Attendance Support/Van Driver

The Attendance Support/Van Driver seeks to support our Special Education and Title 1 students with transportation needs. The mission of the Attendance Support/Van Driver at Etoile Academy Charter School is to help students succeed through increased school attendance and decreased tardiness with an understanding and compassionate approach. This includes Summer Program and Extended School Year (ESY) needs. This person will work closely with the attendance personnel at both campuses.

The Attendance Support/Van Driver will:

• Transport Special Education students to and from school (door-to-door) using the school van, ensuring all safety measures during transport;
• Transport Special Education students to and from other campus locations within the district (Hornwood and Bissonnet) to meet their special education service needs;
• Use verbal de-escalation techniques to address student behaviors while riding the van;
• Utilize positive reinforcers for students, as outlined in their IEP and/or BIP;
• Report all unsafe behaviors while riding the van to the Assistant Principal of Special Education;
• Maintain accurate student passenger demographic information (name, birthdate, address, phone number, disability, medical issues, etc) in the event of an off-campus emergency;
• Make transportation an educational time (by playing educational songs, pointing out community landmarks, referring to environmental print, etc.)
• Assist other Attendance Personnel with phone calls home to inquire about absences and tardies;
• Provide transportation to students who report missing school because of a lack of transportation (such as missing the bus, waking up late, or having car trouble);
• Communicate with parents and students about the importance of regular school attendance;
• Record all communications in DeansList and promptly report concerns to appropriate school leaders and/or Social Work Department;
• Conduct home visits independently and assist staff in conducting home visits;
• Provide transportation to parents who need to attend important meetings at school (such as ARD meetings, Parent-Teacher Conferences, Principal Meetings regarding behavior, Social Work Meetings to address family needs, etc);
• Provide transportation for and chaperone special events during the school day, such as high school/college visits, transition/career exploration field trips, life skills outings, community outreach events, teacher experiences, etc.
• Provide Spanish translation for parents and students throughout the day, as needed;
• Maintain the van's cleanliness on a daily basis and fueling needs on a weekly basis;
• Assist the Enrollment Team with outreach and recruitment;
• Willing to obtain certification in CPR, First Aid, Seizure, and CPI.

Qualifications

• Experience transporting students with special needs, as well as using booster seats and five-point harnesses;
• Experience with verbal de-escalation techniques (preferred);
• Ability to maintain focus and attention on driving, in order to ensure safety;
• Bilingual (Spanish) preferred;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with a diverse staff, parents, and students;
• Alignment with the school's mission to ensure that every student in grades K through 8 has the academic and character foundation necessary to succeed in high school, graduate from college, and pursue ambitious life goals.
• Demonstrated application of Étoile Academy's core values: Respect, Excellence, Ambition, Community, and Hard work.

Academy is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. People from all diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.