School Summary
At Connections Academy, helping students maximize their potential and meet the highest performance standards through a uniquely individualized learning program is at the core of our mission. Connections Academy was founded in 2001 to deliver high-quality, highly accountable online education to students in grades K-12. Hallmarks of Connections Academy-supported online schools include personalized learning, an award-winning curriculum and Education Management System (EMS), dedicated state-certified teachers, and a supportive school community. Parents of enrolled students consistently share their satisfaction with Connections Academy: 92% “would recommend the schools to other families” and 95% say the curriculum is “high quality.” Connections Academy-supported public schools serve students across the country, while Connections Academy is committed to expanding quality education through technology and helping students achieve both academic and personal success.
Maine Connections Academy (MCA) is a tuition-free, virtual public charter school for students in grades 7–12 statewide. MCA is authorized by the Maine Charter School Commission and is governed by an independent Board of Directors.
Position Summary
The LiveLesson Attendance Coordinator is a full-time, 10-month position, grant-funded, focused on increasing student attendance and engagement in LiveLesson instructional sessions. The coordinator will work with students, families, teachers, counselors, and school leaders to identify students who are not consistently attending LiveLessons, determine and address barriers to participation, and provide targeted interventions and ongoing support to improve attendance.
Particular attention will be given to students who have the greatest academic need for synchronous instructional support, including students who are failing or at risk of failing courses, students demonstrating patterns of disengagement, and students identified by teachers or school teams as needing additional intervention.
The LiveLesson Attendance Coordinator will use attendance and academic data to identify trends and prioritize outreach; meet directly with students and families to understand barriers; develop individualized attendance plans and interventions; monitor student progress; and provide persistent follow-up and encouragement. The coordinator will also partner with teachers to support attendance efforts for individual students, specific courses, grade levels, and LiveLessons experiencing attendance concerns.
This position serves as a key connection between students, families, teachers, and school leadership and will help ensure that students who most need direct instructional support are consistently connected to their teachers and learning opportunities.
Responsibilities
- Monitor LiveLesson attendance and academic data to identify students with low or declining attendance, prioritizing students who are failing, at risk of failing, or otherwise in need of additional instructional support.
- Conduct proactive outreach and meet with students and families to identify barriers to LiveLesson attendance and develop individualized strategies to address them.
- Provide targeted attendance interventions, including reminders, goal setting, problem-solving, accountability, and ongoing follow-up.
- Build positive relationships with students and families while maintaining clear expectations for attendance, engagement, and academic progress.
- Track student contacts, barriers, interventions, attendance patterns, and outcomes; adjust supports when students are not demonstrating improvement.
- Support attendance improvement efforts for specific courses, sections, grade levels, or student groups experiencing attendance concerns.
- Collaborate with teachers, counselors, special education staff, interventionists, administrators, Bright Futures teacher, and other school staff to coordinate appropriate student supports and interventions.
- Participate in MTSS/RTI, grade-level, student support, attendance, and family meetings as appropriate.
- When regular LiveLesson attendance is not reasonably possible due to an ongoing barrier, work with the student, family, and teacher to establish an alternative engagement plan. This may include watching LiveLesson recordings, accessing instructional materials, completing related assignments or assessments, and maintaining communication with teachers.
- Monitor students using alternative engagement plans to ensure they are consistently accessing instruction, completing required work, and making academic progress.
- Analyze LiveLesson attendance trends and maintain reports, student lists, or other tools that provide teachers and school leaders with actionable attendance information.
- Support schoolwide strategies and communications designed to increase LiveLesson attendance and help students and families understand the connection between participation, engagement, and academic success.
- Maintain accurate records, confidentiality, and compliance with applicable school policies and procedures.
- Other duties as assigned.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree preferred, particularly in education, counseling, social work, psychology, youth development, or a related field.
- Experience working with middle and/or high school students, particularly students experiencing academic, attendance, engagement, or motivational challenges.
- Experience working with at-risk youth or providing student interventions is strongly preferred.
- Strong commitment to helping students overcome barriers and remain engaged in their education.
- Student-focused, relationship-centered approach.
- Demonstrated ability to build rapport with students and families while maintaining clear expectations and accountability.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Comfortable initiating frequent outreach to students and families, including situations where previous outreach attempts have been unsuccessful.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to identify individualized solutions to barriers affecting student participation.
- Strong organizational, project management, and follow-through skills.
- High level of attention to detail.
- Ability to manage and monitor a caseload of students requiring varying levels of intervention.
- Ability to analyze attendance and academic data and use that information to prioritize student support.
- Strong technology skills and ability to learn school data, communication, and instructional systems.
- Self-motivated and able to work independently in a virtual environment.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with teachers, counselors, administrators, and other school staff.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment and adjust priorities based on student needs.
- High degree of flexibility.
- Ability to work remotely as necessary.
- Willingness to occasionally work evening hours to accommodate student and family schedules.
- Ability to travel within Maine on an occasional basis if needed to support students, families, or school activities.
