Family Engagement Liaison

 

The Family Engagement Liaison at Overbrook School for the Blind exudes a passion for the school, its students, its employees, and its mission. This position will report directly to the Superintendent.

The Mission of Overbrook School for the Blind (OSB) is to develop and deliver education that enhances the options available for persons with visual impairments, including those with additional challenges so that they have the greatest opportunity to experience active and fulfilling lives.

Organizational Description: Overbrook School for the Blind serves students who are blind or visually impaired with or without additional disabilities (such as intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, hearing impairment, sensory issues, and including those who require specialized medical care) receive a customized, individualized education based on state educational standards. OSB is more than a school, it is a community where students, families, and staff support one another and come together to build a bright future. 

Job Functions: 

The Family Engagement Liaison serves as a partner between families, school staff, and community agencies to support students who are blind, visually impaired, or have additional disabilities. This role ensures families have the knowledge, resources, and support needed to understand their child’s learning needs, access specialized services, and engage fully in the school community. Liaison promotes accessibility, trust, and consistent communication while fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for all families. The liaison assists parents with understanding the school’s systems so they can become better advocates for their children’s education.   The role expands opportunities for continued learning, voluntary classroom service and school participation.

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• Conduct comprehensive social work assessments and identify student and family needs.
• Prepares monthly family engagement action plans to reach and engage all families in the school community and maintain records on program activities
• Orient new families to school programs, including blindness-specific instruction, related services, health support, and assistive technology.
• Works in tandem with the OSB Social Worker to coordinate individualized support to families adjusting to a new diagnosis or significant change in vision.
• Ensure families receive timely updates regarding student progress, health information, therapy schedules, and school events.
• Work with interpreters, translators, and accessibility staff to meet the needs of multilingual families and families requiring alternative formats.
• Serve as a liaison between families and Health Services, ensuring clear communication regarding medication, health plans, medical appointments, screenings, and emergency procedures.
• Collaborate closely with OT, PT, and SLP, behavior teams to help families understand therapy goals, progress, home carryover activities, and scheduling.
• Collaborates with Superintendent, Educational Supervisors, and the Communication and Development Departments on projects aiding students and families.
• Help families access community support when needed, including medical specialists, vision rehabilitation services, early intervention, mental health providers, transportation assistance, and social service agencies.
• Helps to coordinate and execute events on campus for recruitment of new students

 

Expected Skill Set:

 

• Demonstrated knowledge of:
  • Communication skills and techniques.
  • The economic and social problems experienced by urban families.
  •  The functions and resources of community organizations and social service agencies providing services to families and students served by OSB.
  •  Office principles, practices and procedures.
  • Personal computer applications that are used to create reports and documents.
• Demonstrated ability to:
  • Work effectively with parents/guardians to address their specific concerns.
  • Work flexible hours including evenings and weekends, as initiative’s outreach events dictate.
  • Employ tact, diplomacy and sound judgment in dealing with sensitive issues.
  • Promote and encourage parental participation in a variety of school-wide initiatives.
  • Understand and respect the use appropriate technology and a variety of software applications in order to create reports, maintain records and provide data, as needed.
  • Host and plan parent meetings and attend community meetings off school site and in the local community and or neighborhoods.
  • Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Strong collaboration skills and the ability to work across educational, medical, and community systems.
• Cultural responsiveness and respect for diverse family structures, backgrounds, and perspectives.
• Knowledge of the unique psychosocial needs of children who are blind or visually impaired.
• Understanding of the relationship between medical complexity, disability, family systems, and educational access.
• Ability to communicate effectively with individuals who use a variety of communication methods.
• Ability to work with students with significant cognitive, sensory, physical, behavioral, and communication differences.

 

Minimum Education and Experience Qualifications:

• Education: Associate degree from an accredited college or university in human services, social work, psychology, education, or a closely related field. Two years of full-time, paid experience in social services or a related field that has included working with parents, schools and children or community organizations.
• Knowledge of special education and multidisciplinary service delivery.
• Strong understanding of confidentiality, mandated reporting, professional ethics, and student safety requirements.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, organizational, and crisis-management skills.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary educational.
• Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries while developing strong relationships with students and families.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a school, pediatric healthcare, rehabilitation, or other setting serving children with complex needs.
• Experience working with students who are blind or visually impaired.
• Experience with students with cortical visual impairment (CVI), deafblindness, multiple disabilities, or complex medical needs.
• Experience working with children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
• Experience with trauma-informed practices and crisis intervention.
• Experience coordinating services with hospitals, pediatric specialists, behavioral health providers, county agencies, and community organizations.
• Experience with transition planning and adult service systems.
• Knowledge of Pennsylvania special education regulations and community-based services.  
• Must be certified in First Aid and CPR/AED.  

 

Physical Requirements & Work Environment:

• Lifting: must be able to lift 50 lbs minimum. Participate in 2-person lifts. 
• Working Environment: Employees are subject to accidents and/or injuries, which may be incurred during the performance of the essential functions of the position. Work is primarily indoors, but some outdoor activities may be required.
• Physical Requirement: The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. The position may require frequent movement throughout the school environment, including classrooms, therapy areas, residential areas, vocational settings, and community-based instructional environments. Duties may include assisting students with feeding, changing/bathroom routines, positioning, mobility, communication, instructional materials, and other educational activities consistent with the employee's role and training.

Benefits and Pay:

OSB offers a competitive salary and benefits package reflective of the applicant’s training and experience, including liberal financial support for the pursuit of advanced degrees.  Applications from members of communities traditionally underrepresented in school administrative positions are invited.

Overbrook School for the Blind Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Overbrook School for the Blind (OSB) has, and will continue to follow, a policy of recruiting, employing and promoting individuals best qualified for any position by reason of education, training, and experience without regard to race, color, ancestry, genetic information, familial or marital status, domestic or sexual violence victimization, ethnicity, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or non-job-related disability or the use of a guide or support animal because of blindness, deafness or physical disability.  OSB shall not discriminate against an individual who has exercised his/her rights against discrimination in accordance with applicable federal, state, or local laws.

Overbrook School for the Blind offers a competitive salary and benefits package reflective of the applicant’s training and experience.