22206: Assistant Director of Special Services

Position #SS22206: Assistant Director of Special Services (1.0 FTE Con)
Posting Dates: 04/01/2025 – 04/15/2025 (Or Until Filled)
Location: Administration Buliding 

For information on salary and benefits offered, please visit https://www.ksd.org/hr-landing/benefits-salary-schedules

**COMPLETION OF SAFE SCHOOLS WEB BASED TRAINING IS REQUIRED AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT**

Overview of the Position:

The Kennewick School District is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Assistant Director of Special Services. Under the direction of the Director of Special Services, the Assistant Director of Special Services is responsible for oversight of the day-to-day functions of the District’s Special Education programs. The Assistant Director of Special Services ensures compliance with special education laws, practices, and procedures through technical assistance to staff, parents, and others as required. The Assistant Director of Special Services also provides leadership in coordinating and supervising the effective delivery of special education services for students from ages 0-22 within the Kennewick School District.

Qualifications Required:

The individual selected must have the following professional and personal qualifications

1. Valid Washington State Program Administrator and/or Principal Certification.
2. Must have a master’s degree in special education, educational administration, or related field.
3. At least three years administrative experience as a building administrator or special education specialist.
4. Must have relevant experience in the area of special education.
5. Must show evidence of and demonstrate a strong commitment to working with special needs populations.
6. Demonstrated successful experience in the supervision and evaluation of special education programs.
7. Demonstrated successful experience in the supervision of staff.
8. Demonstrated successful experience in community relations.
9. Demonstrated ability in understanding state and federal rules and regulations related to special education (i.e., IDEA Reauthorization, No Child Left Behind).
10. Demonstrated ability in the use of written and oral communication skills with parents, staff, and community groups.
11. Demonstrated ability in positive and productive interactions with a variety of groups.
12. Demonstrated ability as a leader and team member in making decisions that promote the educational program.

Job Responsibilities:

1. Provides consultation, coaching, and technical assistance to school staff, parents and others regarding special education due process laws, rules, polices and practices. Ensures compliance of special education due process laws, rules, policies, practices, and procedures.
2. Supports the organization, orientation, and operations within the special services department; meets on a regular basis with the department Director to plan and monitor programs. 
3. Evaluates licensed special education staff in collaboration with building principals.
4. Consults with building principals regarding special education student needs and emergency situations.
5. Assists the Director in coordinating and overseeing extended year (ESY) programs.
6. Assists the Director in selecting, directing, and evaluating special services office staff, support staff, and itinerants (Intervention Team, School Psychologists, Occupational/Physical Therapists, Speech/Language Pathologists, and Consulting Teachers); assists the building principals in the selection of special services instructional personnel.
7. Supports the design of appropriate educational programs for disabled students; meets with principals, administrators, and parents regarding children and staff. Supports and coordinates resources. Attends and actively participates in IEP team meetings where staff and/or parents anticipate the need for administrative support; Coordinates and supervises the district’s responses to mediation and due process hearing requests.
8. Leads assigned job alike meetings and professional development.
9. Supports the communication plan with staff, parents, and other interested parties regarding special services programs; disseminates the program information; meets regularly with designated staff to develop curriculum and instructional strategies for the special services programs.
10. Attends training sessions, conferences, seminars, department and district.
11. Support the professional development needs of the programs overseen by the Assistant
12. Serves on District committees, task forces, work groups, as requested.
13. Keeps abreast of changing developments, trends, instructional and educational
14. Visits schools and observes classrooms to review programs; shares ideas; provides feedback to improve teaching methods.
15. Work collaboratively with district office administration in regard to school improvement and district improvement initiatives.
16. Establish and maintain open lines of communication with staff and colleagues.
17. Be innovative and committed to the challenge of change in education.
18. Performs other duties as assigned.  

Salary Range: $150,100-$161,579 Based on the 2024-2025 AD Distrectors Salary Schedule

Application Procedures:

Complete a Kennewick School District Application Form. Your packet should include:

• Resume’ or Vitae.
• Letter of Interest expressing information that qualifies you for the Director of Special Services position.
• Copies of teaching and administrative credentials.
• College placement file and three current letters of reference.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here represent 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.

Mobility: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk for prolonged periods of time, push or pull 18-26 lbs., sit, kneel and crouch, twist and bend, use hands to type, finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arm.

Sense: The employee is required to talk/hear conversations and other sounds. The employee must be able to communicate effectively in person and over the telephone. The employee is required to taste and smell. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, far vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

Lifting: The employee must be able to lift or move up to 10 lbs. regularly and occasionally up to 26 lbs; must also be able to lift overhead. The employee may be required to physically move quickly in an emergency or while performing student supervision duties.

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.

Physical Hazards: While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be able to work outdoors in a wide variety of temperatures; from -10 degrees F to 100 degrees F . The employee may be exposed to wet and/or humid conditions. The noise level in this work environment is moderate.

Application Procedure: In-District staff must complete an internal online application by 10:00 p.m. (PST) on or before the closing date. In-building/In-district staff will have eight school days, or eight working days during the summer to apply for a vacant position through the online application system. The employee may choose but will not be required to meet with the building administrator to understand the building practices, procedures and initiatives specific to the position to which they are applying. After eight days if an in-building employee is qualified for the position, the principal will offer the employee the position. In the case that more than one in-building employee is interested in a position, the position will be offered to the qualified and senior employee. If a position is not filled in-building after the eight day period, the position will be offered to the qualified, most senior in-district applicant, if any. Teachers with a summative evaluation score of 1 or 2 are not eligible to transfer unless agreed upon by the District and Association.

Out-of-District applicants must complete the online District application and attach a letter of interest, resume, valid Washington state teaching credential, and copies of transcripts with degree posted. All hires are subject to completion of a satisfactory criminal background check. 

The Kennewick School District provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or use of trained dog, guide or service animal by a person with a disability, and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:

Civil Rights & Equity:  Thomas Brillhard - (509) 222-5335 (thomas.brillhart@ksd.org)

Section 504, Title IX:  Bj Wilson - (509) 222-5003 (bj.wilson@ksd.org) 

Kennewick School District

1000 W. 4^th Ave.

Kennewick WA 99336

This holds true for all students who are interested in participating in all educational programs and/or extra-curricular school activities in the Kennewick School District. Inquiries regarding compliance procedures or requests for reasonable accommodation may be directed to the School District’s Associate Superintendent or Director of Human Resources.

Salary : $150,100 - $161,579