Keystone Learning Services / Northeast Kansas Education Service Center USD 608 • www.keystonelearning.org
School Mental Health Initiative (SMHI) Statewide Trainer
Purpose:
The Technical Assistance Support Network (TASN) of which SMHI is a part helps school districts in the state of Kansas meet the needs of students to enable them to be served in the least restrictive environment. The Statewide Trainer through the SMHI TASN Project provides professional development that helps school personnel better serve students with mental health disabilities and provides technical assistance to improve their responses to the needs of these students. Keystone
Learning Services is the fiscal agent and works in collaboration with the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) in managing the project.
A. Work responsibilities include:
Train District Community Leadership Teams (DCLTs) in a structured process to recognize, assess, and
respond to child/youths in need of mental health support.
Coach DCLTs around the implementation of evidence-based, multi-tier mental health interventions.
Provide guidance to DCLTs in data-based decision making to effectively monitor the progress of
child/youths who receive mental health support across community structures (i.e., school, home, and
community settings).
Develop evidence-based resources, protocols, processes, and professional learning to support Kansas school
communities in meeting the mental health needs of child/youths.
Develop/provide training and presentations for state- and district-level audiences.
Actively engage community and TASN partners in ongoing, meaningful collaboration.
Participate in meetings and conferences with other state-level leaders to further build on and refine efforts
which effectively incorporate tiered mental health supports within school communities.
Support the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center to integrate family engagement practices
into the Kansas school mental health professional development, coaching and evaluation process
and materials.
Increase the capacity of the Kansas IDEA State Parent and Training Information Center, Families
Together, Inc. to provide evidence-based training to families on being decision-making members
when implementing tier two and tier three mental health interventions for their children, including
children with disabilities.
Assist in monitoring progress and provide data-driven feedback
A. Support the Coordinator of the SMHI Project and the Project Director by:
a) Collaborate with TASN Evaluation to collect data that reflects the effectiveness of
training and interventions.
b) Helping prepare information for quarterly reports and other TASN management
events.
B. Minimum Requirements:
Preferred:
Experience systematically coordinating and/or providing multi-tier mental health interventions within
an educational setting.
Experience providing training on effective behavior interventions in a multi-tier system, including
schoolwide, classroom, and individual child/youth behavior intervention planning.
Experience with universal screening and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curricula.
Experience working with and/or coordinating transition for children identified as Emotionally
Disturbed.
Experience serving as a point of contact between trainers and leadership teams in districts, states,
and/or regions for the purpose of school improvement planning.
Direct work with districts and experience working with district-level leadership teams providing school
improvement strategic planning, data-based decision-making, progress monitoring, and support.
Working knowledge of implementation science and self-correcting feedback loops.
Working knowledge of the Kansas MTSS and Alignment project and the Interconnected Systems
Framework.
Working knowledge of impact of trauma and experience implementing trauma-responsive practices.
Professional development, training, and coaching across multiple districts and familiarity with the
Kansas Standards for Professional Learning.
Experience with family and community engagement and familiarity with the Kansas Family
Engagement Standards.
Proficiency in the use of technology, including Google Workspace/G Suite, Microsoft Office and online
meeting platforms.
Experience working with KSDE and/or working knowledge of existing KSDE initiatives such as Kansas
Education System Accreditation (KESA) or the Kansans Can School Redesign Project.
Experience with Medicaid billing and related funding systems.
Experience practicing and teaching mindfulness to children/youth.
Experience utilizing neuroscience in education practices when working with children/youth.
Essential skills and abilities:
Strong emotional intelligence, including compassion, empathy, and a willingness to have fun!
High level of professional integrity.
Ability to appreciate multiple perspectives.
Actively involved in development of own professional learning.
Ability to coach teams from a strengths-based approach.
Ability to work as a part of the team, lead when appropriate, and accept feedback.
Strong time and self-management skills.
Ability to translate empirical research into real-life practice.
Flexibility in handling multiple priorities, including proficient, timely email management.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to adapt communication appropriately for purpose and audience.
Experience as a mental health provider and presenter is preferred.
A professional college degree and related licensure with experience in the field.
Experience with team facilitation and/or management of large-scale/regional professional development
activities is preferred.
Project employees maintain a home office with equipment, communication and travel support provided.
In state and out of state travel to meetings and conferences is required.
Requires the ability to sit and/or stand for prolonged periods.
Occasionally requires move, lift, carry, pull or push medium to heavy work objects or materials. Medium
work is defined as exerting 20 to 50 pounds up to heavy work which is defined as exerting 50 to 100
pounds.
Occasionally requires the ability to stoop, bend and reach.
Requires the ability to occasionally travel.
Employer Information
The mission of Keystone Learning Services is to forge educational partnerships through innovation and leadership to provide quality services that produce independent learners. We achieve this mission due in large part to the outstanding people we employ! Our staff is comprised of people who want to help students achieve their dreams and work in a positive and progressive environment.
Keystone hires special education teachers, related service providers, and paraeducators for eight USDs including: Atchison County Community Schools #377, Jefferson County North #339, Jefferson West #340, McLouth #342, Oskaloosa #341, Perry-Lecompton #343, Valley Falls #338 and Easton #449. We also hire special education administrators to assist schools with planning, training, and supervision all staff and oversee compliance monitoring. The member districts are located in the beautiful countryside surrounding Lake Perry including portions of Douglas, Jackson, Jefferson, and Atchison Counties.
In addition to special education services for the member districts, Keystone also provides services including: Tiny K programs in 7 counties, internet and technology services, comprehensive staff development, Parents as Teachers in 21 school districts, hosts WebKIDSS IEP Consortium, John Dewey Learning Academy, and fiscal manager of KSDE Technical Assistance System Network (TASN), Autism and Tertiary Behavior Support (ATBS), and Kansas MTSS.
We have a wonderful partnership with our member districts and unmatched community support for education. The diverse scope of services offered here pairs personalized small-town services with state-of-the-art educational technology making Keystone Learning Services and Northeast Kansas a great choice!
