As a Director of Special Education 6-12 ...
You believe in creating an educational experience where students are able to see themselves reflected in the content of your class.
Responsibilities of the role include:
Leadership & Management
• Manage special education teachers, Team Chair, related service providers, paraprofessionals, outside service professionals (ex. APEX ABA services, PYD transition support, etc.) for students with disabilities in an inclusion and sub-separate setting
• Meet regularly with special educators, paraprofessionals and related service providers to collaborate care for students and to provide coaching and support
• Provide feedback and coaching on planning, instruction, pull-out and push-in support sessions, compliance, co-teaching partnerships and materials, and modifications to special educators, both novice and experienced
• Facilitate mid- and end-of year evaluation meetings for all Support Services staff, providing feedback and next steps re: deliverables
• Collaborate with the Middle and High School Leadership Team and content Department Chairs to ensure all students with disabilities in an inclusion and sub-separate setting are successful within the school setting, and accommodations and modifications, as outlined in students' IEP and 504 plans, are present in all classrooms
• Support the implementation of small group testing, extended time, modified exams, and the inclusion of other accommodations as listed in students' IEP/504 plans
• Work with special educators and paraprofessionals to develop and implement behavior plans for use in the partial inclusion or general education settings
• Coordinate and lead professional development for special and general educators, in partnership with the Director of Special Education, to showcase best inclusionary practices, provide support in modifying student work and assessments and ensure student success
• Develop post-secondary transition program for students 18 years+
• Participate in the hiring process for new special education teachers, related service providers, etc.
• Manage online paperwork compliance system (Esped/PowerSchool) and act as a resource for special educators and related service providers.
Compliance & Accountability
• Oversee provision of services for all students with disabilities, ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations for students with disabilities in the inclusion and sub-separate settings
• Work with school leadership to ensure student schedules include appropriate placement and all necessary related services, with correct frequency/duration
• Work with special educators to develop partial inclusion curriculum (scope and sequence, lesson plans, modification of materials and student work, grading structures)
• Manage the scheduling of all annual, 3 year, and initial IEP/504 meetings, ensuring compliance with meeting due dates and the participation of all necessary Team members
• With Administrative Assistant, process all evaluation, IEP, and 504 paperwork in accordance with compliance timelines, all paper student files
• Manage the pre-referral and referral process for students not yet identified as having a disability
• Coordinate evaluations necessary for initial or re-evaluations for special education services, and communicate testing, reporting, and meeting deadlines to all Team members (related service providers, special education teachers, Administrative Assistant)
• Write or collaborate on writing of IEPs and 504 plans for students who receive support services, providing edits to all drafts of IEP/504 plans and act as LEA representative to sign off on finalized documents before they are submitted to families for review and signature
• Manage Age of Majority paperwork for all students beginning age 17
• Chair Team and Manifest Determination meetings
• Partner with the school's leadership team to ensure all state testing accommodations and other requirements are met for students with disabilities
Partnering with Students and Families
• Work with Administrative Assistant to develop a clear parent communication system to ensure family participation in all scheduled IEP/504 meetings
• With Director of Support Services, facilitate annual feedback from families regarding the special education program, incorporate data to facilitate a program review
• Communicating frequently with students, families, and school leaders around academic and behavioral progress
• Answer questions/act as a resource for families as needed regarding the Special Education process (initial evaluations, parent concerns, requests from family healthcare providers, etc.)
• Attending occasional after-school events
Building of School Culture
• Partnering with team members, students and families, to actively uproot racism and inequality in our community
• Modeling empathy, embodying the mindset that "kids do well if they can"
• Upholding school and grade level systems and structures with fidelity
• Assuming extracurricular responsibilities, if desired
Maintenance of Organizational Culture
• Actively engaging in one's learning; seeking and acting on feedback regularly
• Actively pursuing professional development, inside and outside of the school
• Collaborating with other teachers and school leaders to advance the school's mission
Qualifications include:
• An Undergraduate or Graduate Degree in a related area of study
• Special Education Administrator license
• A passing score on the Communications & Literacy MTEL, as well as an SEI Endorsement as defined by DESE
For more information, please visit our website at www.bostonprep.org.
