Edtech.com's Summary

KIPP is hiring a High School Attendance Specialist to support students facing attendance challenges across two high school campuses. The role involves managing a caseload of high-need students, employing problem-solving and relationship-building strategies, analyzing attendance data, and ensuring compliance with attendance intervention plans to improve student engagement and academic success.

Highlights

Manage caseload of high-need students with attendance concerns and develop individualized intervention plans.
Conduct proactive outreach including home visits, morning wake-up calls, and regular check-ins.
Collaborate with counselors, social workers, teachers, and families to address attendance barriers.
Track and analyze attendance data to identify trends and inform interventions.
Ensure compliance with regional attendance policies and truancy protocols, including student-athlete eligibility tracking.
Support planning and monitoring of attendance incentives for students.
Coordinate between two high school campuses and maintain effective communication with stakeholders.
Required experience in youth development, counseling, social work, or education with a focus on student support and family engagement.
Strong skills in relationship building, problem-solving, data analysis, and case management.
Compensation ranges from $60,000 to $65,000, commensurate with experience.

High School Attendance Specialist Full Description

Company Description

About KIPP New Jersey

KIPP New Jersey is part of the nationally recognized “Knowledge Is Power Program” network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools dedicated to preparing students for success in college and in life. In 2002, KIPP New Jersey first opened its doors in Newark’s South Ward as a single class of 80 fifth graders and has since grown to educate students in grades K-12 across 17 schools in Newark and Camden. More than 90% of KIPP New Jersey students currently qualify for free or reduced meals.

Job Description

Here's what you should know:

The High School Attendance Specialist will serve as a proactive and resourceful advocate for students facing attendance challenges across two high school campuses. Mirroring a counseling approach, this role involves managing a dedicated caseload of high-need students, employing creative problem-solving and relationship-building strategies to address attendance barriers. This position is crucial for cultivating a culture of consistent attendance and engagement, directly impacting the academic success and well-being of our most at-risk students. The ideal candidate is a caring, unapologetic, and unafraid advocate who is driven to get kids into school. They will be responsible for data-driven analysis to inform interventions and ensure compliance with regional attendance intervention plans, including those for student-athletes and school-based truancy protocols. This role requires a proactive mindset and a commitment to doing whatever it takes to support student attendance.

Here's what you'll be doing:

Direct Student Support

Manage a caseload of high-need and at-risk students with significant attendance concerns in coordination with Promise Team leaders, school-based ops leaders, and regional leaders.
Build strong, trusting relationships with students through proactive outreach, regular check-ins, individual meetings, tailored incentives, and team building.
Collaborate with students to set attendance goals and monitor progress, providing ongoing support and encouragement.
Employ creative and solution-focused strategies to address the root causes of absenteeism, such as academic struggles, social-emotional challenges, transportation issues, or home-related factors.
Develop and implement individualized attendance intervention plans based on student needs and contributing factors, including morning wake-up phone calls and home visits.
Serve as a consistent point of contact and advocate for students and their families regarding attendance matters.
Conduct regular home visits to support students and their families in getting to school on a regular basis.
Identify and partner with community organizations to provide additional support to students and their families in getting to school.

Collaboration and Communication

Work closely with school counselors, social workers, administrators, teachers, and other support staff at both campuses to identify and support students with attendance challenges.
Communicate effectively with parents/guardians regarding attendance concerns, intervention strategies, and progress.
Facilitate meetings with students, families, and school personnel to address attendance issues collaboratively.
Maintain connections with the teachers and families of caseload students, providing them with periodic updates on intervention plans and progress.
Serve as an advocate for caseload students among their peers, staff, and families, extending efforts outside the normal school day to before or after school, parent-teacher conferences, or other activities.

Data Analysis and Reporting

Collect, track, and analyze attendance data to identify trends, patterns, and students requiring targeted interventions across both campuses.
Generate reports on attendance rates, intervention outcomes, and the effectiveness of implemented strategies.
Utilize data to inform the development and refinement of school-wide and individual attendance improvement initiatives.
Facilitate data analysis systems for Promise and Athletics Teams at each campus using weekly/monthly reports and updates to leaders.

Compliance and Intervention Tracking

Ensure compliance with regional and school-based attendance policies and procedures.
Monitor and track the implementation of attendance intervention plans for student-athletes per eligibility requirements.
Manage and track school-based truancy processes, ensuring adherence to legal guidelines and district protocols.
Maintain accurate and confidential records of student interactions, intervention plans, and outcomes.
Participate as a member of the regional truancy board, managing any associated scheduling and compliance.

Incentive Support and Tracking

Support the planning and differentiation of attendance incentives for caseload students
Support the monitoring and tracking of the implementation of attendance incentives

Campus Navigation & Support

Effectively manage time and travel between two high school campuses to provide consistent support and presence.
Develop strong working relationships with staff and students at both locations.
Serve as a thought partner to operations teams in brainstorming school-wide incentives.
Whenever possible, participate in attendance celebrations at each campus.

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above essential duties and responsibilities.

KNOWLEDGE

Strong understanding of the root causes of absenteeism, including academic, social-emotional, transportation, and home-related factors.
Fluency with regional and school-based attendance policies, procedures, and truancy protocols.
Knowledge of data tracking and reporting systems relevant to student attendance.

SKILLS

Excellent relationship-building and communication skills to engage effectively with students, families, and diverse school staff.
Creative problem-solving and solution-focused strategies for addressing complex attendance barriers.
Strong data analysis and reporting skills to identify trends, inform interventions, and demonstrate impact.
Excellent case management skills for supporting a caseload of high-need students.
Ability to develop and implement individualized attendance intervention plans.

ABILITIES

Ability to manage a dedicated caseload of students with significant attendance concerns.
Ability to conduct proactive outreach, including morning wake-up calls and home visits.
Ability to work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team and with external stakeholders.
Ability to manage time and travel efficiently between multiple high school campuses.
Ability to maintain accurate, confidential records and ensure compliance with policies.
Demonstrates an "unapologetic about doing what it takes" and "unafraid to go after it" mindset.

Qualifications

The usual and customary methods of performing the job’s functions require the following physical demands:

Ability to conduct daily outreach, including travel between two high school campuses, home visits, and community outreach
Availability for work outside normal school hours, including early mornings for wake-up calls, and evenings for parent-teacher conferences or other activities.
Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer for data analysis and record-keeping.

Must Haves:

Experience in youth development, counseling, social work, or education, with a focus on student support and family engagement.
Demonstrated success in building relationships with at-risk youth and implementing supportive interventions.

Additional Information

The salary range for this hybrid role is $60,000 - $65,000, commensurate with experience.

KIPP NJ offers competitive salaries to newly hired staff members. Salaries are based on prior experience and in accordance with certification requirements.

Our organization is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender, age, religion, national origin, citizen status, marital status, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Our organization will make a reasonable accommodation to known physical or mental limitations of a qualified applicant or employee with a disability unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the organization. No questions on this application are asked for any unlawful purpose.

Original Job Description