Director of Special Populations

Bronx, NY, NY
Full Time
Experienced

About Our School

Vertex Partnership Academies is a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme / Diploma Programme / Careers Programme and pursuing authorization as an IB World School. Our vision is to develop an international-minded community of lifelong learners guided by the four cardinal virtues of Courage, Justice, Temperance, and Wisdom. Our community is dedicated to the principles of equality of opportunity, individual dignity, and our common humanity.

 

Primary Function & Position Overview:

The Director of Special Programs will assist the Principal by serving as the Leader of SpEd Program (“SpEd”) and leading support for English Language Learners (ELLs).  Overseeing all SpEd and ELL teachers, the Director of Special Programs will be charged with developing the SpEd and ELL program at Vertex, including meeting the needs of students with IEPs and ensuring all compliance items are being implemented in the school.

 

Academic and Strategic Planning

  • Support SpEd and ELL teacher development based on the outcomes of observation and coaching meetings 
  • Coordinate and oversee related-services, testing accommodation schedules for all internal and external assessments
  • Lead the implementation of the academic support program (RTI),
  • Lead the development and implementation of Functional Behavior Analysis and Behavior Intervention Plans as needed
  • Manage intervention programs such as literacy or mathematics remediation
 

Professional Development

  • Co-plan, co-lead, observe, and share feedback on professional development aligned to school priorities
  • Facilitate PD to ensure all staff know and understand student’s IEPs, goals and how to support students inside the classroom based on their needs
  • Meet consistently with Special Educators and provide appropriate feedback to elevate student learning
  • Provide data-driven SpEd support to teachers of students with IEPs; serve as a resource for SpEd best practices and support with accommodations, modifications and planning.
 

Coaching and Classroom Feedback

  • Coach Special Educators using effective coaching practices such classroom observations, modeling,  co-teaching and weekly check-in meetings
  • Work with Principal to to effectively lead the SpEd Program, through weekly coaching meetings, PD, coaching feedback
  • Observe teachers and share observation feedback weekly
  • Share observation trends in weekly Leadership Team meetings
  • Support the development of learning experiences that challenge students, support the diversity of learners in each classroom and demonstrate a strong commitment to concept driven, inquiry-based teaching and learning
  • Coach SpEd teachers to ensure assessments support ongoing learning and provide timely, relevant, and appropriate feedback to students on formative and summative assessments
 

Communication 

  • Proactively communicate with families of students with IEP’s and any family interested in learning more about the SpEd Services the school provides
  • Collaborate with with Committee on Special Education (CSE)
  • Conduct interviews, organize and participate in IEP meetings,  facilitate goal tracking by teachers, and communicate relevant updates to team
  • Lead MDR’s as needed, collecting all necessary documentation and preparing the team as needed
 

Staff Evaluation

  • Supervise and evaluate all Special Educator and ELL Teachers at Vertex
  • Observe and evaluate instructional staff and non-instructional staff, ongoing feedback aligned to supporting all learners in the classroom, including students with IEPs and ELLs
 

Other

  • Serve as a member of the School’s Leadership Team and Instructional Leadership team
  • Lead and respond to student, family, and staff concerns as needed relating to Vertex’s SpEd Program,
  • SpEd Billing, and Compliance
  • Collaborate closely with the Director of Student Support and Leadership Team to ensure student success  
  • Supervise students’ individual Personal Projects and service requirements
  • Participate in community-based projects and school field trips
  • Build caring relationships and rapport with students
 

Qualifications 

  • A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Education or relevant subject
  • A Master’s degree and certification in SpEd 
  • Minimum of three years experience in a school leadership position
  • A flexible attitude, commitment to lifelong learning, and a sense of humor
  • A passion for education and teaching
  • A commitment to viewpoint diversity, open inquiry, and experiential-based pedagogy
  • A willingness to adapt and develop pedagogy to meet the needs of our learners
  • Excellent interpersonal, organizational, communication, and collaborative skills
  • A deep understanding of SpEd compliance, laws, and regulations for students with IEPs and 504s 
  • SpEd instructional background- knowledge and understanding of curriculum modifications, instructional best practices, and interventions.
  • Fluency in a second language (Spanish) preferred 
  • A commitment to viewpoint diversity, open inquiry, and experiential-based pedagogy
 

Competencies

  • Self-Starter 
  • Self-motivated
  • Creative and critical thinking
  • Inspiring
  • Reflective
  • Seeks Feedback
  • Safety Awareness

To Be Considered

Please submit an application on our website here. We will contact all qualified applicants. 

EEO Statement 

Vertex Partnership Academies provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment; including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, and transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.


 

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