Academic Coordinator

Academic Liaison

Reports Directly To: Program Manager

Also Works With: Floor Lead, Medical Associate

Basic Purpose: Teach clients in a challenging, enthusiastic and age appropriate manner; to provide a welcoming educational environment that is conducive for learning to take place; to communicate with parents regarding the most optimal academic course, to be the liaison with outside academic institutions; to maintain consistent close relationship with the assigned charter school; to ensure that within the short time frame, the scope and sequence of skills assigned are taught to the clients conducive to gaining academic credits. To provide direction and to ensure that the classroom remains conducive for instruction and learning to take place.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Evaluate the curriculum of each client within the school program.
• Plan, prepare, and implement developmentally appropriate lesson plans and activities in accordance with the daily/weekly theme for each client
• Design an academic treatment plan within 72 hours of intake including specific academic goals while in the program.
• Generate weekly academic progress reports that detail overall functioning and achievements from one week to the next
• Facilitate each child submitting a school self schedule daily that is signed and submitted at the end of each school day.
• Provide for the physical, intellectual, emotional and social development of each adolescent by considering his/her interests, talents, learning style, and any special needs and gearing the program accordingly.
• Set up and maintain an appropriate classroom environment for each child, including decorating for the season, i.e., Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, etc.
• Help adolescents to be safe, comfortable and secure in the school environment by maintaining a neat, orderly work environment that is free of a lot of clutter.
• Communicate effectively and professionally with the clients, the staff, and the client’s families/parents.
• Participate in the weekly treatment team meeting and communicate academic progress/regress with the team.
• Meet weekly with manager to discuss areas of improvement and receive feedback.
• Drive students enrolled in the assigned charter school bi-weekly to the assigned charter school to provide supervision while at the school and facilitate successful mastery and test taking.
• Keep a written plan of daily activities that can be transferred to substitute academic liaison (alternative staff) in your absence.
• Educate the parents regarding academic requirements, progress, and regression thru weekly communication in person or via the telephone.
• Act as a liaison between the home school and the assigned charter school to facilitate the exchange of academic assignments.
• Ensure appropriate referrals for needed academic services, such as IEP, special testing etc.
• Present a positive, professional image as a representative of the company
• Be familiar with procedures for emergency situations
• Maintain the confidential nature of clients and related activities
• Maintain an overall understanding of clients and serve as a calming supervising presence within the classroom to give instruction in the event that there is a crisis
• Ensure services are in keeping with the Company’s Goals, licensing standards, and the Joint Commission of Accreditation.
• Other duties as assigned

Core Competencies Required For Position:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience working with adolescents age 12-17 years old
• Crisis management
• Ability to apply good judgment and tact
• Ability to operate personal computer
• Ability to plan work, establish priorities, and remain flexible
• Knowledge of psychopathology; dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders; addiction treatment and related treatment issues.
• Must demonstrate leadership ability and knowledge of program goals
• Possess knowledge of infection control, safety, and emergency procedures
• Be able to cope constructively with stressful situations

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.

Minimum Education And/Or Experience:

• Bachelor of Arts degree a minimum; higher-level degree preferred
• Teaching credential, CBEST, or related academic/instructional certificates preferred
• Some direct experience with academic instruction with adolescents