Director of Special Services

Job Summary:   The Director of Special Services is responsible for the day to day provision of all special education, psychological, behavioral and evaluation services.  Primary responsibility is to assure that all identified special education and 504 students receive a free and appropriate public education in compliance with all state and federal rules and regulations.  The director is the primary person responsible for providing necessary financial and program information to the Agency of Education and the SSD Chief Financial Officer under law, regulation and SDD policy.

The Director serves on the SSD Leadership Team, working collaboratively with the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, the CFO, and the Superintendent to fulfill administrative responsibilities.

Essential Duties:

• Administers the provision of services to all children in the Springfield School District (birth-21), according to federal and state law.
• Develops, manages, evaluates, and ensures all district Special Education programs, including curriculum, budgeting and fund disbursement, are in compliance with all appropriate state and federal regulations.
• Develops and implements policies and procedures for the provision of Special Education services.
• Develops and implements the Local Education Agency Plan for Special Education, as required by IDEA.
• Conducts, coordinates, and ensures Special Education training for all personnel as needed.
• Determines appropriate staff development to be provided and available for all district staff, regardless of position, for the effective implementation of Special Service Programs.
• Advises, consults, and assists building level administrators on the implementation of Special Service programs.
• Coordinates with administrators on the assignment and workload of Special Services personnel.
• Assists building level administrators in the supervision and evaluation of Special Services staff.
• Recommends to the Superintendent the proper staffing and structure of the department.
• Creates annual reports or special reports as needed.
• Participates in appropriate local, state and national professional meetings/seminars, and reads relevant literature to improve techniques in specialized areas.
• Recruits, screens, and recommends Special Education personnel for hire in conjunction with Administrators and Superintendent.
• Develops and implements goals and programs for Special Education services which include a timeline for accomplishments that are measurable and reportable for dissemination to the public, staff, administration and board.
• Completes the annual applications for IDEA-B Basic, IDEA-B PreSchool, ECSE, and Medicaid, and evaluations for these programs, chairing appropriate committees and recommending appropriate expenditures for these programs to the Superintendent.
• Consults with curriculum development committees (or designates a staff member to do so) to represent Student Support Services in the development of curriculum.
• Communicates with other Special Education Directors to implement appropriate individual student IEPs and to share general knowledge and ideas.
• Establishes effective liaisons with the various offices and agencies within the community and state that may provide specialized or professional help to students and their families, and serves as the referral agent to those offices and agencies when deemed appropriate.
• Develops collaborative partnerships with local mental health and medical agencies while understanding their systems and resources
• Contacts and collaborates with school district attorneys in regard to matters of due process in Special Education.
• Assesses, evaluates, and collects student needs data in each school and reports findings, recommendations, and budgetary impact to the administration, board, state and federal agencies as deemed necessary and required.
• Attends staff, team, and IEP meetings to function as the LEA representative as necessary.
• Advises, prepares, and manages the Special Education budget(s) and the disbursement of Special Education funds in accordance with district policies and procedures.
• Provides coverage, consultation and support to building administrators.
• Attends school board meetings, at the request of the Superintendent.

Essential Responsibilities

• Responsible for Child Identification and Child Count Activities.
• Ensures proper collection of data for evaluating student progress, program effectiveness and resource utilization.
• Responsible for transportation services for eligible Special Education students.
• Oversees Special Education Coordinators work with individual students’ case management and learning plans for out of district placements.
• Oversees and supports administrators with the implementation of accommodations and supports for students protected by Section 504. Ensures diagnostic procedures identifying students’ eligibility for Special Education services.
• Responsible for the maintenance of confidential files of Special Education students in locked file cabinets at the Central District Office, and monitors confidentiality of electronic files used by each building.
• Ensures the district receives all special Education related revenue (grants and reimbursements) it is entitled to, by communicating all necessary data with the business office.
• Responsible for the oversight and management of independent contractors including alternative delivery models. Performs other duties or assignments as deemed necessary and directed by the Superintendent.

Supervision Received:  Works independently for the most part, planning and implementing broad programs within the organization. Work is checked primarily through consultation and agreement with others rather than by specific directives from supervisors. Reports to and is evaluated annually by the Superintendent.

Supervisory Responsibilities:  Supervises the personnel and implementation of programs and services in Special Education, School Psychology, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology, Early Childhood Special Education, and the Occupational Development Program. Supervises and evaluates, in cooperation with building administration, the Special Education staff.

Qualification Requirements: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily, in addition to the following:

• Education and Experience: Master’s Degree in Education/Special Education or other appropriate discipline plus 3-5 years of relevant K-12 curriculum experience, or a combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills are acquired. Knowledge of contemporary instructional theory and practice; best practices in student learning; commitment to proficiency-based curriculum and instruction and success for all learners.

• Certifications and Licenses. Holds or is eligible to hold a valid Level I or II Vermont Professional Educator’s License as Director of Special Education. Valid Vermont drivers’ license also preferred.

• Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret the complex scientific, educational, technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents.  Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints.  Ability to write speeches and articles using original or innovative techniques or style.  Ability to effectively present information to teachers, leadership, public groups, and school board members.

• Mathematical Skills: Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

• Computer Skills and Experience: Experience and proficient computer skills in word processing, spreadsheet, and database programs required. Experience with Microsoft Office and social media preferred.

• Reasoning Ability/Mental Requirements: Ability to define problems, collect and analyze data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

• Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Ability to communicate courteously, efficiently and effectively with a variety of individuals, including students, faculty, administrators, parents, and representatives of outside organizations.  Ability to work cooperatively and effectively with peers, subordinates, supervisors, parents, and outside agencies.

• Competencies.  The individual in this position must possess the following:
  1. Dependability – being reliable, responsible and fulfilling obligations.
  2. Self-Control – maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
  3. Stress Tolerance – accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
  4. Cooperation – being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
  5. Concern for Others – being sensitive to others’ needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
  6. Attention to Detail – being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  7. Integrity – being honest and ethical.
  8. Adaptability/Flexibility – being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
  9. Independence – guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
  10. Social Orientation – preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

Physical effort and stress:  Employee must have the physical ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined above, in addition to the following (Frequency Codes described below):

Working Conditions/Environmental Factors:  All conditions common to an education environment, but not limited to, the following (Frequency Codes described in table below.)  Work is normally performed in climate controlled office/ building environment, with limited exposure to extreme heat/cold, poor ventilation, fumes, and gases.  No known environmental hazards are encountered in normal performance of job duties.  

Definitions - Physical Demands

• Sitting: remaining in a seated position
• Standing: remaining on one's feet in an upright position at a workstation without moving about
• Walking: Moving about on foot
• Seeing: Perceiving with the eye
• Hearing: Perceiving or listening to sound by ear
• Talking: Articulating, speaking or discussing using spoken words
• Dexterity: Skill in the use of hands and fingers
• Lifting: Raising or lowering an object from one level to another (includes upward pulling)
• Carrying: Transporting an object, usually holding it in the hands or arms or on the shoulder
• Reaching: Extending the hands and arms in any direction
• Handling: Seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or working with hands

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Disclaimers:  This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by an employee occupying this position. Employees may be required to perform other related duties as assigned, to ensure workload coverage. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This job description does NOT constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and is subject to change by the employer as the organizational needs and requirements of the job change.

The use of itemized lists are for organizational purposes only and do not assign levels of importance.  The job specification requirements stated are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform this job successfully. Any satisfactory equivalent combination of experience and training which ensures the ability to perform the work may substitute for the above so that the employee will possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.