Director of Special Services

Position Title: Director of Special Services / ELL Coordinator

Department: Administration
Location: District Office
Reports to: Superintendent

FLSA Class: Exempt Revised Date: March 14, 2025

POSITION GUIDE: Certified Personnel

• Full-Time 12 Months - (See Administrative Contract / Agreement)

• Non-Bargaining Unit Position • Exempt

• Working Hours – Hours will vary based on daily activities and night supervision.

• DistrictOfficeHours7:30am–4:00pm (helpwithnightsupervisionif needed).

SUMMARY

To assist the Superintendent in all aspects of addressing the educational requirements of special needs students, including, but not limited to, special education, ELL and Section 504.

DUTIES

• Coordinate and oversees the District’s Special Education program in compliance with state and federal regulations and District requirements.

• Evaluates the District’s special education and special service programs on an ongoing basis to ensure effective and efficient identification and service for students with special needs.

• Serves as the District’s primary resource in implementing ELL in accordance with federal law.

• Ensures positive communication between parents of special needs students and the school district.

• Implements effective child find activities and referral procedures to identify students with special needs.

• Implements appropriate systems related to the identification, referral and evaluation of students for special education or other special service programs.

• Ensures Individual Education Plan development and implementation in accordance with federal law.

• Monitors the programming for the District’s special needs students.

• Assists regular education teachers in understanding the accommodating of students

  with special needs in the regular classroom.

• Oversees the maintenance of special education and other special needs records in

  compliance with state and federal regulations.

• Serves as liaison between the School District and the KASEC Special Education

  Cooperative.

• Represents the District’s Department of Special Education at interagency, school and community meetings and functions as requested by the Superintendent.

• Assumes responsibility for understanding and interpreting state and federal statutes, rules and other laws pertaining to special education and other special needs programs.

• Keeps the Superintendent and administrative staff informed of developments and issues in special education and other special needs programs.

• Assists the Director of Business in preparing and filing appropriate grants and claims for special education and other special needs programs.

• Conducts periodic evaluation of the District’s special needs programs and recommends adjustments to better meet the needs of the District’s students.

• Assists the Director of Curriculum in determining in-service needs and organizing in- service programming as it relates to special needs programming.

• Assists the Director of Business Services in formulating budget projections related to special education and other special needs programs.

• Assists the building principals in the evaluation of all of the District’s special needs personnel.

• Provides recommendations to the Superintendent regarding hiring, remediation and employment termination of the District’s special needs personnel.

• Serves as the initial contact and primary resource in the development of all District Section 504 plans.

• Serves as the initial contact and primary resource for all ELL students.

• Collaborates with non-public settings to coordinate services for the students.

• Performs such other duties and tasks and assume other responsibilities as may be

  delegated by the Board of Education or assigned by the Superintendent.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Graduate degree in education, social work, counseling, or related field.

• Type 75 Administrative Certification and/or Principal as an Instructional Leader

  Certification

• Special Education Director’s endorsement preferred

• Experience as a special needs classroom teacher / administration preferred

• Successful completion of the ISBE Teacher Evaluation Modules prior to the start of

  the 2025-2026 school year.

SKILLS REQUIRED

• Ability to create, analyze and interpret documents and correspondence.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all members of

  the school community.

• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in written form in a timely manner.

• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

• Strong communication, public relations, and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both in oral and written form using a variety of communication techniques and tools to ensure appropriate flow of information, collaborative efforts, and feedback.

• 
  Ability to compose correspondence, reports, and/or other required written materials.

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret information.

• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions, inquiries, and/or

  complaints.

• Displays courtesy, tact, and respect when dealing with others.

REASONING ABILITY

• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions and information furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

• Ability to identify and define problem(s), collect and analyze data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

  OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Maintains appropriate confidentiality.

• Promotes a harassment - free environment.

• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships; demonstrates a

  commitment to teamwork.

• Ability to learn and utilize office equipment, computers, and software especially as

  systems are upgraded.

• Ability to learn and upgrade job skills in order to meet the changing demands of the

  position.

• Excellent computer and keyboarding skills.

• Excellent grammatical, spelling, and punctuation skills.

• Ability to react well under pressure, handle and balance multiple demands at one

  time, work with frequent interruptions, and perform duties and tasks at expected

  levels of professionalism.

• Extensive knowledge of and ability to perform duties in compliance with all district,

  Board, state and federal laws, methods, requirements, policies, procedures, and

  activities pertinent to the duties of this position.

• Ability to use independent judgment and demonstrates initiative to act without

  being asked.

• Ability to prepare and maintain accurate files and records.

• Ability to meet strict deadlines.

  PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform 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 sit, stand, talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to stand for extended periods of time, walk, operate office and computer equipment; and reaches with hands and arms and will repeat actions with the same hand, arm or finger motion. In addition, the ability to withstand long-term use of computer monitors is required. The position requires meeting deadlines with severe time constraints, interacting with the public and staff, irregular or extended work hours. The employee is responsible for safety, well-being, and work output of others.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Employee experiences constant interruptions and inflexible deadlines. Duties are performed primarily indoors and occasionally outdoors. In-district and out-of-town travel required as necessary for training and/or to carry out duties and responsibilities.

EVALUATION

• Job performance is evaluated in accordance to district guidelines by the Superintendent.