Executive Director of Special Services

The SouthWest Metro Intermediate District #288 has an opening for an Executive Director of Special Services at our Dean Lakes Education Center in Shakopee, MN.

SouthWest Metro serves students in 11 member districts and 8 associate member districts across the southwestern Twin Cities metropolitan area with programs in Special Education, Career and Technical Education, Care & Treatment, Adult Education, and Alternative Education. We invite you to embrace your own value, potential, and ability at SouthWest Metro, while empowering others to discover theirs. We work to empower ALL learners to realize their self-worth through personalized educational instruction, connection to resources, and access to a supportive learning environment.

Description
Executive Director of Special Services , 8 hours a day for 260 Contract Days.

Summary
The Executive Director of Special Services is an innovative and creative leader with strong communication and collaboration skills who oversees all special education and special services programs within the district, supporting the academic achievement of students. The Executive Director will work collaboratively in partnership with other executive directors and the superintendent along with their teams utilizing generative artificial intelligence and other technologies to build a student-centered, future-focused model of education for Minnesota.

General Administration and Management

• Advises Superintendent on overall direction of Division of Special Services and is accountable for end results affecting the District;
• Provides administrative leadership and management oversight of the department;
• Collaborates with Minnesota Department of Education staff, Regional Low Incidence Facilitators, and others on local, regional and state initiatives;
• Conducts meetings and participates in local, regional, and state meetings as necessary;
• Presents information items at Administration Meetings and Board Meetings as needed;
• Attends Regional and State Special Education Director Meetings;
• Collaborates and communicates with 17 member and associate member districts in urban, suburban, and rural areas to plan, organize, lead, and implement new and innovative programs to meet the needs of learners.
• Collaborates with Teaching and Learning to support the professional development needs of the staff;
• Provides leadership in the use of generative artificial intelligence to support staff, students and the community;
• Support the planning, organizing, and leading of the READ Act, highly effective PLCs, professional development, staff mentorship, and coaching program, and other district initiatives.

Coordinate Hiring of Staff, Provide Supervision and Staff Development

• Supervise Program Directors and other special services staff as assigned;
• Supervise the recruitment and evaluation of staff members in Special Services and collaborate with the Executive Director of Teaching & Learning on the hiring of content teachers supporting special services programming.
• Co-leads staff development with the Executive Director of Teaching & Learning for the Special Services Department;
• Provides leadership to members in the area of special education and special services;
• On request, attend or facilitate IEP/IFSP meetings or other information-sharing meetings;

Coordinate Appropriate Student Services

• Plans, develops, implements, and administers programs and services to meet identified needs, including; development and implementation of new programs and services;
• Participate in the determination of program plans and curriculum requirements for students with disabilities, including developing program goals and objectives that align with the cooperative mission;
• Prepare requests for new, improved or expanded special education programs in relation to funding, staff, facilities, and materials needed supervise implementation of educational programs for students with disabilities, assuring that each student is provided with a free and appropriate public education;

Provide Legal Compliance and Monitoring

• Monitor and provide technical assistance as needed concerning the IEP/IFSP, due process procedures, and compliance with State and Federal Rules;
• Ensure that all federal, state, and local reporting requirements on special education programs are met;

Other

• Directs fiscal and hiring operations of Special Service Department;
• Monitor program expenditures making sure they fit within their approved budgets;
• Maintain contact with member district administrators, state consultants in special education, directors of outside agencies and school programs, and work with outside professional service providers and college personnel on matters of mutual interest.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree; preferred Ed.S. or Doctorate; three to five years of experience in K12 program development and/or administration.
• Minnesota Special Education Director license;
• Innovative and creative leader;
• Demonstrated excellence in administrative or supervisory experience;
• Knowledge of current state and federal special education law and regulations;
• Knowledge of and demonstrated ability to manage special education funding;
• Knowledge of current trends in the education of special education students in all disability areas;
• Strong interpersonal communication skills with students, parents, staff, and administration;
• Ability to establish and maintain productive working relationships with staff, business associates, and general community;
• Ability to work on multiple tasks and prioritize appropriately;
• Ability to communicate effectively;
• Ability to exercise initiative and make independent decisions to reschedule work to meet deadlines or to effectively handle emergency work.
• Creating and leading the District vision;
• Managing staff including directing others, delegation and building effective teams;
• Resourcefulness, taking the resources of the District into consideration;
• Working constructively with others;
• Managing constituencies effectively.

Pay & Benefits
The pay range for this position is $140,000 to $160,000 annually. Competitive and comprehensive benefit package available:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance with HSA/FSA options
• Dependent Care FSA
• Vacation and Sick Time
• Personal Time Off
• Basic Life Insurance and AD&D
• Voluntary Life Insurance and AD&D
• 403(b) with a District dollar for dollar match
• TRA/PERA (Pension Plan)
• Long Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Pet Insurance

Application Procedure
Apply Online at https://www.swmetro288.org/departments/human-resources

Selection Procedure
Applications will be reviewed beginning immediately until the position is filled. Those selected for interviews will be contacted. The interviews are anticipated to begin on April 16th.