Director of Student Support Services

JOB QUALIFICATIONS: To apply a candidate must have or be eligible to obtain: • A current Alaska Type B Administrative Certificate with a Director of Special Education endorsement issued by the Alaska Department of Education, or • A current Alaska Type B Administrative Certificate and an Alaska Teaching Certificate with a Special Education Endorsement issued by the Alaska Department of Education, or • A current Alaska Type B Administrative Certificate and an Alaska Type C Certificate with a Related Service Specialty issued by the Alaska Department of Education. The successful applicant must have at least five years’ experience in the field of public education, part of which must have been as a special education classroom teacher or related service provider, and part of which must have been in an administrative or supervisory capacity. JOB DESCRIPTION: The Director of Student Support Services is responsible for the leadership, administration, supervision, and compliance of the district’s programs in special education, Section 504 student plans, Health Services, intervention services, and gifted and talented programs. Responsibilities may also include oversight of schools. The Director of Student Support Services is also responsible for professional development for staff working with students having disabilities, maintaining partnerships and memorandum of agreements with community mental health agencies, infant learning programs, and mental health agencies. The Director of Student Support Services will coordinate and oversee the district’s work with social emotional learning and student mental health concerns. The Director of Student Support Services is responsible for having special education representation on district curriculum development and for providing evidence based resources that allow students with disabilities receive meaningful benefit from their education. ESSENTIAL DUTIES: The Director will: 1. Define and interpret the professional functions of Student Support Services personnel to administrators, principals, teachers, students, parents and the public. 2. Direct all educational and support programs administered by the Student Support Services department and assure that these programs are in compliance with federal/state laws and regulations. 3. Recruit, hire and assign personnel to meet special education programing needs. 4. Plan and direct the orientation program for new Student Support Services personnel. 5. Plan and direct on-going staff development activities for Student Support Services staff consistent with the districts stated Mission and Long Range Plan and the identified needs of the Student Support Services department. 6. Direct and support the professional guidance, supervision, development, and evaluation of both building level and districtwide Student Support Services personnel. 8. Assure the efficient utilization of district resources and the maintenance of a continuum of placements through a combination of local and regional service delivery options. 9. Assure the placement of individual students with special needs in those educational options best suited to their individual needs. 10. Establish effective liaison with the various offices and agencies within the community and state that provide specialized or professional help to students and their parents, and serve as the referral agent to these offices and agencies. 11. Establish effective working relationships with other institutions of the community, region, and state that may be of use to teachers, parents or students. 12. Prepare and administer the budget for specials services, including the Title VI B grant, health services, and gifted and talented programs. 13. Coordinate all activities of the department with other directors in the district instructional team. 14. Report directly to Assistant Superintendent, Instruction. 15. Coordinate activities and services and act as a professional resource to the Department of Education and Early Development. 16. Effectively evaluate program coordinators, related service providers, certified teaching staff, and classified support personnel. 17. Develop Memorandums of Agreement for contracted personnel 18. Recruitment and retention of special education staff 19. Perform other duties as assigned. Certification Requirements: Must have a current Alaska Certification as outlined above issued by the Alaska Department of Education with on/or before the first contract day.