Native American Education Liaison

Saint Paul Public Schools; Saint Paul (MN); On-site; USD 50,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Saint Paul Public Schools is seeking a culturally responsive liaison to support American Indian students, families, and communities in academic, home and school settings. The role focuses on recognizing and addressing cultural differences to improve high academic achievement for Native students.

The position involves facilitating home/school communication, connecting families with resources, and participating in district teams to promote inclusive practices and culturally sensitive language.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in education, behavioral sciences or a related field and two years of work experience involving serving as a community liaison, providing outreach services to a diverse population, public relations work, training and/or facilitation. (Equivalent combinations of education and/or work experience will be considered.)
• Understands and has lived experience with American Indian traditions, community structures, and cultural practices

Responsibilities

• Facilitate meetings between students, parents and school staff from Native/Indigenous backgrounds to facilitate home/school communication and assist in the resolution of misunderstandings and conflicts.
• Meet with students to gather information about needs/issues; organize and facilitate support groups to address identified needs/issues; assist students experiencing a wide variety of academic, social and/or emotional needs; serve as a role model and mentor for these students; encourage good attendance and promote high achievement.
• Serve on school teams/committees to represent parents and/or students of color; represent the views of the minority parent or student; explain the goals and objectives of the school in culturally sensitive language.
• Support classroom teachers in interactions with Native students and their families.
• Assist the school social worker, SAM and SART teams and the Native Attendance Specialist in working with families to address truancy and attendance problems.
• Assist families in overcoming barriers to their attendance at parent - teacher conferences; attend conferences to assist parents to communicate with school staff as necessary.
• Support the unique Dakota/Lakota linguistic and cultural needs of American Indian (Native students) through material culture programming.
• Assist students and families with making regalia such as ribbon skirts and shirts, powwow regalia, ceremony and graduation regalia.
• Serve as a member of the school site council and the school operations team; articulate the school's mission; document and follow-up on the concerns of parents.
• Recruit parents to participate on the School Site Council, in the Parent Teachers Association and American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (AIPAC); promote participation by parents in other school events and functions.
• Team with the principal to develop strategies to include families in the implementation of school behavior and social skills programs.
• Review information gathered from meetings with parents; make recommendations to school administration on how to make the school a more inviting place, including recommendations on the physical design of the school.
• Orient new families to the school and provide assistance to help them participate in the school.
• Work with students of color and monitor their academic progress, behavior and attendance.
• Serve as liaison to after school programs and cultivate additional after school program opportunities to meet the academic, cultural and social needs of the school's diverse student body.
• Initiate contacts with businesses and/or community groups to promote support for the school, attend community meetings to represent the school and to learn about what is going on in the community; prepare reports for school administration on how Franklin should respond to community problems.
• Develop school communications, including information to market the school to parents, the school calendar, a school newsletter, communications about specific school events and related communications.
• Work with school administrators and/or the volunteer coordinator to recruit, train, and schedule tutors and volunteers from diverse communities that mirror the school's student population.
• Work with the principal to develop team-building and leadership opportunities for Native Students and facilitate leadership development opportunities for culturally diverse families.
• Represent the school at district functions dealing with family and community involvement.
• Refer students and/or their families to appropriate social service agencies or community groups.
• Review student test information and make recommendations for student tutoring needs on the basis of that data.
• Research grants available relating to meeting cultural needs; recommend pursuing grants appropriate for school needs; assist with preparing grant applications; recruit train and schedule volunteers to work with students of color and their families.
• Contribute to the District's inclusive workplace efforts by fostering a safe, welcoming and respectful environment.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Native American culture

Community structures

Dakota/Lakota culture

Interpersonal communication

Organizational skills

Computer skills

Stakeholder engagement

Time management

Community outreach

Resource access

Bridge home-district

Independence

Education

Bachelor's degree + 2 years experience

American Indian cultural experience

Job description

Saint Paul Public Schools is seeking a culturally responsive liaison to support American Indian students, families, and communities in academic, home and school settings. The role focuses on recognizing and addressing cultural differences to improve high academic achievement for Native students.

The position involves facilitating home/school communication, connecting families with resources, and participating in district teams to promote inclusive practices and culturally sensitive language.