Retention Specialist

Great Oaks High School & Career Development Center - Davenport; Davenport (IA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Health insurance

Retirement system eligibility

Professional growth

Performance incentives

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Great Oaks High School & Career Center - Davenport in Davenport, IA is seeking a Retention Specialist to champion the building's retention culture and keep students engaged and on track to their goals.

You will monitor attendance daily, lead absence interventions, conduct home visits when needed, and create programming for a diverse student population. Join a mission-driven team focused on student success and collaboration with school staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and two years of related professional experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• As the point person for the building's retention culture, monitor attendance and lead interventions.
• Develop and implement absence intervention plans and meetings with staff and families.
• Create programming to engage a diverse student population and keep students on track to goals.
• Collaborate with student support teams to provide academic and social interventions.
• Maintain accurate records and data while ensuring FERPA compliance.
• Communicate with families and staff through a robust outreach plan.

Skills

Attendance tracking

Communication

Stakeholder support

Mentoring

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Infinite Campus

Job description

TeachIowa Great Oaks High School & Career Center - Davenport - Davenport, Iowa Open in Google Maps

Retention Specialist

This job is also posted in TeachIowa, Iowa's Marketplace for education jobs

Job Details

Job ID: 5944437
Application Deadline: Posted until filled
Posted: Sep 29, 2026 3:08 PM (UTC)

Starting Date: Oct 19, 2026

Job Description

Great Oaks High School and Career Center | Davenport, IA | Full-Time

About the Role

Do you believe every student deserves someone in their corner? Oakmont Education is looking for a Retention Specialist who wants more than a job who wants to be the heart of a building-wide culture that keeps students engaged, attending, and on track to reach their goals.

As the point person for our building's retention culture, you'll monitor daily attendance, manage attendance thresholds, lead absence intervention planning and meetings, conduct home visits when needed, and create programming that keeps a diverse student population connected to school.

Oakmont is committed to providing our students with a transformational education and the tools they need to build a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Why You'll Love it Here

• Be part of a mission-driven organization dedicated to transforming outcomes for urban students.
• Ongoing, job-embedded professional development designed around your growth.
• A collaborative connected community of educators who support one another.
• Room to lead the building's retention strategy and build programming that keeps students engaged.
• The chance to make a lasting impact on students' attendance, persistence, and futures.

Benefits Highlights

• Paid Holidays and PTO
• Health/Dental/Vision Insurance Options
• STRS/SERS State of Iowa Retirement System Eligibility
• Professional Growth and Development Opportunities
• Performance Incentives
• Tuition Reimbursement (Continuing Education and Licensure Renewal)

What You'll Do

• Serve as the point person for the building's student retention strategies and culture.
• Manage students building-wide toward identified retention outcomes.
• Monitor daily attendance and manage attendance thresholds.
• Develop absence intervention plans and conduct or facilitate absence intervention meetings.
• Facilitate and implement prescriptive, holistic intervention plans.
• Work with other staff to ensure students receive applicable academic and social interventions, and support academically at-risk students.
• Create connections with students, including serving as a mentor or advisor to key student groups and participating in student-based activities.
• Review student records for retention issues and follow up on progress through personal contact (including home visits) and correspondence.
• Develop and implement a robust communication plan to facilitate outreach with students.
• Assess institutional data and make recommendations for retention planning and implementation.
• Assist the Director with planning and implementing measurable, actionable student retention strategies.
• Work with the student support team to promote student success through improved processes, programmatic offerings, and outreach campaigns.
• Maintain accurate records and data tracking, handling confidential student information with tact, discretion, and in compliance with FERPA.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

What You'll Need

• Bachelor's degree and two (2) years of related professional work experience preferred.
• Two (2) years of experience in K-12 education in a student-focused role preferred.
• Knowledge of Infinite Campus reports.
• Knowledge of State of Iowa attendance standards and laws.
• Knowledge of student development theories and how to apply them in an academic environment.
• Excellent commitment to customer service and superior time management skills to oversee multiple ongoing projects.
• Excellent written, oral, and presentation communication skills, with strong interpersonal and conflict management skills.
• The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.
• Comfort working with challenging students and a willingness to go above and beyond to support them.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Oakmont is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Position Type: Full-time
Job Categories:

Organization-level Positions > Specialist

Contact Information

• Tammy Fritz-Conrad , Director
• Phone: [phone]
• Email: [e-mail]