Lewiston School DepartmentJob DescriptionPosition Title: Special Education - CLIMB Teaching and Learning DirectorDepartment: Special Education Reports To: Director of Special EducationPrepared By: Special Education Department Approved By: Superintendent of Schools SUMMARY: Lead an innovative team of special educators, Behavioral Health Professionals (BHP), multilingual teachers and unified arts teachers supporting students with special needs in a unique and specialized setting attached to a community school. Lewiston Schools has established a multidisciplinary intensive education program designed to support students with individualized programming while encouraging them to benefit from their peers and offer access to naturalistic teaching settings to meet the needs of students with complex learning and developmental needs. This role is the teaching and learning director of the CLIMB program, which is designed to provide highly individualized Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) programming to students from grades K-6. This is a new program and the job description is subject to change.ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Other duties may be assigned.Facilitates the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of learning.Implements local and state learning standards to build and maintain a school culture that supports students and the learning process.Manage the special education process; arrange for or conduct student assessments; make recommendations regarding placement and program management for individual students.Implement the policies established by federal and state law, State Board of Education rule, and local board policy in area of special education/504.Coordinates with outside agencies to provide services to students and staff, for the purpose of offering appropriate services.Attend Individual Educational Program (IEP) meetings, determine class placement and monitor delivery systems for student special education services.Is responsible for the final determination of retention or promotion of students according to system policies. Serve as liaison and coordinate educational programs with a variety of outside agencies, community groups, local school districts and other entities; implement and coordinate parent and advisory group activities, as applicable.Coordinates daily and yearly attendance reports.Coordinates and ensures that sufficient supplies, textbooks, equipment, instructional aids, etc., are on hand so that teachers may teach.Interacts with students to encourage each individual to perform at their highest level.Assigns teachers to classrooms and students to classes. Provides general supervision to students. Provides in-service training to teachers as needed.Maintains relations with parents, parent groups, school volunteers and outside agencies.Implements policy and procedure changes from the Board, or the State and Federal level at the building level.Plans for transitions to middle school and/or less or more restrictive programming.Maintains close professional ties with colleges, vocational and other post high school institutions.Report preparations.Makes recommendations relative to teacher cohort assignments as to learner complexity, grade level and room placement.Celebrates successes.Build & maintain a positive school culture.Network with and align community resources and relationships.Carries out any and all other responsibilities as assigned by the Superintendent of Schools or designee. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:Manages and supervises all special educators and BHPs in the CLIMB program. Provides insight to building based leader around supervision of multilingual and unified arts teacher engagement with the program.Is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of this unit. Maintains a high level of knowledge regarding developing special education issues, changes in the laws and case law, and educational methods of educating students with disabilities, for the purpose of managing an excellent special education program. Incorporates policies and procedures in accordance with laws and regulations.Ensures that all practices in the district are legal and ethical for each student/family so that each child has the opportunity to achieve at a high level and be prepared for post-secondary success.Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.Completes performance appraisal on staff.Resolves staff problems and provides support to teachers.Evaluates performance of teachers, program and staff.Implements School Department Strategic Plan and CLIMB Mission Statement.Coordinates case manager/BHP and instructional staff meetings.Assumes overall responsibility of standards of achievement in school.Interviews and recommends candidates for positions.Approves and evaluates all parent or group activities.Supervises the maintenance and confidentiality of adequate and accurate student records.Is the spokesman for the CLIMB public relations.Implements and expends the budget for the school.Administers and supervises day-to-day school activities, including curricular, extra-curricular and co-curricular.Interprets and implements School Department policies.Serves as an educational leader.Coordinates activities of special supervisors in cooperation with the Superintendent.Maintains payroll information to include days worked or absent and the reason therefor.Coordinates contacts with social agencies who in some way may assist students.Supervises graduation and end of year activities. QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:A Master’s Degree in secondary educational administration and/or supervision.Teaching and administrative experience in special education is preferred. CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:Valid 040 or 045 endorsement. LANGUAGE SKILLS:Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from individuals, groups and the general public.MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.REASONING ABILITY:Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES: Ability to apply knowledge of current research and theory in the field. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, staff and the community. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both in oral and written form. Ability to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and School Committee policies. Administrative and supervision ability.Capacity to evaluate problem areas of personnel and make objective decisions.Has knowledge of school law and State Department of Education Rules and Regulations.Ability to maintain good public relations.Ability to maintain close professional contacts with other School Department Administrators.Ability to attend meetings of local, state and national professional organizations.Ability to maintain a program that best meets the needs of all students.Ability to know of new materials, textbooks and equipment and to the extent possible, make them available to each staff member.Ability to maintain a program that makes the fullest use of teacher skills and areas of expertise. PHYSICAL DEMANDS:The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision. The demand for extended work days (coverage of building activities and extracurricular activities, etc.) requires a high level of physical endurance. This job requires the ability to handle and balance multiple demands at the same time.WORK ENVIRONMENT:The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in this environment is quiet to loud depending upon the activity in the particular part of the day. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.