Graduation Coach - Indigenous Education

Simcoe County District School Board; Midhurst; On-site; CAD 61,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unionized position

Job summary

Simcoe County District School Board is seeking a Graduation Coach to support Indigenous students in achieving credits, graduating, and transitioning to post-secondary pathways. The role emphasizes cultural engagement, wellbeing and academics, under the direction of school and board administration.

The position is a 1.0 FTE temporary role from September 2026 to December 6, 2027, with duties including collaboration with families, data reporting, and Indigenous Education program support across

Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in Humanities, Social Science, Social Services, Psychology, or a related field, with two years of experience in a related field, or an equivalent education/experience.
• Demonstrated understanding and working knowledge of Decolonizing the curriculum.
• Ability to provide program support for integrating Indigenous history, culture and Ways of Knowing into curricula and develop cultural competence.

Responsibilities

• Create a caring and nurturing school and community environment by addressing the academic, social, emotional, and cultural needs of Indigenous students.
• Mentor and advise Indigenous students and families on social, emotional, intellectual, cultural, and physical well-being.
• Coordinate local community cultural support services and liaise with agencies to connect students with mentors.
• Work with elementary and secondary school communities to improve Indigenous students' feelings and perceptions of the educational experience.
• Collaborate with school administrators, staff, families, and community resources to identify current barriers and develop meaningful solutions to support student engagement and success.
• Monitor attendance and assignment completion with a focus on key expectations leading to a successful graduation outcome.
• Prepare and provide reports which track the progress of individual students as they progress towards graduation.
• Provide leadership in the development and implementation of Indigenous Education programs and services.
• Support and attend additional Indigenous Education or other program department system initiatives, which may occur outside regular working hours; and
• Perform other duties as assigned with consideration to the unique needs of SCDSB stakeholders and beyond to meet system needs.

Skills

Decolonizing the curriculum

Cultural competence development

Mentoring and advising

Community collaboration

Culturally responsive teaching

Education

Post-secondary degree or diploma in Humanities/Social Science/Social Services/Psychology

Job description

GRADUATION COACH

1.0 FTE Temporary Position – September 2026 to December 6, 2027

The Simcoe County District School Board is committed to supporting the academic excellence and well-being of Indigenous students. The Graduation Coach for Indigenous students will provide supports to Indigenous students and their families with the goal of helping each student achieve their goals toward a successful transition to secondary school, achieve credit, graduate, and successfully transition into their chosen post-secondary pathway. Under the direction of school and board administration, the Graduation Coach will support the cultural engagement, well-being and academic achievement of Indigenous students.

Duties of the role include but are not limited to

• create a caring and nurturing school and community environment by addressing the academic, social, emotional, and cultural needs of Indigenous students by developing and maintaining trusting relationships;
• work closely with Indigenous students and their families to identify and support social, emotional, intellectual, cultural, and physical well-being while serving as a mentor and advisor;
• coordinate local community cultural support services and will liaise between school, home, and community social service agencies with the view to connecting individual students who are identified as being at risk of not graduating with mentors;
• work with both elementary and secondary school communities to improve Indigenous students' feelings and perceptions of the educational experience;
• collaborate with school administrators, staff, families, and community resources to identify current barriers and develop meaningful solutions to support student engagement and success;
• monitor attendance and assignment completion with a focus on key expectations leading to a successful graduation outcome;
• prepare and provide reports which track the progress of individual students as they progress towards graduation (data collection and analysis);
• Provide leadership in the development and implementation of Indigenous Education programs and services;
• Support and attend additional Indigenous Education or other program department system initiatives, which may occur outside regular working hours; and
• Perform other duties as assigned with consideration to the unique needs of SCDSB stakeholders and beyond to meet system needs.

Qualifications

• post‑secondary degree or diploma in Humanities, Social Science, Social Services, Psychology, or other similar degree / diploma with two years of experience in a related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience as determined by the Board;
• demonstrated understanding and working knowledge of Decolonizing the curriculum;
• ability to provide program support for integrating Indigenous history, culture and Ways of Knowing into various curriculum areas, with an understanding of how students develop cultural competence related to Indigenous education;
• demonstrated ability to engage school staff in teaching and learning practices that are both innovative and culturally relevant to the needs of Indigenous students and the parent community; and,
• understanding of learning strategies, program modifications and teaching methodologies which support students with special needs to make connections and understand Indigenous culture and practices.

Work Location: Secondary Schools – Bradford DHS, Nantyr Shores, Simcoe Shores Bradford, Simcoe Shores Innisfil. Assigned area(s) may be subject to change in the future.

Habitual Work Location: Nantyr Shores

This position is full-time temporary. The normal work year for this position is the school year - ten (10) months and ten (10) days. Please note: Summer is a non‑working period for this position.

The compensation range for this ten (10) month and ten (10) day position is $61,056 to $74,833 per year, depending on qualifications and experience. This position is based on a thirty‑five (35) hour work week. Assigned area(s) may be subject to change in the future. This is a unionized position and union dues are applicable.

Guided by the principles of dignity, individualization and inclusion, the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive environment that supports all human rights and accessibility needs for students and staff. The SCDSB recognizes the duty to accommodate, short of undue hardship as per the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

We value and are committed to upholding the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and equitable hiring practices for all applicants to be successful. In support of our strategic priorities, we are seeking members who reflect diverse identities, lived experiences and perspectives, especially Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQ+, and women to assist the board in reflecting the community we serve. Our equitable hiring initiative is consistent with the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) to ensure that our hiring practices remain equitable to candidates from groups protected by the prohibited grounds under the Code.

Applicants are to provide permission to contact two professional references, including their current and most recent supervisor. New hires to the Simcoe County District School Board will be required to submit a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) that is satisfactory to the Board prior to beginning employment. All new employees will be required to complete mandatory training modules with the Board prior to their first day of employment. All applicants are thanked for their interest in this position; however, only those who have been shortlisted for an interview will be contacted.