Director of Special Education

Director Of Special Education (DSE)

WHIN Music Community Charter School is the first school of its kind! Built on the principles of El Sistema, WHIN is a place where children learn, grow, and make music together. At WHIN, we are building a nucleo, a community where staff, families, and students work together to make a powerful shift in public education that puts learners' needs first. Our mission is to provide our diverse student population with rigorous academic instruction, intensive music education, and a positive learning environment so that every student can thrive academically and personally.

We believe that all children deserve a high quality education, with access to academic rigor, music creation, and a holistic approach to developing character. We believe that a collaboration with families ensures the greatest success for our learners. We believe that restorative justice, inquiry-based hands on learning, and authentic learning experiences provide the most effective environments for growth, success, and joy.

We are looking for educational leaders who are looking to grow and prosper in a collaborative work environment, excited about working in a school and neighborhood where diversity is central, and committed to supporting students be his/her best in pursuit of our mission.

In action, our mission looks like caring deeply about all aspects of our young learners' potential. We make academics while also ensuring students' character and personal growth. With music at our core, students experience working together to create something bigger than their individual skills every single day, and this approach extends to our classrooms where project-based, hands on learning cultivates curious, creative, and hardworking learners.

WHIN is currently seeking a high performing Director of Special Education (DSE) ready to help grow a unique school community where compassion, kindness, and curiosity drive each and every day. Specifically, the Director of Special Education at WHIN reports to the Principal and is primarily responsible for ensuring all students are learning his/her best by ensuring teachers are fully prepared, supported, and performing at a high caliber.

The Director of Special Education is responsible for:

• Serving as the primary liaison between district, CSE, and school personnel for special education services provided by the school
• Coordinating and overseeing special education services and personnel to ensure students' needs are being met
• Ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal regulations pertaining to the education of students with special needs, including ADA, IDEA, and students' IEPs
• Overseeing and implementing the School's Response to Intervention program and monitoring and documenting school-wide and classroom progress toward goals
• Providing specialized instructional support and leadership in progress monitoring, student observations, and consultation with both special and general education teachers
• Supporting the development of students' IEPs and curriculum development
• Observing and coaching teachers daily and assuming teaching responsibilities as needed
• Helping teachers develop his/her instructional strategies and providing feedback through real time coaching
• Monitoring and implementing the school's Special Education Program, which includes compliant timely response to parent inquiries, student assessment, and reporting
• Leading Child Study Team (CST) in determining when external Related Services Providers are needed
• Ensuring external Related Service Providers meet the needs of individual students
• Contributing to the Principals evaluation of academic staff
• Preparing and conducting high-quality professional development, data review sessions, and Special Education team meetings
• Determining and coordinating high-quality internal and external professional development opportunities for staff
• Leading the development and administration of school-wide policies and procedures related to students with special needs
• Participating in staff recruitment
• Compiling, analyzing, and sharing student data with Principal in a timely manner
• Partner with related service providers to progress monitor, schedule sessions, and push-in to music classes for occupational therapy when applicable.

Qualifications for the DSP are:

• NY State (or equivalent) Certification in Special Education
• Minimum Education Level: Bachelors Degree in Special Education (Masters preferred)
• Two years (minimum) classroom experience
• Required knowledge, skills, and abilities
• Demonstrated successes ensuring students with disabilities meet established goals
• Ability to work well on a team and communicate effectively
• Ability to work autonomously as well as take coaching as needed
• School leadership, teacher mentor, coaching experience preferred
• Experience in urban schools and/or communities
• Sense of humor and kindness towards your colleagues

Advanced proficiency in one or more of the following areas is strongly preferred:

• Bilingual (Spanish)
• Music performance

Compensation and Benefits: The salary range for this position is $100,000 - $130,000 with a generous benefits package including:

• Retirement Plans
  • Tier 1: 1-2 years of service at WHIN = 5% match
  • Tier 2: 2-5 years of service at WHIN = 7.5% match
  • Tier 3: 5+ years of service at WHIN = 10% annual match
• Up to four medical plans through Cigna's Open Access Plus Network, all of which include free preventative care
• Life insurance, short-term disability, optional pet insurance and Norton Lifelock

EEO Policy: WHIN Music Community Charter School is an equal rights and opportunity agency and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, religion, ancestry, marital status, or any other legally protected classification in its activities, educational programs, or employment practices as required by Title VI, IX, and Section 504.