Indigenous Graduation Coach

JOB TITLE: PSP 1-26-27 Permanent Indigenous Graduation Coach - 2 Positions

LOCATION: Brantford, Haldimand and Norfolk

PERMANENT INDIGENOUS GRADUATION COACH (2 POSITIONS)

The Grand Erie District School Board is guided by our vision to Learn, Lead, and Inspire and our shared mission to build a culture of learning, well-being and belonging to inspire each learner. Grand Erie’s 3,000 employees provide quality education to approximately 29,000 full-time equivalent students who attend our 73 schools. The Board spans a geographic area encompassing the City of Brantford and the Counties of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk. The head office is located in Brantford. These positions are permanent positions.

The Indigenous Graduation Coach will work closely with the Indigenous System Leader, School Administratiors and Superintendent to:

• Provide targeted and culturally responsive supports to Indigenous students with the goal of seeing each student achieve credits, graduate, and successfully transition into their chosen post-secondary pathway.

• Establish trusting relationships with Indigenous students, their families, and communities, so they can have a greater level of confidence in the efficacy of the student’s education.

• Work collaboratively with school staff to support engagement, well-being and learning of Indigenous students.

• Provide and/or facilitate access to cultural programming for students they support.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in Youth Work, Social Work, First Nations Family Support, Education, Health Care or a related field.

• Comprehensive first-hand life experience deeply rooted in local Indigenous communities combined with a deep understanding of systemic barriers and challenges that Indigenous students face in the education system and in the wider community.

• Demonstrated expertise and experience to identify barriers and design tailored interventions to increase the success of Indigenous students.

• Demonstrated ability to build trusting and respectful relationships to act as a trusted adult and advisor to Indigenous students

• Knowledge of the importance of Indigenous traditional teachings, languages, cultures, perspectives, values, and history.

• Skills in providing group and on-on one student support.

• Knowledge of graduation requirements, courses offered at the school, including any specialized opportunities such as cooperative education, Technological Education, Dual Credits, Specialist High Skills Major, and Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program.

• Demonstrated knowledge of the youth service sector and ability to access and navigate local community resources to support students and their families.

• Awareness of alternative and outside school day opportunities such as reach-ahead credits, credit recovery, tutoring, before and after school programs, and summer school.

• Awareness of volunteer opportunities in the community to assist students in earning their 40 hours of community service as part of their graduation requirements.

• Knowledge of trauma and restorative practices.

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and build consensus in an interdisciplinary team environment

• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills as well as the ability to work independently.

• Assignment location is to be determined based on the number and needs of schools supported by each Grad Coach. A consistent schedule will be established.
• A reliable means of transportation is required to travel from school to school.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participate as a member of the student success team to develop tailored intervention strategies and responsive programming that address each student’s academic needs, including attendance, transition supports, engagement, credit attainment, and career path planning.

• Identify students who are experiencing barriers to academic success and collaborate with school administrators, school staff, families, system staff, and community resources to cultivate their assets and provide wrap-around supports to improve engagement, well-being and academic achievement outcomes.

• Build positive and trusting relationships with Indigenous students through a strength-based approach, providing academic supports, community resources and cultural programming.

• Support student advancement at key transition points.

• Create a welcoming and culturally responsive space to build a sense of community and belonging for Indigenous students that will enable them to voice their experiences

• Organize and facilitate opportunities for student leadership and self-advocacy.

• Support students who strive to strengthen and develop their cultural identity through working with the Indigenous Education Lead to support cultural programming.

• Build and maintain confidential information on each individual student, to track and monitor student progress and achievement.

• Participate in professional development and training opportunities provided by the school board.

• Other duties as assigned by the Superintendent and/or System Leader of Indigenous Education

Job Specifications

Hours of Work

7 hours per day/35 hours per week

Rate of Pay

$58,559 to $64,936 hiring range

$58,559 to $68,120 salary range

A competitive benefits plan is available through a provincial benefits trust plan.

OMERS pension plan.

Effective Date

September 1, 2026

Apply to

Join us! - Careers - Grand Erie District School Board (knighthunter.com) by 4 p.m. on June 26, 2026

If your qualifications, positive attitude, and commitment to excellence make you an ideal candidate for this position, please submit your application, marked “personal and confidential”, which includes a complete resume, cover letter and a copy of your degree with the names and telephone numbers of at least three professional references; your current supervisor must be provided as a reference.

Applicants with a disability that requires an accommodation to enable their participation in the interview process should advise the Board when contacted for an interview. Any assessment and selection materials and processes used in the interview process can be made available in an accessible format, upon request in advance.

All new employees are required to provide an original Police Record Check (which includes a “vulnerable sector screen”) acceptable to the Board prior to the commencement of employment.

Grand Erie District School Board recognizes

Six Nations of the Grand River and Mississauga’s of the Credit First Nation , as the longstanding peoples of this territory. We honour, recognize, and respect these communities as well as all

First Nations ,

Métis and Inuit Peoples who reside within Grand Erie District School Board. We are all stewards of these lands and waters where we now gather, learn, and play, and commit to working together in the spirit of Reconciliation.