The school director is a progressive, energetic and knowledgeable leader who is responsible for directing the day-to-day operations of a Vermont Agency of Education licensed therapeutic middle school/high school program for young people with behavioral challenges.

Join our journey! It will be hard. It will be fun.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The position is responsible for:

· The leadership, administration, and supervision of the school’s education, clinical, and special education programs.

· Supervising the daily operational functions of the school, including supervision of administrative, educational, and clinical staff.

· Collaborating with local public-school staff to facilitate the enrollment of students and assure ongoing positive relationships with public school staff and other community service providers.

A BREIF DESCRIPTION OF ESSENTIAL TASKS (These are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.)

· Establish, sustain, and communicate the progressive and positive philosophy of the school program to all staff and to community partners.

· Collaborate in the development of the program and assure the successful completion of accreditation of the program as a middle school/high school with a special education designation.

· Direct special education services for all students and ensure that students achieve success in the school division’s core curriculum.

· Monitor the ongoing development and implementation of all aspects of the special education and grade level education programs.

· Assist in the development and implementation of a comprehensive data collection system to ensure valid and objective assessment of student progress.

· Collaborate with community partners to develop ongoing relationships to assure the growth and stability of the student roster.

· Participate in any local, regional, and state meetings and conferences to assure a positive reputation for the school.

· Provide ongoing outreach to local schools to assure collaborative and positive relationships.

· Provide ongoing staff training to ensure program fidelity.

· Implementation of long-range and short-range plans for achieving school and student goals and objectives in alignment with the school’s strategic plan.

· Collaborate with Directors of Special Education from local education authorities to coordinate all referral activities and screenings.

· Interview and hire staff members for the program and supervise and evaluate all daily activities of staff members relative to assigned tasks; reassign operational responsibilities of staff members as necessary to provide opportunities for cross-training and growth.

· Facilitate and/or participate in all matters of dispute resolution with the Vermont Agency of Education, the Vermont Department of Children and Families, and other community agencies; manage mediation and due process procedures.

· Provide accurate and timely data to the public-school staff and the Vermont Agency of Education to assure valid evaluations of individual student outcomes and larger school outcomes.

· Monitor, supervise and manage all aspects of the annual budgets for student and school needs; coordinate tuition requests with individual schools and with the Agency of Education.

· Oversee and direct the allocation of special education staff in accordance with state and local standards and student needs.

· Review federal and state legislation/regulations related to special education; identify and share the impact of changes on the school to the Agency administration.

· Monitor compliance with Vermont Agency of Education Policies and Regulations and work with relevant internal and external staff to develop required policy changes.

· Maintain open lines of communication regarding with all interested parties; respond to concerns of parents, teachers, public school staff, and relevant community partners.

· Coordinate, monitor and report the results of implementation of any standardized testing required by the Vermont Agency of Education.

· Maintain accurate database and files of former and current students served in special education.

· Prepare reports and information for the state and local schools.

· Conduct ongoing needs assessments, collect and analyze data, use pertinent data to refine and improve operational functions and services; evaluate typical and special education program initiatives.

· Facilitate research regarding trends and best practices to support appropriate recommendations for student success through rigorous, innovative, and technological programming.

· Advise on the design, furnishings, and equipment classrooms and facilities.

· Plan, implement and facilitate professional development/in-services for school staff assigned the responsibility of delivering and overseeing the special education services/process in their buildings.

· Engage all new staff members in effective orientation procedures and facilitate continued professional development through ongoing training opportunities within OPEC and the division.

· Plan and implement professional development for all staff; involve staff in continuous improvement through self-evaluation and goal setting.

· Maintain communication network with other special education directors within the state.

· Work collaboratively with the organization’s administration to refine and enhance programs and services for all students.

· Screening and hiring general education and special education applicants as needed.

· Subscribe to an oath or affirmation to support the U.S. Constitution, the Vermont Constitution, and all State and federal laws; provided, however, that an oath shall not be required of any person who is a citizen of a foreign country.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

· Master’s degree in education, Special Education, Social Work, Psychology or in a related human service field.

· Preferred Licensure in secondary education and/or school leadership; licensure in education or human service field required.

· Significant experience as a leader working with students with and without disabilities.

· A minimum of 2 years of experience in the development of IEPs and implementation through service delivery

· 5 years supervisory experience involving typical and exceptional learner processes and instructional programming.

· Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with local resources, school staff, and organization administrative staff to implement and monitor education programs.

· Demonstrated ability to work in a supportive, collaborative role with staff.

· Demonstrated ability to work with difficult and challenging students in a positive and constructive manner.

· Demonstrated ability to interact with other professional resources to coordinate reciprocal services for achieving education goals.

· Demonstrated ability to interpret and remain current on all federal, state, and local mandates for regular and special education.

· Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information discretely and professionally.

· Demonstrated ability to use discretion and exercise sound judgment.

· Demonstrated ability in exceptional public relations/interpersonal skills to respond to local school staff, parents and advocacy groups and to serve as the school lead representative/contact person.

· Demonstrated effectiveness in management, supervision, team building, and problem-solving skills.

· Demonstrated ability to remain positive and optimistic in the face of significant challenges.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $65,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

License/Certification:

• Vermont teaching certification (Required)
• CPR Certification (Preferred)

Work Location: In person