Project Coordinator-Drug Free Communities @ Spencer County

SPENCER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

PROJECT COORDINATOR – DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES

Job Description

REPORTS TO

Assistant Superintendent

JOB GOALS

Coordinate the day-to-day operations of the Drug Free Communities grant and support the CAN Youth Coalition in planning, implementing, and evaluating comprehensive youth substance-use prevention efforts.

Build collaborative relationships among students, families, schools, and community partners to strengthen prevention, promote healthy decision-making, and connect students and families with appropriate resources.

Serve as an ambassador for Spencer County Public Schools and demonstrate excellent customer service to students, parents, staff, and the community.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

KNOWLEDGE OF

• Youth development, substance-use prevention, and factors that influence student well-being and healthy decision-making.
• Developmentally appropriate prevention approaches and strategies for engaging students and families.
• Coalition development, community partnerships, meeting facilitation, and collaborative planning.
• Grant administration, documentation, reporting, and applicable funding requirements.
• Budget preparation, financial record keeping, and expenditure monitoring.
• District organization, policies, procedures, and objectives.
• Data collection, interpretation, and program evaluation.
• Computer applications for communication, word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and presentations.
• District financial systems, including MUNIS, or the ability to learn these systems.
• Confidentiality requirements and professional boundaries when working with students and families.

ABILITY TO

• Work independently, prioritize responsibilities, and meet established deadlines.
• Establish and maintain positive relationships with students, families, school personnel, and community partners.
• Listen respectfully and respond to student and family needs without judgment.
• Facilitate meetings and move collaborative plans into action.
• Communicate clearly and professionally, orally and in writing.
• Maintain accurate financial, statistical, and narrative records.
• Use data and stakeholder feedback to identify needs and improve implementation.
• Coordinate work across multiple schools and community settings.
• Follow through on commitments and communicate progress consistently.
• Recognize needs requiring specialized services and coordinate connections to qualified professionals.

PERFORMANCE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Grant Administration and Coalition Coordination

• Coordinate daily grant operations and implement activities, strategies, and programs outlined in the approved action plan.
• Collaborate with coalition members, district personnel, and the evaluator to review needs, establish priorities, and monitor progress.
• Organize coalition meetings, including agendas, scheduling, materials, records, and follow-up communication.
• Maintain clear responsibilities, timelines, and procedures for completing action plan activities.
• Gather and maintain required documentation and coordinate the timely preparation and submission of grant reports.
• Monitor grant expenditures with designated district personnel; prepare requisitions and purchase orders and maintain supporting records.
• Coordinate with the Assistant Superintendent and appropriate district personnel to ensure activities and expenditures align with grant requirements and Board policies.
• Prepare progress summaries and program evaluation reports for designated personnel.
• Collaborate with the coalition to develop and implement sustainability plans.

School Collaboration and Prevention Support

• Work collaboratively with all district schools to identify and address youth substance-use prevention needs.
• Establish and communicate a predictable schedule for school visits, student engagement, and follow-up.
• Coordinate with administrators, counselors, family resource and youth services staff, youth coalition advisors, and other designated personnel to support a coordinated student assistance approach.
• Plan, facilitate, or arrange developmentally appropriate prevention activities for elementary, middle, high school, and alternative school students.
• Support prevention learning through advisory periods, classroom activities, student groups, and other appropriate school structures.
• Coordinate school and community events as part of an ongoing prevention plan.
• Collaborate with school personnel to support appropriate prevention education and follow-up after substance-related incidents.
• Identify resources and help coordinate support addressing coping skills, grief, anger management, family changes, and other needs that may contribute to substance use.
• Facilitate individual or small-group prevention and mentoring opportunities within the employee's qualifications, assigned responsibilities, and grant parameters.
• Connect students and families with qualified professionals when needs require counseling, assessment, or treatment.

Student Relationships and Youth Leadership

• Build trusting relationships with students through consistent presence, active listening, respectful communication, and dependable follow-through.
• Seek student input to better understand youth experiences, reasons for substance use, and barriers to healthy choices.
• Support youth coalition advisors and student groups in planning, implementing, and evaluating prevention efforts.
• Provide meaningful opportunities for students from varied schools, backgrounds, and experiences to influence coalition decisions.
• Help students develop leadership, communication, advocacy, and peer education skills.

Family Engagement and Community Communication

• Establish and maintain partnerships with parent groups, service providers, treatment centers, social services, law enforcement, and other community organizations.
• Develop accessible opportunities for families to participate in coalition activities and provide input.
• Coordinate parent education, community conversations, and other outreach based on identified needs.
• Share accurate, current prevention information and available resources regularly through approved school, district, coalition, and community communication channels.
• Participate in school and community events to build relationships and increase awareness of coalition resources.
• Maintain timely, professional communication among district personnel, schools, students, families, and community partners.

Data and Continuous Improvement

• Coordinate with designated district personnel to support KIP survey administration and other approved data collection.
• Use survey findings, school information, and student and family feedback to guide prevention priorities.
• Monitor implementation, participation, and progress toward action plan outcomes.
• Work with the evaluator and coalition to assess effectiveness and recommend adjustments.
• Maintain current knowledge of youth substance-use trends, prevention resources, and relevant professional practices through ongoing learning.
• Perform other reasonable duties consistent with the position and funding requirements as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in mental health, substance-use prevention, juvenile justice, education, social work, public health, or a related field.
• Master's degree in a related field preferred.
• Experience working with youth, families, schools, or community organizations.
• Experience in substance-use prevention, coalition development, or community outreach preferred.
• Grant management and compliance experience preferred.
• Demonstrated communication, organization, collaboration, and record-keeping skills.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Work is performed while standing, sitting, and/or walking.
• Requires effective communication with students, families, staff, and community members.
• Requires the use of hands for simple grasping and fine manipulation.
• May require bending, squatting, climbing, and reaching.
• May require lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling materials weighing up to 30 pounds.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

• The continuation of the position is contingent upon continued grant funding.
• The work year consists of 240 days on the G51 salary scale.
• Salary is commensurate with the adopted classified personnel salary schedule.
• Sick leave, emergency leave, personal leave, and off-days are provided in accordance with Board policy. Utilize excused sick leave in compliance with the provisions of KRS 161.155.
• The work schedule may include evening meetings and school or community events.

EVALUATION

Performance will be evaluated by the Assistant Superintendent in accordance with Board policy governing the evaluation of classified personnel.

FOR THIS TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT, STATE LAW REQUIRES A NATIONAL AND STATE CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND CHECK AND A LETTER, PROVIDED BY THE INDIVIDUAL, FROM THE CABINET FOR HEALTH AND FAMILY SERVICES STATING THE APPLICANT HAS NO ADMINISTRATIVE FINDINGS OF CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT FOUND THROUGH A BACKGROUND

CHECK OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT RECORDS MAINTAINED BY THE CABINET FOR HEALTH AND FAMILY SERVICES