Director of Health & Social Emotional Learning

Job Description – Director of Health and Social Emotional Learning

Primary Function: Under the direction of the Assistant Superintendent for Learning and Teaching, evaluates and provides leadership for the overall health and social-emotional programs of the District. Responsible for the effective and efficient operation of the District’s coordinated health programming, Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP) support, Leader For Life (student drug testing) facilitation, managing the District’s Challenge Course (ROPES) Program and providing support to the counselors and counseling program. Additionally, facilitates support for students who qualify for homelessness, foster care, pregnancy-related and homebound services.

Responsibilities/Duties:

Program Management

• Develops and monitors the implementation of the District’s Coordinated School Health Program encompassing Character Education, Social Skills, Prevention Programming, Health/Wellness and PE instruction; the programs will focus on personal choice and healthy actions with regard to:
• Physical Fitness and Off Campus Physical Education (OCPE)
• Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drug Abstinence
• Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention
• Human Sexuality Curriculum (abstinence based)
• Violence Prevention Programming
• Bullying Prevention Programming
• Oversees the development and implementation of a balanced, comprehensive, developmental counseling program that is consistent with district goals and objectives and includes guidance curriculum and responsive services for students
• Ensures that individual students and their parents are provided the resources and guidance to plan, monitor, and manage the student’s educational and career development including creation and review of personal graduation plans and information about post-secondary opportunities
• Develops a guidance curriculum that enables school counselors to deliver structured group lessons effectively and in accordance with students’ developmental needs
• Monitors and supports training, implementation and sustainability of comprehensive social-emotional framework to encompass bullying prevention, substance abuse prevention, character education and student support programming
• Coordinates school, home and community resources to enable students, parents and others to be referred to supplemental programs and services as needed.
• Facilitates counseling support for students who have positive drug tests
• Maintains an emergency plan and coordinates the activation and assignment of crisis counselors as needed
• Advocates for a school environment that acknowledges and respects diversity
• Collaborates with appropriate staff and community to research, develop, implement, monitor and evaluate Healthy Lifestyles programming into all campus’ life, curriculum and behavioral expectations in the following areas:
• Maintains a prevention resources database
• Establishes community partnerships to extend Health and Social Programs into full collaboration with businesses, law enforcement, health care providers and parents
• Ensures communication is open and visible for community awareness of initiatives and successes of all efforts of the Healthy Lifestyles Program
• Organizes and facilitates the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) as guided by the TEC guidelines and Lake Travis ISD Board policy
• Supports the secondary students and staff assigned to the District Alternative Education Placement (DAEP) center through assessments, counseling, parent consultation and referral when necessary
• Facilitates and supports campus’ counselors who are providing services during student placement
• Provides wrap-around services to students in DAEP and upon return to home campus
• Coordinates the Challenge Course Program including managing facilitator trainings, grounds and equipment management and group facilitation
• Manages the organization, implementation and reporting to the Texas Education Agency of the annual FitnessGram assessments in grades 3-12
• Facilitates and supports the District’s Lead Nurse in the coordination of State mandated reports, screenings and immunizations
• Manages and facilitates the District’s Food Allergy Management Plan (FAMP) with Director of Food and Nutrition Services and Lead Nurse

Policy, Reports and Law

• Implements the policies established by federal and state law, State Board of Education rule and local board policy
• Compiles, maintains and presents all physical and computerized reports, records and other documents required

Budget

• Administers the budget and ensures that programs are cost effective and funds are managed prudently
• Compiles budgets and cost estimates based on documented program needs

Personnel Management

• Assists with recruitment and selection of personnel and makes sound recommendations relative to personnel placement, assignment, retention, discipline and dismissal

Communication

• Provides for two-way communication with principals, teachers, staff, parents and community
• Demonstrates skill in conflict resolution with administrators, parents, teachers, staff and community
• Monitors professional research and disseminates ideas and information to other professionals

Community Relations

• Articulates the district’s mission, instructional philosophy and curriculum implementation strategies to the community and solicits its support in realizing district’s mission
• Demonstrates awareness of district-community needs and initiates activities to meet those needs
• Demonstrates use of appropriate and effective techniques to encourage community and parent involvement

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supports and trains assigned staff

Other

• Demonstrates behavior that is professional, ethical and responsible
• Maintains confidentiality
• Serves as a role model for all district staff
• Participates in approved professional development opportunities
• Performs other duties as assigned

Knowledge and Abilities:

      Knowledge of:

• Health and Physical Education Curriculum Standards
• Counseling Modalities, Best Practices and Intervention Strategies
• Teaching (Health/PE/Life Skills/Prevention Concepts)
• Health/Physical Fitness Studies
• Drug Prevention/Intervention Programs
• Behavioral Change Programs
• Community Programs
• Public relations
• Oral and written communication skills
• Interpersonal skills using tact, patience and courtesy
• Methods of collecting and organizing data and information
• Operation of a computer and assigned software
• District and department policies and procedures
• Relevant federal and state laws and requirements

      Ability to:

• Read, speak and understand English
• Evaluate instructional programs and teaching effectiveness
• Manage budget and personnel
• Coordinate district functions
• Implement policy and procedures
• Interpret data
• Work independently with little direction
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others
• Maintain regular and consistent attendance
• Develop, plan and organize daily operations
• Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action
• Meet schedules and time lines
• Plan and organize work

Education/Licenses/Experience: Master’s degree required (related to health/social-emotional learning or administrative leadership preferred).  Three years experience as a classroom teacher.  Counseling experience or working with counselors preferred. Valid Texas school counselor certificate preferred. Two years experience in a leadership role.

Working Conditions:

Mental Demands: Self-motivated, perform tasks with little or no supervision; work with frequent interruptions; able to manage multiple complex projects concurrently; maintain emotional control under stress; ability to communicate effectively (verbal and written); coordinate district support functions.

Physical Demands/Environmental Factors: Lifting/carrying – 15-44 pounds; frequent sitting, standing, walking, climbing, stooping/crouching/kneeling, pulling/pushing, reaching; repetitive hand motions; prolonged use of computer; speaking clearly; occasional district-wide, state-wide travel; work occasional irregular hours and prolonged hours.

Calendar and Salary Range: 225 work days. See current hiring pay grade on the Compensation Plan.

Revised: 12.11.2023