Duration: 12-month contract – 10-month work/school year schedule + extra days

Reporting to: Dean of Students

FLSA: exempt/contract employee

Schedule: Monday through Friday 

Hours: 7:50 am to 3:20 pm

Mission:

Rooted in the Catholic, Dominican tradition, St. Agnes Academy challenges young women through exceptional academic preparation and transformational experiences to lead with integrity, joy, and a commitment to social justice.

Faith, Community, and Dominican Charism

· Ensure that the four pillars of a Dominican education (prayer, study, community, preaching) are developed and promoted among the school community

· Develop an active faith community and models Christian values

· Support prayer and spiritual formation within the student, faculty/staff and parent communities

· Uphold and implement the Dominican charism and the Houston Dominican Sisters congregational goals

· Demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusion by honoring the dignity of each member of the St. Agnes Academy community

Job Purpose:

The Director of Student Support oversees both the Wellness Center and the Student Support Center, maintains the school’s vision and philosophy for student support on campus, and supervises the wellness counselors and academic support staff.

The Student Support Center provides a place for students with various learning differences to attain skills in study techniques, time management, organizational strategies and goal planning, as well as providing reasonable accommodations for students to ensure their full participation in the academic programs. The Center is also a source for all students to develop effective learning and academic strategies to help meet the curriculum demands of St. Agnes Academy. 

The Wellness Center works with students to help them succeed in both their academic and social-emotional development. Wellness counselors lead, advocate and collaborate to promote equity and access for all students by connecting their programming to the school’s academic mission. They uphold the ethical and professional standards of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) with programming based on the ASCA National Model. 

The main responsibilities will include: 

Academic Supports

· Oversee and manage the Student Support team including the Lead Learning Support Specialist, and the Academic Support Coordinator. 

· Receiving and reviewing educational evaluations of students to determine if the testing is current and complete

· Reviewing the educational evaluations of students to determine appropriate accommodations based upon the testing

· Meeting with students to implement a formal accommodation plan and discussing accommodations and self-advocacy skills

· Sharing the formal accommodation plan with each student’s teacher via mySAA

· Communicating with families when educational evaluation should be updated

· Keeping an updated list of appropriate evaluators for diagnostic needs of student and maintaining a professional working relationship with diagnosticians 

· Meeting with students when requested to determine effectiveness of accommodations and to implement any changes warranted

· Assisting students in understanding how they best learn/think and allowing the student to be the lead in the decision making, while guiding and supporting

· Assisting with transferring accommodations to colleges/universities by providing requested information

· When requested, writing letters of recommendation for students for college or service to give explanation for the accommodations and help clarify the specifics of the individual’s strengths and needs, based upon the diagnosis

· Communicating with parents and professionals, as needed

· Managing the teacher requests for students with special circumstances/needs

· Maintaining a current list of professional tutors for each subject area

· Being a resource for faculty/staff on gaining a better understanding of learning differences and how to implement effective strategies, including differentiation, in the classroom to meet all students’ needs 

· Oversee academic advising for 9th grade students

· Communicate with the AP Coordinator and the Academic Dean’s office to ensure the testing needs of accommodated students are being met. This may include working with the Academic Services Coordinator and Associate Learning Support Specialist to ensure appropriate testing rooms are booked, testing proctors are procured, and that any special testing materials have been ordered and supplied to the accommodated student(s).  

Social Emotional Supports

· Oversee and manage the Wellness Counselors

· Consult with teachers about building classroom connections, effective classroom management, and the role of noncognitive factors in student success

· Analyze data to determine to create school-wide programming that aligns with student needs

· Oversee and provide short-term individual and small-group counseling services to students to promote the importance of self-care and balance in life

· Create a safe, nonjudgmental, and confidential environment for students as they manage their academic and personal lives

· Implementing and overseeing the Freshman Seminar Program

· Maintain a caseload of students, as needed

Administrative Responsibilities

· Attend all Counselor-Admin Meetings

· Attend monthly department chair meetings, as necessary

· Attend Case Management meetings

· Lead Tier Review meeting

· Meet regularly with the Dean of Students

· Communicate and collaborate with the Academic Dean’s office 

· Participate in hiring of wellness counselors and learning support staff 

· Conduct professional development for faculty on learning differences, wellness related topics, and/or appropriate student accommodations.

· Work with the Dean of Students to determine and notify the wellness department members of the dates they will need to return to work in June/July. Typically, the department stays a few extra days in June and returns a few days prior to the start of faculty/staff in-service. Extra summer days are included in wages.

· Other duties as it relates to position and as assigned by administration.

Required Qualifications:

· Commitment to embracing the mission of St. Agnes Academy

· Master’s degree or higher in school counseling or substantial equivalent and meet licensure and credentialing requirements 

· Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel and Forms 

· Clear and concise communication skills, both verbal and written

· Strong interpersonal skills in relating to multiple audiences, including students, parents, and  educators with grace, competence, and warmth

· Knowledge of placement, assessment, and standardized testing tools

· Strong work ethic with the ability to manage multiple, and occasionally simultaneous, deadlines and projects

· Excellent accuracy in completing project work

· Excellent judgment, confidentiality, discretion, and diplomacy

· Highly organized and reliable with demonstrated success working in a quick-paced, dynamic environment with many responsibilities, ability to act efficiently on last minute projects

· Completed Safe Haven training (can be completed after hire)

· Completed Human Sexuality Catechesis through the Archdiocese (can be completed after hire)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Holds an administrative and/or supervisory licensure

• Valid Texas Teacher certification

• Prior teaching experience 

• Assessment/data analysis experience

Work Environment:
St. Agnes Academy is committed to hiring, developing, and retaining a diverse and highly competent faculty and staff. This job operates in a professional/educational environment.  

Physical Demands: This job operates in a professional/educational environment. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit at a desk, communicate via phone/face to face, manually input data into a computer, walk to different office areas, reach with hands and arms, and minimal lifting. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and other technology. 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

About St. Agnes Academy

Connections working at St. Agnes Academy