School Security Associate - Columbia

Position Type: ·   CLASSIFIED/SECURITY SERVICES · Date Posted: ·   2/4/2026 · Location: ·   SECURITY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES ·   Richland County School District One, South Carolina · Classification Description  Classification Title:  School Security Associate (SSA) · FLSA:  Non-Ex ...

Job description

• Position Type:
    CLASSIFIED/SECURITY SERVICES
  
  
• Date Posted:
    2/4/2026
  
  
• Location:
    SECURITY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
  
  
  Richland County School District One, South Carolina
Classification Description  Classification Title:  School Security Associate (SSA)
FLSA:  Non-Exempt
Hourly Rate: $ 17.48
Multiple positions General Statement of Job
Under direct supervision of the Director of Security and Emergency Services and the principal, works with school administrators, school, district personnel and public safety officials to help create and maintain a positive, caring, reasonably safe and effective learning environment.  Reports to the Director of Security and Emergency Services.
 
Specific Duties and Responsibilities
Essential Functions:
Advises the school principal of significant disturbances, hazardous conditions, unsafe procedures and other serious security matters.
Suggests ways to enhance school safety, security and emergency preparedness.
Practices situational awareness to help detect students who are in distress as well as identify and address potentially dangerous conditions, situations and individuals.
Patrols the school's perimeter, grounds and interior areas providing a high degree of visibility in order to help prevent trespassing, criminal activity, potentially dangerous behaviors, substance abuse, acts of self-harm and school violence.
Monitors security cameras, weapon detectors, other safety and security equipment to help detect criminal activity and potential dangerous behaviors and/or situations.
Works with school administrators, faculty and support staff to help create and maintain active and effective student supervision.
Assists with maintaining proper student conduct, orderliness and security during breakfast and lunch periods when directed by school administrators.
Helps prevent and addresses bullying, harassment and intimidation of students, staff and visitors.
Helps reduce potential physical conflicts among students using proactive intervention strategies by monitoring student interactions.
Actively supervises bus and automobile parking and pedestrian and vehicle traffic patterns on school property.
Helps administrators develop and implement ways to improve parking and traffic flow while promoting enhanced safety for pedestrians and vehicle occupants.
Maintains effective communications with school bus drivers regarding student behavior and safety concerns.
Assists with investigating discipline code violations occurring on school buses.
Assists with student threat assessments if requested to do so by the director, school administrators, or security manager.
Discusses age and developmentally appropriate safety, security and emergency preparedness information with students as requested.
Maintains open communications with residents and business establishments in the vicinity of the schools' campus to enhance the safety and security of the school and to foster their willingness to cooperate with school and public safety personnel in maintaining a safer school environment.
Complies with all district policies and procedures, state, and federal laws.
Works in collaboration with administrators, support staff and public safety officials to help improve the level of emergency preparedness among staff and students.
Assists with organizing and administering school safety, security and emergency preparedness awareness programs, as assigned. Examples include but are not limited to fire drills, lockdown drills, reverse evacuation procedures, emergency evacuation procedures, emergency communications protocols and other emergency protective actions.
Assists with school safety, security and emergency preparedness assessments as directed by the director, school administrators and/or security manager.
Addresses unauthorized person and questions them as necessary, routes or detains them or calls police for assistance.

Additional Duties:
May conduct general office duties as assigned, including but not limited to retrieving and entering information into the computer.
 
Performs related duties as required.
 
Minimum Education and Training
Requires high school diploma, 3 years of experience in a field related to the title of the position, including but not limited to, security, law enforcement, the department of juvenile justice, or a or campus monitor  or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. 
 
Must be at least twenty-one years of age
 
Minimum Qualifications and Standards Required
Physical Requirements: 
Must be physically able to operate a computer and two-way radio.  Must be able to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.  Physical demands are in excess of those for sedentary work; must be able to remain on feet for extended periods of time.   Must be able to lift/carry weights of five to ten pounds. Must be able to use a variety of verbal and physical skills and techniques to protect self and others from individuals who are non-compliant, aggressive, and who may pose a risk to themselves or others.  Must be able to operate a motor vehicle or golf cart, patrol a school campus on foot or bike, climb stairs, and scale a six-foot chain link fence.
 
Data Conception: 
Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
 
Interpersonal Communication: 
Requires the ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information.  Includes giving instructions to students and receiving assignments and/or directions from supervisors.
 
Language Ability: 
Requires the ability to read a variety of policy and procedure manuals, class schedules, etc.  Requires the ability to record events accurately.  Must be able to speak with clarity, voice control and confidence and to articulate information to others. 
 
Intelligence: 
Requires the ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagrammatic form; to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in or from standardized situations.  Requires the ability to make independent judgments in the absence of supervisor; to acquire knowledge of topics related to primary occupation.  Must have the ability to comprehend and interpret received information.
 
Verbal Aptitude: 
Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow and give oral and written instructions.  Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently with persons of varying educational backgrounds.
 
Numerical Aptitude: 
Requires the ability to add and subtract totals, to multiply and divide, to determine time.
 
Form/Spatial Aptitude: 
Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape, and visually read various information.
 
Motor Coordination: 
Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using communications machinery.

Manual Dexterity: 
Requires the ability to handle a variety of items including computer keyboards, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc.  Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
 
Color Discrimination:
Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.
 
Interpersonal Temperament: 
Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions.  Must be adaptable to performing under minimal levels of stress when confronted with an emergency situations.  The worker may be subject to danger or risk to a moderate degree.
 
Physical Communication: 
Requires the ability to talk and/or hear:  (talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing:  perceiving nature of sounds by ear).  Must be able to hear and understand communications through a telephone.

Performance Evaluation Critera
Job Knowledge: 
Is knowledgeable in the methods, policies and procedures of the District pertaining to specific duties of the School Security Associate.  Has knowledge of school policies and procedures regarding tardiness, trespassing, truancies, class cutting and substance abuse.  Has knowledge of School Board rules and regulations about discipline problems.  Has knowledge of local and state ordinances concerning lawbreakers.  Is able to handle confrontations with calmness without physical involvement.  Knows how to react calmly and quickly in emergency situations.  Has thorough knowledge of the organization of the assigned school.  Has the ability to comprehend, interpret and apply regulations, procedures and related information.  Is skilled in applying a responsible attention to detail as necessary in preparing reports.  Knows how to operate and maintain a variety of office equipment as necessary in the performance of daily activities.  Is able to take the initiative to complete the duties of the position without the need of direct supervision. Is able to use independent judgment in performing routine and non-routine tasks.  Knows how to perform duties in a courteous manner and with the utmost integrity in the best interest of the public.  Has the ability to plan, organize and prioritize daily assignments and work activities.  Is able to offer assistance to fellow employees as necessary.  Has the ability to learn and utilize new skills and information to improve job performance and efficiency.
 
Quality of Work: 
Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities.  Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility.  Maintains high quality communication and interaction with all District departments, co-workers and the public.
 
Quantity of Work: 
Performs described "Specific Duties and Responsibilities" and related assignments efficiently and effectively in order to produce quantity of work which consistently meets standards and expectations of the District.

Dependability: 
Assumes responsibility for completing assigned work.   Completes assigned work within deadlines in accordance with directives, District policy, standards and prescribed procedures.  Remains accountable to assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas.
 
Attendance: 
Attends and remains at work regularly and adheres to District policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness.  Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time-off requests.
 
Initiative and Enthusiasm: 
Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities.  Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for the completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction.
 
Judgment: 
Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility.  Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives.  Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations.  Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors.  Seeks expert or experienced advice where appropriate and researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment.
 
Cooperation: 
 Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same.  Questions such instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences are justified, i.e., poor communications, variance with District policy or procedures, etc.  Offers suggestions and recommendations to encourage and improve cooperation between all staff persons and departments within the District.
 
Relationships with Others: 
Shares knowledge with managers, supervisors and staff for mutual and District benefit.  Contributes to maintaining high morale among all District employees.  Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees, staffers and managers in other departments, representatives from organizations, and the public so as to maintain good will toward the District and to project a good District image.  Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons in order to maintain good will within the District.  Emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive image within the District.  Interacts effectively with higher management, professionals and the public.
 
Coordination of Work: 
Plans and organizes daily work routine.  Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology.  Avoids duplication of effort.  Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establishes a personal schedule accordingly.  Attends required meetings, planning sessions and discussions on time.  Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. 
 
Safety and Housekeeping: 
Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the District and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated.  Maintains a clean and orderly workplace.