 504, attendance, discipline, nursing, and student support requirements, including documentation, evaluation, and reporting.
• Support campuses in completing all associated administrative duties and tasks in a timely manner
• Compile, maintain, and file all reports, records, and other documents required including accurate and timely reports.
• Develop budgets based upon documented Needs Assessments, estimated enrollment, personnel, and other entitlement funding streams; implement programs within budget limits; maintain fiscal control; accurately report fiscal information.
• Comply with district policies, state and federal laws and regulations affecting schools.

Other duties as assigned. 

Supervisory Responsibilities

Supervise and evaluate the performance of staff assigned

WORKING CONDITIONS

Physical Demands

Typical demands of an office environment, including extensive computer use and district-wide travel for meetings and events. Lifting and carrying of books, boxes, and audiovisual equipment, light (15-20 pounds), climbing, stretching, visual acuity, walking, pulling, bending, stooping, climbing stairs, reaching, pushing, sitting, kneeling, standing, and twisting, may be required to control behavior through physical restraint. 

Work Environment
Primarily office-based with regular interaction with district staff, educators, students, families, and community members. Campus visits will be required as needed and as a part of ensuring program implementation with fidelity and monitoring of service delivery models. Attendance at evening or weekend events may be required. Occasional prolonged and irregular hours.

Reading, supporting instruction, demonstrating computer skills appropriate for assignment, effective communication and interpersonal skills, ability to work well with students, concentration (detailed work), interpretive skills (policy, procedure, dates), reasoning skills, understanding verbal instructions, analyzing, differentiating, memorizing, coordinating, compiling, and computing.

Mental Demands:

Work with frequent interruptions, maintain emotional control under stress. 

POSITION WORKING DAYS
226 days

COMPENSATION

Based on the district’s approved compensation plan. 

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive description of all work requirements and responsibilities, and management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other responsibilities be performed when the job changes. Additionally, the minimum level of education notated as a requirement could be supplemented by commensurate experience and/or certification(s) or license(s) as determined by the hiring manager.