Graduation Coach (High School) – NHS Position Available In Newton, Georgia

Graduation Coach (High School) – NHS
Newton County Schools
Newton High School – Covington, Georgia This job is also posted in Newton County Schools
Job Details

Job ID:

5174938

Application Deadline:

Posted until filled

Posted:

May 19, 2025

Starting Date:

Jul 25, 2025
Job Description

Job Title:

High School Graduation Coach

Pay Grade:

T4/0yrs.

Supervisor:

Principal

PRIMARY PURPOSE

The High School Graduation Coach shall work to ensure smooth transitions of middle school students to high school students into post-secondary options or careers. High School Graduation Coaches will identify youth at risk of dropping out due to academic and/or psycho-social carriers. Once students have been identified the coach will connect students to intervention programs to prevent grade retention and high school assessment failure, while ensuring a solid academic foundation that promotes the successful transition out of high school.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Georgia Professional Standards Commission certification in the following areas: Teaching, Service (School Counseling, School Psychology, and/or School Social Work) or Leadership; or paraprofessional certification.
At least three years’ experience in one or a combination of the certificated areas above in secondary schools.
Successful experiences working with secondary at-risk students.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Working knowledge of appropriate strategies for reducing behaviors that put students at risk of not graduating from high school;
Ability to communicate effectively with youth, adults, and members of the community;
Ability to analyze, develop, implement, and track intervention plans and strategies;
Knowledge of and the ability to analyze data, including that available from the Georgia Department of Education, the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, and from other sources;
An understanding of the multiplicity of social services available in the community to support students at risk of not graduating;
Knowledge of alternative education opportunities (e.g. Communities In Schools, Credit Recovery, Plato, Georgia Virtual High School)
Is present at work every day, on time, and performs all duties as assigned effectively and efficiently.
Is neat and professional in appearance befitting the job they provide the school system.
Shall exhibit a professional attitude and demeanor at all times in dealing with the board, school administration, fellow employees, parents, students, and the public.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

1. Identify at-risk students
Utilize the components of a profile of characteristics of potential dropouts developed by the National Dropout Prevention Network to identify high school students at risk of dropping out. These characteristics include (full list attached):
History of school failure, retention, and/or overage for grade;
Low CRCT scores, reading and/or math achievement;
Failure of high school assessments
Special education/disability;
Attendance problems/truancy;
Behavioral problems, history of suspensions, high-risk peer group;
Disengagement from school, low expectations, lack of extracurricular involvement;
Family status or risk factors: economically disadvantaged, high mobility, non-native English speakers.
2. Generate School Support and Develop Graduation Team(s)
In collaboration with a school’s existing leadership, develop a Graduation Team(s) that includes administrators, teachers, advisors, counselors, school social workers and/or any other relevant service providers. The Graduation Team(s) will help identify at-risk students, assess school and student needs, and develop/coordinate appropriate interventions.
Graduation teams may utilize existing school-based teams, such as School Leadership, Improvement, and/or Student Support Teams.
3. Develop School-wide Support and Interventions
Work with faculty and administrators to develop credit recovery and alternative options and to adapt curriculum and differentiate instruction to meet the needs of identified at risk students;
Attend, participate in, and redeliver as appropriate all required High school Graduation Coach training provided by the Department of Education, Communities In Schools and/or other collaborative partners;
Provide training and/or support to middle school and high school teachers on support measures that work with youth identified as at risk of not graduating.
4. Provide Direct Service and Case Management
Develop and implement individual, small group, and whole school intervention and prevention strategies to increase the likelihood that students will stay in school and graduate;
Work with students to develop a graduation and career plan (Peach State Pathways) to include the best program to meet academic and post-secondary goals;
5. Develop Transition Programs and Vertical Teams with Middle and High Schools
Collaborate with feeder middle school(s) to identify in coming middle school students at risk of high school failure;
Conduct quarterly vertical team meetings among middle, and high school faculty and staff to develop action steps to improve individual student and subgroup transition success rate;
Collaborate with teachers, counselors, and/or advisors to assure the continued use of the transition process for 8th graders and freshmen to help students successfully adapt to the rigors of the high school experience.
6. Develop Relationships with Parents/Guardians, Community Organizations, and Other Resources
Connect individual students and their parents/guardians with community organizations and programs, such as Communities In Schools, Family Connections, Georgia College 411, Early College as well as area technical colleges;
Develop or work with local mentoring programs, business and/or community coaches to connect individual students with mentors;
Provide support and outreach to parents/guardians of students identified as being at risk of not graduating.
7. Assessment and Reporting
Track the progress of individual students and subgroups as they progress toward high school;
Conduct and analyze on-going formative and summative evaluation data of program effectiveness
Provide and/or submit reports to the Department of Education and/or Communities In Schools as scheduled/ requested.
Revised 11/08; 2/11; 7/13 (Uploaded 03.22.2019)

Position Type:

Full-Time
Job Requirements
At least 3 year(s) of relevant experience preferred.
Citizenship, residency or work visa required