2026 GRADUATION COACH
- Atlanta, GA
- Permanent
- Full-time
- CERTIFICATION:
- Clearance certificate from Georgia Professional Standards Commission, or ability to obtain within 6 months of hire
- EDUCATION:
- Bachelor degree from an accredited college or university
- WORK EXPERIENCE:
- Successful experience working with secondary at-risk students.
- Experience in a 6-12 school environment preferred
- Working knowledge of appropriate strategies for reducing behaviors that put students at risk of not graduating from high school.
- An understanding of the multiplicity of social services available in the community to support students at risk of not graduating.
- Strong organizational skills.
- Knowledge of successful techniques for classroom organization and experience planning for effective instruction.
- Proficient in Excel, Microsoft Suite, Visio, PowerPoint, Outlook.
- Uses and analyzes cohort data (achievement, attendance, behavior, credit accrual) to identify high school students with a high probability of not graduating with cohort
- Collaborates with a caseload students, parent(s)/guardian(s), teachers, counselors, and community partners to develop a graduation and achievement plan that includes the best program to meet academic and post-secondary goals
- Maintains a file for each cohort student to include, but not limited to: transcripts, student assessments, individual graduation plan (end of 8th grade), documentation of meetings with parent(s)/guardian(s), documentation of individual student conferences, referrals for needed educational, and/or social services.
- Provides students with appropriate post-secondary preparation, programs, and services
- Monitors grades attendance, behavior, credit accrual of cohort students toward meeting graduation requirements
- Develops and implements individual, small group, and whole school preventative/intervention strategies to increase the likelihood that students will persist in school and graduate
- Communicates regularly with parent(s)/guardian(s), to discuss academic progress, obstacles, and needed efforts by students and parents; should include face-to-face contact, phone, e-mail, texts messages, newsletters, and other communication opportunities, as needed
- Connects caseload students and their parents with tutoring support and credit or course recovery options, as appropriate
- Analyzes formative and summative data to determine effectiveness of preventative/intervention strategies to increase graduation rates for all student population subgroups with in the school
- Develops transition activities and action steps for 9th grade students to successfully adapt to the rigor of high school
- Uses various electronic tools and resources to ensure consistent support and to make work more efficient
- Collaborates with teachers, counselors, and/or advisors to assure the development of transition programs for 8th graders improve individual student and subgroup high school transition success rates
- Provides support, outreach, and training to parent(s)/guardian(s) of students identified as being at risk of not graduating
- Provides training and support to middle and high school teachers on support measures that work with youth identified as at-risk of not graduating
- Coordinates graduation, college readiness, college choice and financial aid plans for each student
- Participates in parent-teacher conferences, attendance committee, individual education plans (IEP)/SST/504 meetings, and alternative placement transition meetings for caseload students
- Develops relationships with local mentoring programs, business and community partners to connect individual students with mentors to support high school completion
- Develops partnerships with business and community organizations to support the goals of district high school graduation initiatives
- Serves as member of school-based College Access Team to support caseload students in meeting specific college access milestones and provide support for college-going activities such as school-based college fairs/tours and College and Career Motivation Week
- Coordinates and monitors specific remediation, academic supports, and interventions for caseload students, including referrals to Phoenix Academy, Virtual School, Evening/Saturday/Summer School, as appropriate
- Provides individual and group support to students for personal, social, and emotional development
- Identifies and connects students who are at risk of dropping out of high school with community services (i.e., food banks, counseling centers, job training and placement centers, drug and alcohol treatment programs, and organizations that assist pregnant and parenting teens) that offer assistance for high school completion
- Identifies students who have dropped out and encourage them to re-engage in school (dropout recovery) or choose the best option for high school completion
- Required to have prompt, regular attendance in-person or virtually and be available to work on-site, in-person during regular business hours, and as needed
- Performs other duties as assigned by an appropriate administrator or their representative
The physical abilities, working conditions and other conditions of employment listed in this document are representative of, but are not intended to provide an exhaustive list of the requirements for positions in this classification. In the event of an emergency or situation requiring guidance from Federal, State, or local or school district authorities, the requirements of this position may change temporarily or for the school year to best serve the needs of our students.
Vision: Ability to read small print and view a computer screen for prolonged periods.
Hearing: Ability to tolerate exposure to noisy conditions.
Speech: Ability to be understood in face-to-face communications, to speak with a level of proficiency and volume to be understood over a telephone or computer.
Upper Body Mobility: Ability to use hands to grasp, and manipulate small objects; manipulate fingers, twist and bend at wrist and elbow; extend arms to reach outward and upward; use hands and arms to lift objects; turn, raise, and lower head.
Strength: Ability to lift, push, pull and/or carry objects which weigh as much as 5 or more pounds on a frequent basis. Incumbent may be required to physically restrain parties involved in a conflict.
Environmental Requirements: Ability to encounter constant work interruptions; work cooperatively with others; work independently; work indoors.
Mental Requirements: Ability to read, write, understand, interpret and apply information at a moderately complex level essential for successful job performance; math skills at a high school proficiency level; judgement and the ability to process information quickly; learn quickly and follow verbal procedures and standards; give verbal instruction; rank tasks in order of importance; copy, compare, compile and coordinate information and records. Understand how to manage stress.
Additional Work Conditions & Physical Abilities: Ability to be flexible and adapt as needed between in-person and various classroom learning environments.The Atlanta Public School System does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex,citizenship, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, medical status, military status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, ancestry, or any legally protected status in any of its employment practices, educational programs, services or activities. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties.This job description is intended to accurately reflect the duties, responsibilities and requirements of the position. It is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of all the responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position. Management and administration reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and assign other duties as necessary.