Language Access Coordinator (5949)

LANGUAGE ACCESS COORDINATOR
LOCATION: Adminstrative Service Center
REPORTS TO: Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
DEPARTMENT: Equity and Inclusion
Hours / Work Times
Generally 8.0 Hours Per Day (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
260 days per year: July-June
This position will remain open until a qualified applicant is selected. The earliest date a recommendation for hire may be submitted is after 12/05/2023.
Position Duration: Temporary / Contingent Upon Grant Funding
Classification Group: Management/Confidential
We appreciate your interest in employment with Evergreen Public Schools. The most qualified and competitive applicant(s) that possess directly related experience and expertise, training, and education may be invited to participate in the interview/selection process. As part of the selection process, the District conducts confidential reference checks to include former and present employers and also requires a criminal background investigation including fingerprints Click here for Fingerprinting Services.
Failure to submit a full application package will result in disqualification.
STANCE STATEMENT:
Evergreen Public Schools are committed to eliminating the predictability of outcomes by demographic group and we strive to be a diverse community of schools that provides each member with the opportunities, access, resources, and support they need to be successful. With this in mind, our goal is to recruit, hire and retain employees of all racial ethnic/cultural, and national backgrounds who will bring their unique talents and skills into our educational institution to encourage students to thrive academically. Our district aims to provide an equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for all students and staff to succeed in a racially and culturally diverse local, national and global community.
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
The position of Language Access Coordinator serves to oversee the adoption and implementation of a district-level Language Access program for multilingual families and for families with communication disabilities. Requirements for the adoption of the program are established in RCW 28A.183 and Language Access Policy 4218. The Coordinator serves as a point of contact on Language Access matters for members of the public, including families and other community members, for school site personnel, for district personnel, for OSPI, and the Office of Education Ombuds (OEO). The Coordinator is involved in, among other duties, improving two-way communication processes and systems between the district and families, reporting and collecting relevant data systematically, training for district and school personnel related to Language Access, overseeing the procurement and provision of effective translation/interpretation services, and completing compliance with relevant federal and state laws.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Work collaboratively with other district and school site personnel as appropriate to identify Language Access needs of parents/guardians and other family members.
2. Establish robust messaging and communication to families and community members on the availability of Language Access resources and develop systematic methods to communicate how to access them and provide training to families, if needed.
3. Determine a technology strategy to (1) overcome the barriers of accessing and using technology some families face; and (2) provide language services at scale and empower all staff to provide language services to parents/guardians and other family members.
4. Assist in updating and revising policies and procedures that fulfills the requirements of Language Access Policy 4218 and establishes an updated Language Access Program, ultimately establishing a program that fulfills the needs of multilingual families and families with communication disabilities.
5. Provide direct service support to families at the EPS Welcome Center during set hours throughout the week.
6. Collaborate with designated bilingual staff with knowledge/experience sufficient to provide information directly to families in a language other than English, including ASL, and work to coordinate these resources.
7. Identify a sufficient system of Language Access services to meet anticipated demand, through in-house personnel and other means.
8. Vet or otherwise work to assure outside and in-house language services meet the threshold of appropriate and competent services.
9. Coordinate and/or directly provide training for district and school staff to identify Language Access needs, access appropriate resources such as interpretation and translation services, and to track the usage of such services.
10. Coordinate and/or directly provide staff training on best practices for working with an interpreter and for providing translation as appropriate.
11. Coordinate and/or directly provide training for interpreter/translator staff.
12. Establish systematic methods or oversee existing systematic methods for (1) registration and collecting/updating contact information from families (e.g. home surveys, Skyward, etc.); and (2) requesting, providing, and tracking Language Access services and evaluate the efficacy of these methods.
13. Establish a district-wide system for data and reporting, identifying critical data to methodically monitor progress and track metrics that must be submitted for compliance and will facilitate data-driven decisions and provide proof points of success.
14. Respond in a timely and appropriate manner to requests and inquiries regarding Language Access from a variety of stakeholders, including family members, other community members, relevant state agencies, and school site personnel, among others.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Perform other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Bachelor's degree in interpreter/translation studies, community engagement, or education-related studies preferred; or four years of equivalent work experience.
2. Two or more years of experience establishing and managing large-scale programs and/or services that involved many constituents and partners.
3. Two or more years of experience working with translation/interpreter services.
4. Demonstrated ability to provide strong and effective leadership that ensures high standards and professional success.
5. Demonstrated ability to facilitate collaborative project teams and to promote consensus with groups having diverse perspectives and interests.
6. Proven leadership qualities including the ability to be innovative and the ability to maintain positive and trusting relationships with staff, parents, community, and employee groups.
7. Commitment to working as an effective member of a district-based team.
8. Ability to respond to and engage with a diverse multicultural and multilingual community, work side by side, and foster strong, positive relationships with families, staff, students, and community members
9. Demonstrated understanding and knowledge of adult learning and PD facilitation.
10. Experience in developing and facilitating engaging professional development not only for district and school staff, but also for multilingual families and families with communication disabilities.
11. Demonstrated skill in interpersonal relations and problem-solving.
12. Fluency in a language(s) other than English is preferred.
13. Experience as an interpreter and/or translator OR administrative experience at the school or district level OR experience as a Language Access or translation/interpreter coordinator in the language industry is preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES RELATED TO LANGUAGE ACCESS:

1. Ability to communicate and partner effectively across a range of constituents and audiences, including multilingual families, school and district personnel, community-based groups, and state level agencies.
2. Demonstrates a commitment to equitable outcomes for all students.
3. Participates in activities and discussions that lead to increased cultural competence.
4. Proven ability to manage toward outcomes at a large-scale systems level, influencing and motivating multiple key partners and constituents through many layers of management.
5. Demonstrated ability to be well-organized and to be able to readily locate and access relevant resources and reference materials.
6. Ability to represent the school district in ways consistent with district and board policy and obligations
7. Ability to draw on data strategically, analyze data to make data-driven decisions, and generate reports which respond to differing criteria.
8. Excellent writing and editing skills, including the ability to write appropriately for multiple audiences and purposes.
9. Knowledge/awareness of own cultural identity and desire to learn about the cultural identity of others.
10. Knowledge of local community-based organizations and advocacy groups.
11. Knowledge or budding knowledge of professional organizations which have to do with spoken and signed language interpretation and written translation.
12. Budding knowledge of the communication and messaging technologies that have been adopted by a number of districts, and which draw on machine translation for communicating with families who use a language other than English.
13. Knowledge of the relevant legal framework for the provision of Language Access services in the schools, including federal and state legislation and federal guidance.

Notice of Nondiscrimination:
Evergreen Public Schools does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:
Title IX Coordinator
Cale Piland
Director of Athletics/Activities
13413 NE LeRoy Haagen Memorial Dr.
P.O. Box 8910
Vancouver, WA 98668-8910
Telephone: (360) 604-4430
Section 504/ADA Coordinator
Cate Winters
Health Services Manager
13413 NE LeRoy Haagen Memorial Dr.
P.O. Box 8910
Vancouver, WA 98668-8910
Telephone: (360) 604-6711
Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator
Tracy Thompson
Senior Director Human Resources
13413 NE LeRoy Haagen Memorial Dr.
P.O. Box 8910
Vancouver, WA 98668-8910
Telephone: (360) 604-4014