Position: Bilingual Technician

Position Summary:

The incumbent will perform technical duties in a multicultural environment using cross-cultural skills to assist international and English Language Learner (ELL) families in accessing school system services and to provide resource information to school system staff.  An employee in this class performs numerous technical tasks in support of all phases of management of the enrollment process in the International Student Office. This includes ensuring adherence to federal and state mandated requirements for Title III, ELL and emergency immigrant funding, and tracking of data and information for accurate MSDE and Federal reports. Individual initiative is important and the ability to review updated procedures as well as researching current issues related to immigration and international registration is expected. Position requires answering technical questions regarding international school enrollment and providing information to school system staff.  Work involves frequent contact with school system administrative offices, as well as school based personnel and families. Responsibilities include advising and assisting in student enrollment.  Work is performed in both English and Spanish under the direction of School Counseling leadership although day-to-day tasks may be performed in collaboration with the International Student Specialist.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Enters testing information and enrollment data into the International Student Office data base in coordination with required data entry into the school system SchoolMax data base;
• Advises families and school staff on enrollment requirements for this specialized population, including monitoring enrollment by schools and assisting families having enrollment difficulties;
• Reviews and prepares enrollment data and assists in preparation of reports required by the International Student Office;
• Reviews foreign transcripts and school system records for appropriate grade level placement prior to English language proficiency testing by the ESOL testing team and final review of school records by an International Counselor;
• Coordinates informal kinship care applications for international and second language families, including caretaker contact, document collection and preparation, transmittal to Pupil Accounting Office, and communication with families;
• Collects and prepares materials for workshops and county-wide programs presented by the International Office;
• Answers high frequency phone inquiries from parents, school-based staff and outside resource agencies in both English and Spanish;
• Prepares and maintains records for over 6,000 students annually; and
• Performs related work as required.  

Qualifications:

• Fluency in English and Spanish in reading, speaking, writing, and listening;
• Use and application of cross-cultural communication skills;
• Working knowledge of school system policies and administrative procedures;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with school officials, employees, outside agencies and the general public;
• Knowledge of foreign secondary high school transcript evaluation and grade level placement criteria;
• Knowledge of leases, birth certificates and multilingual legal documents required for school registration; and
• Ability to effectively organize work schedules and work under pressure.

Education and/or Experience Requirements:

High school graduation and advanced coursework in or knowledge of English and Spanish as related to the position; five (5) years of experience in multi-cultural school environment; and five (5) years of experience working with linguistically diverse populations.

Certification:

None required.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

No direct supervisory responsibilities.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, talk, hear, walk, sit, and use fingers, tools or controls. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision such as to read handwritten or typed material, the ability to adjust focus, and depth perception. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may occasionally push or lift up to 25 lbs.

Working Environment:

The work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job.

Additional Information:

None.