Student Support Specialist

EFFECTIVE: 2026-2027 school year

New Employee: 191 days/year

Position Type: Exempt

1.0 FTE 

Benefits Eligible: Yes 

This position is grant-funded through the 2028-2029 school year, with the opportunity for extension pending future funding. 

POSITION SUMMARY: 

The Student Support Specialist works to maximize student success by identifying and addressing social, emotional, behavioral, and environmental barriers to learning. Acting as a bridge between the classroom, the home, and the community, this professional provides targeted interventions, crisis de-escalation, and systemic support to foster a safe, inclusive, and trauma-informed school climate.  

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Direct Student Intervention & Support (45%)

• Provide individualized, goal-oriented support to students experiencing chronic behavioral challenges, trauma, emotional distress, or poor attendance.
• Facilitate evidence-based small group interventions focusing on social-emotional learning (SEL), conflict resolution, anger management, coping skills, substance-use and prevention and restorative practices.
• Respond immediately to behavioral crises, utilizing approved de-escalation techniques to ensure student safety and a swift, respectful return to the learning environment.
• Conduct restorative circles or mediation sessions to resolve peer-to-peer or student-to-teacher conflicts.

2. Case Management & System Collaboration (25%)

• Collaborate with teachers, administrators, and the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) team to design, implement, and monitor Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs).
• Collect, analyze, and maintain accurate data regarding student behavior, attendance, and intervention outcomes to measure program effectiveness.
• Participate in 504 plan and Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings when social-emotional or behavioral accommodations are required.

3. Family & Community Engagement (15%)

• Serve as the primary liaison between families and the school, conducting home visits or virtual conferences to understand family dynamics and barriers to student attendance/success.
• Connect students and families with critical community resources, including mental health agencies, healthcare providers, food banks, and housing assistance.
• Organize and facilitate workshops for parents and guardians on topics such as positive youth development, digital safety, and supporting mental health at home.

4. Staff Consultations & School Culture (15%)

• Consult with instructional staff to provide actionable classroom management strategies, trauma-informed teaching practices, and tier-1 SEL implementation support.
• Assist in developing and maintaining a positive, school-wide culture rooted in restorative justice and equity.
• Deliver professional development sessions to school staff on topics related to student wellness, mental health awareness, and crisis intervention.

Perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

Key Competencies & Skills

• De-escalation & Crisis Intervention: Proven ability to remain calm, empathetic, and authoritative during high-stress behavioral emergencies.
• Trauma-Informed Lens: Deep understanding of how childhood trauma, poverty, and systemic inequities impact brain development, behavior, and learning.
• Communication & Collaboration: Exceptional active listening and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust with defensive students, anxious parents, and stressed educators.
• Cultural Competence: Sensitivity to and understanding of diverse socioeconomic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds.

TECHNICAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND ABILITIES:

Exceptional interpersonal skills with adults(staff and families) and students

Ability to communicate, interact, and work effectively and cooperatively with people from diverse ethnic, educational, and socioeconomic backgrounds

SUPERVISION RESPONSIBILITIES:

None

BUDGET AND/OR RESOURCE RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Prioritize and schedule work tasks independently.

Create and implement effective, efficient process-management strategies (e.g., procedures, instructional groups, transition materials, and supplies).

Maintain accurate records in accordance with professional standards, state guidelines, and school system policy.

Review processes for opportunities for improvement and make changes as needed to ensure instructional quality.

The education/training/experience, license/certification, general expectations, physical demands, and work environment factors described below 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.

EDUCATION/TRAINING/EXPERIENCE: 

Master's degree

Bilingual (preferred).

English fluency will be determined through the interview process.

LICENSES OR CERTIFICATIONS:

• Currently hold a CDE license and endorsement in Counseling, Social Work, or School Psychologist.
• Valid Colorado Driver's License required.
• Current First Aid and CPR (or obtained within the first six months of employment).

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS:

• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in response to change.
• Possesses computer and technology skills.
• Effectively works with students from diverse backgrounds and abilities.
• Collaborates well with supervisors and co-workers.
• Capable of understanding and following both complex oral and written instructions.
• Able to perform duties independently with minimal supervision.
• Communicates effectively with the School District community.
• Skilled in analysis, instruction, negotiation, coordination, communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal interactions.
• Proficient in comparing, computing, synthesizing, and evaluating information.
• Meets attendance standards and works the necessary hours to fulfill essential responsibilities.
• Maintains confidentiality.
• Upholds a generally positive attitude.
• Complies with all District policies and procedures.
• Adheres to federal and state laws, regulations, and policies.

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Occasional jogging/running.

Frequent lifting of ten (10) to twenty (20) pounds.

Frequent sitting, bending, walking, standing, stooping, kneeling, squatting, and reaching.

Following employment offer/acceptance: Ongoing employment is conditional upon successful clearance of an employer-paid, job-related, pre-employment physical.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

Mostly clean and comfortable.

May encounter noise, odors or body fluids.

REPORTS TO:

Principal or designee 

LOCATION:

Englewood High School

SALARY: 
Salary placement ranges from $60,522 to $105,191 and is determined based on education, years of experience, and the Negotiated Agreement. The most current Licensed Salary Schedule is posted on the Englewood Schools Career webpage. Englewood Schools accepts up to 19 years of verified experience.

Per the Negotiated Agreement, Special Service Providers will be granted outside experience for state, agency, or private clinical or hospital employment only if they were appropriately licensed and half or more of their primary responsibilities involved pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade-aged students or other relevant work that specifically translates to a connection with the serviced student population in the District.  In addition, Special Service Providers will receive an annual stipend in the amount of $1000 paid in the last paycheck of the school year for obtaining and maintaining certification as outlined in Article 7.6 of the Negotiated Agreement.  

BENEFITS:
At Englewood Schools, we provide a comprehensive benefits package designed to enhance employee well-being and satisfaction. Our offerings include Paid Time Off (PTO), medical, dental, and vision insurance, and pre-tax savings options through Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), with monthly District contributions for HSA. The costs for short and long-term disability programs are 100% covered, which provides financial protection in the event of illness or injury. Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides counseling and support services, and our wellness programs promote a healthy lifestyle.

In addition to these benefits, we offer a comprehensive retirement plan through the Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA), as well as additional retirement savings options including 401(k), 403(b), and 457(b) plans.  Optional voluntary plans are also available for life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), critical illness, cancer, and accidents, offering additional layers of security.

For more details about benefits at Englewood Schools, please refer to the Benefit Guide available on the District's website.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
New hires or rehires will be responsible for the fingerprint processing fee required for background checks through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Per the negotiated agreement, all teachers who start after the student's first day are temporary.

CLOSING DATE:
This position will close 6/28/2026. 

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
All interested and qualified applicants must complete an online application.  Incomplete applications and resumes received in lieu of applications will not be considered.  Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview. 

This job description is not intended to create any express or implied contract of employment or expectancy of continued employment for any definite term.
 

In compliance with Titles VI & VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 and Colorado law, Englewood Schools does not unlawfully discriminate against otherwise qualified students, employees, applicants for employment, or members of the public on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity, gender expression, religion, national origin, ancestry, family composition, or need for special education services. Discrimination against employees and applicants for employment based on age, genetic information, and conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth is also prohibited in accordance with state and/or federal law. Harassment, if it rises to the level described in state law, is a prohibited form of discrimination. To review Title IX policies and procedures, please click here. Inquiries or complaints may be referred to Dr. Rana Razzaque, Director of Opportunity, Access & Inclusion and Title IX Coordinator, 4101 S. Bannock St., Englewood, CO 80110, 303-806-2004 or may be filed directly with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 1244 North Speer Blvd., Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204. Complaints regarding violations of Title VII (employment) and the ADEA (prohibiting age discrimination in employment) may be filed directly with the Federal Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 950 17th St., Suite 300, Denver, CO 80202, or the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, 1560 Broadway, Suite 825, Denver, CO 80202.