Caddo Parish Schools Job Description                         

Job Title:              Prevention Specialist

Prepared By:         Dr. Barzanna White

Prepared Date:      December 19, 2024

Approved By:        Brandy Holcomb

Approved Date:     December, 2024

SUMMARY

The Prevention Specialist will provide evidence-based prevention training to students, work with parents and community members to help mitigate violence utilizing existing frameworks such as PBIS via an ecological perspective, collaborate with district staff to implement project-specific deliverables, and work as part of a team in developing and coordinating strategies to reduce violence and increase positive school climate.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Coordinates, conducts, and delivers evidence-based violence prevention lessons to students at the targeted sites.
• Conducts scheduled sessions in social emotional learning, school climate, and additional prevention initiatives.
• Works with parents and provides a minimum of 4 parenting classes at the assigned targeted school sites (minimum of once every quarter) per year of the grant.
• Provides at least 2 community trainings yearly per targeted school sites.
• Conducts needs assessments and Tiered Fidelity Inventories in conjunction with project and district staff.
• Facilitates communication between the home, school, and community partners seeking to involve families in the early intervening services directly related to violence prevention and school climate.
• Meets with the PBIS/Leadership/Crisis Prevention team(s) monthly.
• Assists in implementing project goals and objectives, including surveys.
• Serves as the liaison between and among schools, families, and community agencies, when needed, for continuity of project deliverables.
• Conducts follow-up consultation(s) with school personnel, families, and students.
• Supports home-school connections and ensures parents are informed about programs and services.
• Recommends and implements trauma informed practices.
• Maintains accurate records and data collection as per project deliverables.
• Assists in the compilation of reports required by federal, state, and local agencies.
• Assists in review of evaluative measures used, piloted, and adopted by the project.
• Oversees implementation of the PBIS framework to all children, parents, and families as outlined in the project design.
• Assists with school site needs assessment and collaborates with the STOP School Violence Grant team.
• Assists in planning, designing, producing, and disseminating project developed materials and other resources from the SAMSHA, State Department, and other agencies.
• Participates in project staff meetings and in project planning, monitoring, evaluation, and staff development activities.
• Performs any project-related tasks as assigned by the Project Director or Project/Prevention Coordinator.

• Performs other related duties as required or assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Must hold a teaching certificate acknowledged by the Louisiana Department of Education OR holds a minimum of a Master’s degree in school counseling, social work, school psychology or a LPC from a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs or the equivalent and has an Ancillary certificate in these fields (LDOE) (A minimum of 2 years of working in a school setting is preferrable but is not required).
• Has knowledge of and experience with PBIS, social emotional learning, prevention, and school climate as they relate to children and adolescents.
• Is familiar with the community, populations, parents/families and schools to be served.
• Is knowledgeable of evidence-based practices.
• Ability to work with and serve diverse populations.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Ability to plan and organize work, set priorities, and evaluate accomplishment of goals.
• Ability to work tactfully and harmoniously with staff, schools, agencies, parents and/or the public.
• Physical stamina and emotional stability to work effectively under pressure and to keep all aspects of the job under control.
• Ability to relate and communicate effectively with all professional and non-professional contacts on the level of each individual's ability and level of understanding.
• Ability to effectively communicate in written reports and correspondence information relative to the individual case.
• Ability to work from general assignments without close supervision and ability to know when the supervisor should be consulted.
• Ability to hold records, reports and conversations in confidence.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to move across the campus to various classrooms in order to facilitate group effectiveness.  The employee is frequently required to talk, listen and demonstrate skills.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet; however, some students may require more attention due to the nature of the behaviors they exhibit.

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

Employee acknowledges that he/she is required to maintain a high standard of professional conduct.  Breach of said professional conduct includes but is not limited to: neglect of duty, dishonesty, engagement in acts that are contrary to CPSB policy, unlawful activities, or any other conduct which is seriously prejudicial to the school system.

CHAIN OF SUPERVISION

Program/Prevention Coordinator and the District School Psychologist (Project Director)

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

As stated in employment agreement

182 Days

Or as assigned