The Schools. The Background.​

There are two Travis Hill Schools (Schools) in New Orleans.  One is located inside of the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center (JJIC), the detention facility for New Orleans teens who are being held pre-trial, and the other is located inside of the Orleans Justice Center (OJC), the pretrial detention facility for adults (and teens charged as adults).  We currently are looking for a Restorative Practices Coordinator at the JJIC site.

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The Travis Hill Schools are run by the Center for Educational Excellence in Alternative Settings (CEEAS). CEEAS is a nonprofit organization devoted to improving schools in juvenile and criminal justice facilities across the nation.  The first Travis School opened in August 2016 at the JJIC. In late August 2017, we opened the Travis Hill School at OJC. Additional information about CEEAS and the Travis Hill Schools is available at our website, www.ceeas.org and https://ceeasorg.wixsite.com/travishillschools.

 

The Schools. The Opportunity​.

Approximately 40 students are detained at the JJIC on a daily basis.  They range in age from 11 to 17 years old. All students attend our school located inside of the JJIC.  Nearly 1,500 individuals are held at the OJC. We currently operate a full-time school for approximately 50 students between 17 and 21 years old, and are taking steps to increase the number of students we can serve there, by developing a Travis Hill School Tier and Learning Lab.

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Nearly all the students have faced school failure--many did not attend school regularly when they were younger, most have been suspended or expelled at some point, nearly all of them are far behind their peers academically, and 30-40% of them have special education needs. Despite this, they all have hopes and dreams, skills and talents, and family and friends who care for them.

Our mission at Travis Hill is to create a transformative learning environment where students held at the JJIC or OJC develop the academic and socio-emotional skills they need to become positive, contributing members of their community when they are released.

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Position Description:

The Restorative Practices Coordinator will work with the Directors of Academics and School Culture and Student Support, all staff, and students to establish and support a school culture that creates a safe, caring learning environment for everyone, based on restorative practices and positive incentives.

 

This is a terrific job for someone who loves working with teens, believes all students deserve a great education, and who has strong communication skills.  The ideal candidate also has experience with and is interested in supporting students who need significant support, coaching, and encouragement to develop positive, pro-social behaviors in order to be successful at school and beyond. A belief in restorative practices and resolute commitment to not resorting to punitive behavior management tactics are critical to this position.

 

Primary Responsibilities: 

Responsibilities will include but not be limited to: 

 

• Implementing a school-wide restorative approach to building and maintaining a positive school culture.  

• Working pro-actively with teachers and students to address underlying, core issues that can negatively impact behavior and school culture; implementing a tiered response and intervention system founded on notions of restorative, non-punitive practices.

• Conducting conferences, mediations, and restorative circles, with students and staff, to repair harm and promote healing and improved relationships.

• Helping students and staff establish consistent behavioral standards throughout the day, and to hold themselves accountable to each other and to the school community

• Participating in front line behavior-related issues throughout the day, promoting and acknowledging positive behavior while addressing challenging and inappropriate behavior

• Tracking and accounting daily attendance

• Working closely with JJIC secure care staff on a host of critical issues--including managing student transitions, sharing key information about student behavior, and developing and supporting consistent communication and behavioral norming by school and secure care staff

• Participating in counseling and interdisciplinary team meetings and others as needed

• Modeling and contributing to a school culture of hope and high expectations for achievement

• Assisting in the classroom and around the School as-needed

• Building positive, lasting relationships with students and families as well as key student support networks, including, local attorneys, case management and after care staff 

 

Desirable Qualifications:

• Experience with and a commitment to restorative approaches

• Associate or other postsecondary degree in a field related to youth services preferred

• Experience working with at-risk teens

• Strong ties to the New Orleans community and solid understanding of the unique challenges that many students at the JJIC face

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• The ability to multi-task and manage multiple projects 

• An unyielding belief that with the appropriate supports, coupled with high expectations, all students can develop their social and interpersonal skills that will enable them to succeed at the School, and then build on this success to manage effectively beyond the School and the JJIC

• Embrace a school culture that requires all staff to work beyond the traditional school hours and school year in order to create an environment filled with hope and high expectations, where students will radically improve their academic, employment and social skills

 

Salary and Benefits: CEEAS offers staff a competitive salary and benefits package. Salary for this position will be comparable to this position at schools in the New Orleans area. CEEAS offers a Simple IRA plan for all staff, and provides a 3% employer contribution once staff has worked for six months. CEEAS provides health coverage for all staff and covers 50-80% of the monthly premiums.  

 

The Restorative Practices Coordinator is a 12 month, full-time position.