Associate Director, Integrated Special Education
Company: Rocketship Public Schools
Location: Redwood City
Posted on: January 27, 2023
Job Description:
At Rocketship Public Schools, we believe in the infinite
possibility of human potential. We believe that every student
deserves the right to dream, to discover, and to develop their
unique potential. And it is our responsibility and our privilege to
unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. Our
non-profit network of public elementary charter schools propels
student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners
with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in
their community. We are a collective of parents, teachers, leaders,
and students working together to transform the future for
underserved communities across our country. At Rocketship Public
Schools, we are unleashing potential.Based in the Bay Area (San
Jose, Peninsula and East Bay) and reporting to the Bay Area
Director of Integrated Special Education (ISE). The Associate
Director of Integrated Special Education (ISE) will be a key
strategic leader on the Schools team and critical to driving
forward the quality of and vision for Integrated Special Education
within Rocketship. Rocketship Bay Area, our largest region,
currently supporting thirteen elementary schools. The Associate
Director of ISE will manage a team towards ensuring that all
Rocketeers are served in a compliant, effective and high-quality
environment, with the goal to achieve 1.5 years of growth in both
math and literacy. In addition, with this team, the Director of ISE
will strive to continue to establish Rocketship as the premier
national model for meaningful inclusion among charter schools and
traditional districts. At Rocketship, we aim to aggressively
support and resource our ISE team and work. The Associate Director
of ISE will manage Rocketship's Integrated Special Education team
including Program Specialists, Program Coordinator, Related Service
Leads and Service Provider teams (including School Psychology,
Speech and Occupational Therapy, etc.), and additional department
support employees. The Director will collaborate with regional and
national Network Support (NeST) to meet the student achievement,
team development and case management goals. The Associate Director
of ISE will provide on-site support, consultation and coaching for
school teams in order to meet and exceed all network goals and
initiatives. The Associate Director of Integrated Special Education
must work relentlessly to drive on key network initiatives which
include instructional excellence for all students, department
compliance, behavior management and collaborative practices to
ensure all students at school sites receive the top-notch education
and support they need and deserve. Essential Functions:
-
- Serve as a trusted strategic partner the Bay Area Director of
ISE and Senior Director of ISE, Bay Area Regional Team, Schools
Team and the ISE Network Support team, providing support to
maintain the high achievement levels of all Rocketeers.
- In collaboration with Bay Area Director of ISE, directly manage
ISE Network team through direct coaching, observations, consistent
feedback, and all other required management structures
- Develop and lead a high performing team of special education
team members toward supporting schools and school leaders across
multiple sites; ensure exceptional outcomes for students with
unique learning and behavioral needs; model and sustain a culture
of high performance and service orientation among team
members.
- Attract, hire, develop and motivate an Integrated Special
Education team of highly skilled and driven individuals who execute
at the highest level of excellence and consistent with the culture
and mission of the organization; oversee training and support for
school-based staff in serving students with Special Needs and other
core areas.
- Implement, develop, and manage Rocketship's vision and approach
to Integrated Special Education in collaboration with all key
stakeholders; ensure high-quality outcomes for students with unique
learning and behavioral needs, within present and envisioned future
scale of the network; fortify Rocketship Education's continued
presence as the premier national model of meaningful inclusion and
leader in the field for effective, efficient and high-quality
services for students with special needs.
- Create, evaluate, enforce and maintain policies, systems and
procedures across the network that meet the highest standards of
compliance; stay abreast of current special education policies and
best practices for all regions and demographics; ensure all
internal special education policies and procedures meet and exceed
federal, state, local authorizers; and, meet LEA or SELPA
guidelines and recommendations; provide on-site support to schools
regarding any compliance matters pertaining to students,
authorizers or otherwise.
- Own the budgeting and planning processes in collaboration with
the Bay Area Director of ISE and Senior Director of ISE; develop
plans that are consistent with Rocketship's long term
self-sufficiency goal; recognize resource constraints, while at the
same time always making decisions that support the goal of closing
the achievement gap.
- Design and execute professional development opportunities
related to special education for a range of audiences (school
leaders, special education teachers, general education teachers,
etc.); design and lead regular team meetings and routines, which
inspire ISE team leaders to support the vision for special
education services in Rocketship schools; facilitate learning and
sharing of best practices related to special education and student
services across Rocketship's regional special education teams.
- Identify, understand and secure resources across the network
that support the mental health needs of Rocketeers; manage
relationships with external stakeholders providing mental health
services in Rocketship schools; provide oversight for coordination
of services.
- Support the consistent implementation of evidence-based
behavior, social-emotional and academic interventions in Rocketship
schools; create user-friendly resources that support school leaders
in the implementation of these interventions; design and implement
professional development opportunities to build school leader
capacity to implement a multi-tiered system of behavioral supports
in Rocketship schools; conduct professional development for school
leaders in a manner that deepens the partnership with Rocketship's
School Management team, ensuring alignment between school-wide
culture, behavior supports and supplemental interventions.
- Serve as an ambassador of Rocketship Education internally and
externally - from school directors to funders to authorizers;
create deep partnership by communicating proactively, knowledgeably
and passionately about Rocketship Education's mission and core
characteristics, as well as Rocketship's vision for inclusive
special education and services.
- Maintain a close working relationship with other members of the
Network Support Team (NeST-Rocketship's centralized office that
operates in support of its schools and regions), school directors,
and all school staff (teachers, school leaders, support staff,
etc.) to ensure exchange of best practices, coordination of
efforts, data driven decision-making, and general support for the
Integrated Special Education department.
- Ensure the Integrated Special Education Team is viewed as
integral to the organization's mission, aligned with Rocketship's
Core Characteristics (Innovation, Pursuit of Excellence,
Authenticity, Community, and Tenacity).
- Collaborate with Rocketship's recruitment team to ensure the
Integrated Special Education Team and related Service Providers is
fully staffed with high quality professionals in all departments to
ensure students are served across campuses; establish contracts
with contractors to provide related services, as needed.
- Create development plans for all direct reports to ensure
rigorous professional growth goals are met and exceeded;
Provide/suggest professional development opportunities and direct
coaching for all direct reports.
- Develop, manage and own the strong execution of discrete
projects and strategic initiatives that require cross-team
collaboration where decision rights span across multiple teams.
Qualifications:
-
- Valid Special Education teaching credential or administrative
license; Master's degree in Special Education or related field
strongly preferred
- Successful experience managing special education instructional
and compliance initiatives across multiple school sites.
- Demonstrated track record of improving academic outcomes for
students with disabilities.
- 4 additional years of successful teaching/instructional
expertise with a record of strong achievement results
- Embrace the mission of Rocketship Education and our inclusive
approach to serving students with disabilities.
- Knowledge of federal and state laws and regulations associated
with special education.
- Experience working with students with a range of disabilities
(learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, autism,
etc.).
- Experience implementing student supports through a Multi-Tiered
Systems of Support (MTSS)
- Experience working with elementary-age students (strongly
preferred)
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment
- Ability to be flexible and adaptive in a work environment that
is constantly evolving.
- Perform a variety of specialized and responsible tasks:
maintain records, establish and maintain cooperative working
relationships with students, parents, other school personnel, meet
schedule and compliance deadlines.
- Possession of a valid driver's license: willingness to provide
own transportation in conduct of work assignments as you will be
required to travel from site to site to work with students and
faculty at all sites.COVID-19: Rocketship is committed to the
health and safety of our Rocketeers and complies with federal and
state vaccine guidelines. For this reason, Rocketship is requiring
employees in most regions, including National, California, District
of Columbia, and Wisconsin employees, to be fully vaccinated
against COVID-19. Tennessee and Texas regions are not included in
this requirement. Under this requirement, applicable employees are
subject to vaccination as a condition of employment or subject to
religious or medical exemptions. 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 position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable
individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While
performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly
required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and
children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or
fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee
is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands
and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50
pounds and occasionally climb ladders. Specific vision abilities
required by this position include close vision, distance vision,
and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work
environment is moderate to high. Compensation: Commensurate with
qualifications and experience, plus excellent health and welfare
benefits, 403b retirement plan, flexible spending account (FSA),
and generous paid time off. Rocketship Public Schools provides
equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and
applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion,
gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability,
genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a
covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and
local laws. Rocketship Public Schools complies with applicable
state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in
every location in which the company has facilities. This policy
applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but
not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff,
recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Rocketship Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of unlawful
employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual
orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability,
or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of
Rocketship Public Schools' employees to perform their expected job
duties is absolutely not tolerated. Click here for our and here for
our . For questions, concerns, or complaints, please contact
Equity/Discrimination Title IX Compliance Officer, Address: 350
Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 109, Redwood City, CA 94065. Phone:
877-806-0920 ext. 115.
Keywords: Rocketship Public Schools, Redwood City , Associate Director, Integrated Special Education, Education / Teaching , Redwood City, California
Didn't find what you're looking for? Search again!
Loading more jobs...