Director of School Climate and Mental Health Services

Director Of School Climate And Mental Health Services

EdAdvance is seeking a qualified applicant to provide consultation, planning, support, service, and training to school districts in the areas of school climate and mental health support for administrators, teachers, support staff, and students. The Director of School Climate and Mental Health Services will provide direct support for district/school clients and may also facilitate and manage the assignment of other agency staff to projects when necessary.

The Director of School Climate and Mental Health Services works under the supervision of the Executive Director, federal DOE and CSDE grant liaisons. This position requires frequent on-site visits to schools and the evaluation of employees. Regular and consistent in-person attendance is an essential function of this position.

Major responsibilities include:

• Leading EdAdvance in a multi-RESC initiative to ensure full implementation of the Connecticut Department of Education' School Climate Training and Support Grant
• Building, expanding, and sustaining coordinated school based mental health services in designated rural districts through implementation of supports, community provider coordination, telehealth capacity and data driven continuous school climate improvement
• Implementing and overseeing a 5-year multi-district school mental health system beginning with a pilot cohort and expanding to a statewide rural network by years 3 and 4
• Leading the implementation of strategic goals and reporting of measurable targets to the CSDE
• Completing School Health and Assessment Performance Evaluation surveys and resource mapping in participating districts
• Leading EdAdvance, with support from EASTCONN and LEARN in the implementation of grant goals
• Creating and monitoring a $4.2 multi-year grant budget
• Leading and overseeing the final year of the School Based Mental Health Provider Grant
• Providing direction and oversight of the SBMH provider program, including executive meetings with district superintendents, oversight of leadership and providers, plan and present community of practice and professional learning opportunities for providers
• Communicating with superintendents and building principals for end-of-grant planning
• Designing, promoting, and implementing a continuum of programs, supports, and services to meet school district needs related to school climate, mental health, and wellness
• Providing support to EdAdvance districts in all areas of school climate including; professional development, school climate surveys and data collection, in-district professional development, support, and coaching
• Assisting school district clients with design, implementation, and training support for school climate planning and implementation of initiatives
• Providing assistance with obtaining, supporting, implementing, and managing associated grant-funding initiatives
• Serving as a liaison to school districts in the EdAdvance region, to provide information on local, regional, state, and federal laws and resources for school climate, trauma support, crisis management, mental health/wellness, etc.
• Participation as part of various collaborative teams that will include other EdAdvance department leaders and staff

Knowledge, skills, and abilities include:

• Ability to build strong, trusting, and supportive relationships
• Organize and lead a multi-disciplinary team, in working with school district stakeholders to design/plan for programming and services
• Deep understanding of the functioning of school districts and schools
• Knowledge of the availability and structure of regional private, non-profit, and agency-based providers of social services and/or mental health services
• Strong organizational and management skills
• Create and manage budgets for School Based Mental Health Department
• Excellent customer service skills - patience, active listening, positive language, resilience
• Effective communication, including strong verbal, written, and presentation skills

Qualifications/requirements:

• 093 certification strongly preferred
• 092 certification; master's degree in a related academic area is required
• Minimum of 10 years of experience providing technical support, training; direct experience with educators and/or school administrators is essential
• Flexible working in a dynamic, fast-paced educational environment
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability and willingness to work with people holding a variety of positions across different levels of a school district or organizations hierarchy
• Works well in a team environment
• Must have the desire to learn and grow

Physical requirements:

• Must be able to perform essential functions with or without accommodations
• Travel between sites required using personal vehicle IRS mileage rate applies

Application procedure:

Applications should be submitted for consideration by visiting EdAdvance's employment page at, (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). and click on the APPLY button next to the job posting of interest.