Director of Student Support Services

Job Title:  Director of Student Support Services                                         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 Texas Teaching certificate, counseling license, social work license, nursing credential, or related professional certification required
• Valid or eligible to receive Texas Principal Certification or MId-Management Certification 
• Currently or eligible to become T-TESS certified preferred

Experience:

1. Minimum of three years of experience in student services, counseling, social work, attendance, behavior, mental health, nursing, or related field
2. Experience leading student support programs or supervising staff preferred
3. Experience with student discipline procedures, attendance systems, crisis response, or alternative education preferred
4. Experience supervising staff 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 attendance improvement systems, student behavior supports, mental health frameworks, nursing services, crisis response, and transition planning
• Strong knowledge of MTSS, PBIS, restorative practices, trauma-informed practices, attendance improvement, and student discipline procedures
• Knowledge of FERPA, IDEA, Section 504, TEA requirements, student code of conduct, and other laws and policies impacting student support services
• Ability to design systems that improve attendance, reduce exclusionary discipline, strengthen mental health supports, and improve student outcomes
• 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) preferred

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 attendance, behavior, mental health, student support, and intervention outcomes; monitor progress and make adjustments as needed.
• 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 execution of a districtwide strategy that improves attendance, reduces chronic absenteeism, strengthens behavioral and mental health supports, and improves student engagement.
• Ensure all student support programs are aligned to district priorities, legal requirements, and best practices.
• Monitor and support the implementation of attendance improvement, student hearing and transition processes, behavioral and mental health services, nursing services, and intervention programs with fidelity.
• Collaborate with campus administrators, counselors, nurses, social workers, attendance teams, and external agencies to ensure equitable access to support services across campuses.
• Support the development and implementation of systems that reduce exclusionary discipline and improve successful transitions for students returning from alternative placements or absences.
• Partner with community organizations, healthcare providers, mental health agencies, juvenile justice agencies, and local nonprofits to expand wraparound support for students and families.
• Lead the continuous improvement of student support program quality, student outcomes, and accountability indicators.
• 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.

Professional Learning Community (PLC’s)

1. Support the development and implementation of PLC structures for student support staff, including behavioral and mental health specialists, attendance improvement specialists, student hearing and transition specialists, and nursing staff.
2. Ensure professional learning is differentiated and aligned to best practices in attendance improvement, behavior intervention, crisis response, restorative practices, trauma-informed care, nursing, and student support systems.
3. Support campus leaders and staff in using PLC structures to improve planning, implementation, and monitoring of academic advancement programs.
4. Design and deliver professional development sessions for campus staff on student support topics, including attendance, behavior, de-escalation, mental health, student transitions, and intervention strategies.

Effective Feedback

1. Coach and provide feedback to student support staff and campus teams to strengthen systems, interventions, and student outcomes.
2. Monitor program data and conduct site visits to evaluate effectiveness and fidelity of implementation.
3. Provide programmatic feedback to staff, administrators, and campus teams based on observations, data analysis, and stakeholder feedback.
4. Develop systems to monitor the effectiveness of attendance interventions, mental health services, transition plans, nursing supports, and behavior interventions.

Culture & Climate

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

Personnel Management

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

School or Community Relations

• Articulate the mission and purpose of student support services to the community and solicit its support in realizing the mission.
• Serve as a key liaison between the district and higher education, business, and community partners.
• Lead strategic partnerships that enhance attendance, behavioral health, nursing services, family engagement, and student well-being.
• 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.

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.