Student Support Specialist

Rome City School District; City of Rome (NY); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Rome City School District in Rome, NY seeks a dedicated Student Support Specialist to advocate for and support students facing barriers to academic and social success. You will provide direct services, coordinate with families and school staff, and connect students with community resources.

The role emphasizes collaboration, proactive problem-solving, and data-driven planning to improve student outcomes throughout a 10-month school year. Applicants must meet NYS Human Services qualifications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Human Services with 1 year of direct interaction with at-risk youth.
• Associate’s degree in Human Services with 3 years of direct interaction with at-risk youth.
• 60 credit hours and 5 years of direct interaction with at-risk youth.
• Equivalent combination of training and experience as described above.

Responsibilities

• Provide targeted support to at-risk students in attendance, academics, social-emotional development, and behavior.
• Work with students individually, in small groups, and within classrooms to implement interventions.
• Collaborate with teachers and staff to plan and implement effective student support strategies.
• Coordinate with human service agencies and counseling professionals to design and monitor support plans.
• Maintain regular communication with parents/guardians to support student progress.
• Support PBIS initiatives including Check-In Check-Out and behavior support plans.
• Coordinate with community agencies to connect students with resources as needed.
• Participate in School Intervention and Collaborative Teacher Team meetings; attend parent/guardian meetings.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services

Associate’s Degree in Human Services

60 credit hours with 5 years of experience

Equivalent combination of training and experience

Job description

The Rome City School District is seeking a dedicated, compassionate, and resourceful Student Support Specialist to make a meaningful difference in the lives of students who may be experiencing barriers to academic, behavioral, attendance, or social-emotional success. This position provides direct student support, advocacy, intervention, case management, and connections to school and community resources to help students overcome challenges and reach their potential.

The Student Support Specialist works closely with students, families, teachers, administrators, counselors, human service agencies, and community partners to identify student needs, develop individualized support plans, coordinate services, and monitor progress. The successful candidate will be a strong relationship-builder who can establish trust with students and families while navigating challenging situations with compassion, sound judgment, and professionalism.

This position is ideal for a strong self-starter who works well independently, takes initiative, and can manage responsibilities with minimal direction. The successful candidate will be proactive, organized, resourceful, and confident in problem-solving, while also working effectively as part of a collaborative school team. The ability to build positive relationships, communicate effectively, follow through, and bring people together to support student success is essential.

This is a 10-month, 7-hour-per-day position that follows the school-year calendar. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to work up to 20 additional paid days during August, providing an opportunity to support students and prepare for the upcoming school year. If you are someone who enjoys working directly with young people, making connections, solving problems, and helping students find a path forward, we invite you to consider joining the Rome City School District team.

Position Details & Qualifications

• Civil Service Status: Competitive classification. The selected candidate must take and pass the appropriate Civil Service examination.

• Eligibility Requirement: Applicants must explicitly demonstrate in their resume how they meet the minimum qualifications listed in the posting. Incomplete documentation or failure to show eligibility may result in disqualification.

SCHOOL DISTRICT COMPETITIVECLASSIFICATION

STUDENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:

This position involves the responsibility for providing student services in support of the overall academic goals and objectives in the Rome City School District for at-risk students through case management, advocacy and referral. The position may involve responsibility for identification of at-risk youth and collaboration with human service agencies, personnel and various school districts to provide guidance and develop service plans to ensure successful placement of the youth into an appropriate academic setting. Although the work is performed under general supervision, the incumbent will have significant direct interaction with students, at-risk youth and will require independent performance of most duties.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: (Illustrative only)

(Note: Not all activities are performed in every position. Other related tasks may also be assigned)

• Provide targeted support to at-risk students in the areas of attendance, academics, social-emotional development and behavior;

• Work with students individually, in small groups, and within classrooms to implement appropriate interventions;

• Collaborate with teachers and staff to plan and implement effective student support strategies;

• Partner with human services agencies or other counseling professionals and relevant stakeholders to design, implement and monitor support plans for identified students;

• Maintain regular communication with parents/guardians to support student progress;

• Support school-wide implementation of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), including Check-In Check-Out (CICO) and Positive Behavior Support Plans;

• Coordinate with community agencies to connect students with additional resources as needed;

• Participate in School Intervention and Collaborative Teacher Team Meetings as scheduled;

• Attend and contribute to parent/guardian meetings alongside school personnel;

• Facilitate Initial Response Team (IRT) meetings;

• Responsible for the development of and monitoring of contracts between students, parents/guardians;

• Use data-driven decision-making to develop student support plans and coordinate intervention;

• Maintain accurate documentation and records to assess program effectiveness and track student progress;

• Additional duties may be assigned as needed.

• Understanding of at-risk student populations and their challenges;

• Familiarity with Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and behavior management strategies;

• Knowledge of social-emotional learning (SEL) and trauma-informed practices;

• Awareness of community resources to support student needs;

• Basic understanding of data collection and analysis to track student progress;

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to engage students, families, and staff;

• Collaboration and teamwork to work effectively with school personnel and external agencies;

• Problem-solving and critical thinking to develop student support plans;

• Organizational and time management skills to track interventions and maintain documentation;

• Ability to build trust and rapport with students, families, faculty and staff;

• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion;

• Empathy and patience in working with at-risk students;

• Proactive and solutions-oriented mindset in supporting student success;

• Commitment to equity and inclusion for all students.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Either:

A.) Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents with a Bachelor’s Degree or higher in the field of Human Services* and one (1) year of experience involving direct interaction with at-risk youth; OR

B.) Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents with an Associate’s Degree in the Human Services* field and three (3) years experience involving direct interaction with at-risk youth; OR

C.) Completion of sixty (60) credit hours of coursework from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents and five (5) years of experience involving direct interaction with at-risk youth; OR

D.) An equivalent combination of training and experience as described in (A) and (B) above.

* The Human Services field includes social work, psychology, nursing, rehabilitation, education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, recreation or recreation therapy, counseling, community mental health, child and family services, sociology, speech and hearing or similar fields.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:

Possession of a valid New York State Driver’s License or otherwise demonstrates ability to meet the transportation needsof the position.