Regional Office of Education #21 is seeking applicants for
STUDENT ADVOCATE (ALOP)
Are you passionate about making a real difference in students’ lives? As a Student Advocate in the Alternative Learning Opportunities Program (ALOP), you’ll have the opportunity to mentor, support, and empower at-risk students, helping them overcome challenges and achieve success. This role allows you to build meaningful relationships, provide academic and social-emotional support, and collaborate with educators and families to create lasting change. If you’re looking for a rewarding career where your impact is felt every day, this is the perfect opportunity to inspire and uplift students who need it most!
Job Summary
- Ability to work effectively with students, parents, staff, colleagues, school districts and community.
- Excellent communication, organization, and case management skills.
- Advocacy skills, including the ability to negotiate, compromise, and confront conflict, including crisis intervention.
- Willingness to persist with students, despite their behavior and decision-making.
- Experience in creating safe and welcoming social emotional learning environments.
- Passion for serving at-risk and underserved youth.
- Experience fostering strength based educational programming.
Key Performance Responsibilities And Duties
- Case management of approximately 32 students.
- Ensures that ALOP procedures are implemented with fidelity (ie obtaining consent, Student Success Plan goal development/monitoring, case note documentation, etc).
- Prepares and facilitates frequent in-person check-ins with all students.
- Works as a liaison between family and school to create and implement a plan for students’ academic and social-emotional success.
- Provides ongoing support in areas of academic deficiencies (credit recovery, executive functioning support, tutoring, etc), social emotional development, and resources around other identified areas of need.
- Works collaboratively with schools and programs to define and outline the role of school staff in improving student participation, performance, and success for individual students.
- Schedules, plans and participates in family outreach visits and family engagement events.
- Proactively communicates with parents/guardians in order to support student growth.
- Participates in the planning of transportation for students to and from school, as necessary.
- Shares performance data and serves as program ambassador at staff/school meetings.
- Monitors attendance, behavior, and grades.
- Responds and intervenes in student crises in accordance with school policy.
- Plans and facilitates SEL sessions with other staff.
- Provide transitional support in career and post-secondary exploration.
Qualifications, Knowledge, And Skills
- Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in a human services field, i.e. Social Worker. Experience with at-risk youth preferred.
- Valid IL Driver’s License
- Familiarity with ROE 21 School Districts and partner schools
- Student Advocates will be working in partner school districts.
SALARY / BENEFITS:
Full time position with salary and benefits – $45,000.00 – $55,000.00 per year
Offers of employment will be made contingent upon passing a pre‑employment physical, and criminal background check, as well as meeting the Faith’s Law background requirements. Candidates who refuse to submit to employment requirements will be disqualified from the hiring process.