Campus Director of Special Education (Middle School)

This instructional leader will focus on the core mission of Two Rivers – a stellar instructional program. The Campus Director of Special Education will monitor academic quality, evaluate academic achievement, support teachers’ professional development, and implement high standards for student individual education plan (IEP) growth, ensuring that all students receiving special education services and Section 504 accommodations receive comprehensive and equitable services. They will also ensure campus-level compliance with all federal and state law and reporting requirements in conjunction with the Director of Special Education and Special Education Compliance Manager. The Campus Director of Special Education reports to the principal and receives supervision support from the Network Director of Special Populations. This is a 12-month position. This posting is for SY24-25

Responsibilities

Leadership

• Execute Two Rivers' vision for special education at the campus level, while modeling high standards for students, staff, and families
• Serve on school leadership teams and share in the duties of running the special education program
• Facilitate IEP, 504, and multidisciplinary team meetings
• Assist in the planning and facilitation of high-quality professional development for special education teachers, including, but not limited to: IEP development, data analysis, and inclusive instructional strategies
• Directly supervise related service providers, counselors, special education teachers, and dedicated aides to ensure that students have high-quality experiences
• Provide hands-on coaching to a portfolio of teachers on the effective implementation of instructional strategies for achieving IEP goals as assigned by the principal
• Provide feedback to special education teachers to ensure IEPs are designed to best support student growth
• Collaborate with the Assistant Principals in observing and providing feedback to teachers to ensure the effective implementation of accommodations and modifications in the general education classroom.
• Facilitate data-based discussions to ensure 100% of students are making progress on IEP goals
• Serve as the school-level face of the special education team for the campus
• Attend Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) special education professional development as assigned by Network Director of Special Education
• Manage small and large scale projects as assigned by Instructional Leadership Team members
• Co-lead with Assistant Principals planning and implementation of Extended School Year (ESY) program to ensure that students with ESY receive appropriate instruction and accommodations during the summer
• Manage the implementation of accommodations on state and local testing in collaboration with school leadership team

Drive Compliance:

• Ensure IEPs are compliant with federal and district regulations, goals are standards-based and relevant for the individual student, and present levels of performance are appropriate and current
• Ensure all staff abide by IDEA and local regulations
• Support and train special education teachers to gather and analyze data (assessments, grades, observations, teacher comments, etc.) prior to requesting evaluations
• Support special education teachers with necessary paperwork and collecting data for least restrictive environment (LRE) and dedicated aide requests
• Provide technical assistance to staff members in order to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504
• Receive and review monthly reports on the status of outstanding compliance documentation
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Staff at Two Rivers are part of an energetic and caring team devoted to creating an incredible school. Ideal candidates will possess the following qualities/ skills:

• Extensive knowledge of special education process, procedures, and laws
• Extensive knowledge of techniques successful in inclusion settings
• Clear understanding of curriculum, instruction, and child development
• Commitment to meet the needs of every child in a diverse population
• Capability to nurture students and work collaboratively with families and colleagues
• Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to work as a member of a team
• Commitment to develop and contribute to a community of educators
• Flexibility, commitment, and enthusiasm
• Strong time management, organizational, and problem-solving skills
• Detail-oriented

Educational Background and Work Experience

• Successful experience working with a diverse community of educators, learners and families
• Several years of special education instructional experience with a track record of high student achievement
• Special education leadership experience highly preferred
• Experience in a project-based learning school or a school in the EL Education network preferred but not required
• A master’s degree is highly preferred

All employees of the District of Columbia working in a school or child care center must be vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they have a religious or medical exemption.

Two Rivers is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate all applicants without unlawful consideration of race, religion, age, color, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.