Bilingual Community Outreach Worker

Title: Bilingual Community Outreach Worker

Location: Central Office and Training Center

The Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools (KCKPS) is a nationally recognized urban school district that serves approximately 20,000 students, and 60+ different languages are spoken in the homes of our students. KCKPS is home to Sumner Academy, the #6 highest-rated high school in the Nation and #1 High School in Kansas according to the US News rankings.

With Head Start/preschools, 28 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, and 5 college and career academies/high schools, we are the fifth largest district in the state of Kansas, and our student population is approximately 58% Hispanic, 22% African American, 8% White, 7% Asian, and 4% Pacific Islander. To serve our students, the district employs approximately 4,000 employees, including more than 1,800 teachers.

JOB GOAL: To support the educational opportunities for children and families by facilitating cross-cultural communication between language minority persons and school district staff through interpretation of conversations and translation of documents and other materials from one language to another.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Must demonstrate fluency (speaking, comprehension, reading and writing) in one of the target student languages (Burmese, Nepali, Spanish, Swahili, Karen) and English.
• Experience working in an educational setting and/or service oriented agency that works with language minority families
• Ability to interact and develop working relationships with professionals, staff, children and their families using positive interpersonal, oral and written communication in English and second language
• Ability to maintain cultural sensitivity when relaying concepts and ideas between languages
• Ability to work flexible hours
• Must be self-motivated and reliable
• Must have basic computer skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Facilitate oral communication between language minority persons and district staff by interpreting telephone conversations, conference calls, in-person conversations, etc. during school hours, for parent/teacher conferences, after school activities, IEP meetings, and other school functions
• Translates school-home communications and system-wide documents from English to the target language
• Uses technology in English and the target language appropriately to format, translate, save and retrieve work
• Clarifies content and terminology
• Reviews and evaluates documents
• Edits work of other translators and responds to editing suggestions of other
• Assumes responsibility for quality of translation work submitted by reviewing, editing, and revising own work and quality of interpretation by clarifying ideas and messages to assist with understanding
• Learns new translations
• Performs all other job-related duties as assigned by immediate supervisor

Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or GED
• Bilingual Preferred
• Ability to speak, read, and write fluently in English and second language.

COMMUNICATION / ORGANIZATION: Maintains communication with school personnel, and parents/guardians to enhance cooperative action which will meet the educational needs of students. Utilizes existing technology effectively in the performance of duties. Performs other related work as required.

REASONING ABILITY: Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read and analyze and interpret general professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, general curriculum and learning theories, correspondence, and protocols. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of administrators, staff, parents, students, and the general public.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here 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 regularly required to sit, walk, stand and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. The employee must occasionally push items of 50 pounds such as pushing on a bike or wheelchair, or moving/rearranging furniture. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud and is a standard acceptable level for this environment. Is directly responsible for students' safety, work output and well-being.

OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES: Ability to apply knowledge of current research and theory to instructional program; ability to plan and implement lessons based on division and school objectives and the needs and abilities of students. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, peers, parents and community; ability to speak clear and concisely in written or oral communication.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: 211 Days

SALARY: Level 7

Classified Salary Schedule:

https://www.kckschools.org/hr/classified-salary-schedule-work-page

REPORT TO: Director of Multilingual Education

EVALUATION: As approved by the KCKPS Board of Education

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. The individual currently holding this position performs additional duties and additional duties may be assigned.

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KCKPS does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disability or any other factors that cannot be lawfully considered in its programs and activities as required by all applicable laws and regulations.