Job Purpose

Assists program directors with the overall development, implementation and integrity of educational services within the JCH and CAAAS school settings. Ensures that the individualized education process and the educational curriculum for all students is of the highest quality and aligned with all state Standards of Learning and regulations, as directed by the Virginia Department of Education. Supervises and evaluates the Special Educator role in ensuring comprehensive and data-based assessment and intervention practices in the education of all students. Ensures that services are delivered in accordance with each student’s IEP, including specially-designed instruction, related services, and standardized testing.

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Duties:

• Assists in developing strategic plans and goal priorities for the school setting and in the expansion of school services.

• Provides supervision and mentoring of special educators, related services and school nurses, and collaborate with Clinical Directors in the training and evaluation of all special education teachers. Ensures timely feedback, appraisals, and necessary corrective action for all those supervised in compliance with VIA Policies and Procedures.

• Provides oversight to all components of the IEP process, including collaboration with parents and school district partners. 

• Assists in the implementation of quality performance measures of education services and instruction in the school setting.

• Works in collaboration with program directors to ensure that clinical and educational practices are cohesive and delivered in a systematic and integrated fashion, with equal concern and prioritization of strategies that both accelerate and decelerate target behaviors.

• Maintains knowledge of behavior analytic and educational research to ensure “best practices” in all services provided to individuals. 

IEP Development, Implementation, & Oversight

• Ensures that school personnel produce high quality, thorough and timely documents related to the IEP process, including meeting notifications, annual IEP meetings, and progress reports. Ensures compliance with due dates and/or notifies relevant director(s) immediately of any exceptions.

• Ensures the quality of all IEP documents reflect the unique needs of each individual and meet all regulatory requirements for both content and timeframes

• Working with school leadership, propose and develop new opportunities for student learning and student community engagement. Includes developing collaborations with partners in the community such as the YMCA, Meals-on-Wheels, etc. 

• Provide high-level of administrative support to IEP teams as needed. Work with VIA educators and clinicians to increase parent and school district satisfaction with IEP processes 

• Oversee administration of statewide assessments (SOL or VAAP)

• Ensure student records are complete with signed, current IEP documents & communicate with districts when items are incorrect or missing

• Ensure monthly and quarterly progress reports are completed on time 

• Conduct audits for quality

• Collaborate with team to oversee student transitions to lesser restrictive environments

Curriculum & Daily Instruction

• Curriculum Coordination 

• Maintains inventory of all curriculum at all locations

• Makes decisions on purchasing of new assessment or curriculum

• Provide resources to help direct curriculum scope & sequence for students 

• Collaborate with and provide input to Special Education Teachers about curriculum needs

• Collaborates with related services (SLP and OT) to ensure effective communication among and integration of services within the education program and across disciplines

Program Monitoring 

• Assist in developing and implementing plans and goals for VIA and future replication sites

• Ensures compliance with VDOE regulations and successful endorsement from a variety of accrediting organizations (e.g., CARF, VAISEF). 

• Reviews and updates manuals annually 

Learning Environment

• Evaluate classroom student space needs (Learning Environment Status Assessment) as well as furniture, materials, safety equipment, simulated vocational skill areas, desensitization areas, & program specific areas  

• Audit schedules to ensure student schedules align with IEP and VAISEF requirements

Family & Stakeholder Interactions

• Work with school leadership to coordinate and supervise daily operations as it relates to initial inquires, new referrals, student intakes and discharges at the school.  This includes developing, implementing, and/or improving systems to track and monitor these activities; conducting regular tours to interested families, school districts, and community stakeholders; and ensuring related data is accurate and regularly updated 

• Working with the Family Resource Navigator and school leadership, assist with the support of high intensity family issues. This may involve outreach to community agencies, such as Department of Social Services 

• Work with school leadership to manage, coordinate and improve collaboration and communication with school divisions to ensure process and procedures are in place for IEP compliance, VAAP and SOL testing, transportation, and coordinated transition processes. This includes regular evaluation of school division satisfaction of the IEP process

• Work with school leadership to manage and increase the number of staff, parent, caregiver, and student families’ engagement opportunities to enhance school-to-home communications and satisfaction with JCH School services. This includes attending fall festival, staff development and engagement activities, etc.

• Attend parent meetings as needed & collaborate with Family Resources Navigator when warranted

• Ensures that all families complete the annual consent process and receive appropriate and timely notification of any incidents or needs, as outlined in VIA Policies and Procedures. Reviews consent packet on an annual basis for necessary updates and edits.

Staff Development

• Assists with providing & developing ongoing staff development for all staff

• Assists with completing biannual performance evaluations for Special Education Teachers in collaboration with clinical directors and behavior analysts

Management Duties

• Takes a leadership role at all times (e.g., in classroom, staff meetings, program events) and serves as an ambassador for VIA

• Ensures staff adhere to policies and procedures of the organization

• Assist with the development of staffing and student classroom schedules according to established systems to ensure proper implementation of IEPs

• Demonstrates problem-solving by providing solutions to challenges and mediates conflict with staff members

• Provides supervision and regularly delivers performance feedback and assists the clinical director with completing biannual performance evaluations of staff

• Provides support to staff using VIA standards and methods

• Maintains a well-organized work environment and ensures the professional presentation of catalyst log, client graphs, supplies, and materials, in a VIA approved manner

• Champions special projects   

• Serve as site administrator in the absence of or at the direction of the Program Director

Qualifications

• Valid driver’s license required.

• Master’s in educational leadership, special education, or related field required. 

• Five years’ experience in an educational leadership role preferred.

• Strong knowledge and deep understanding of school administration with special education background.

• Significant experience with staff training and supervision.