SPECIAL SERVICES BUILDING COORDINATOR - MLD/KCS
As Special Services Building Coordinator (SSBC), you provide support and assistance to the Director of Special Services, including, but not limited to, supervision and evaluation of staff, administrative support as needed for specialized programs, assistance with due process hearings, and the facilitation of student placements. This position promotes inclusionary practices that foster the understanding of Special Education, Gifted and Talented, Section 504, and Multilingual Learner rules and regulations. The SSBC is a dedicated professional who is committed to providing each of our students with a successful educational experience given the appropriate individualization of services to meet the unique needs of all the students served.
Reports to: Director of Special Services and School Principals
Supervises: Educational Technicians, Special Education Teachers/Case Managers, Related Service Providers, Multilingual Learner Teachers, Gifted and Talented Teachers, 504 Case Managers, and other appropriate support staff.
Qualifications: Love what you do and the opportunity this position presents, especially your ability to shape and drive a high-performing work culture dedicated to improving student outcomes. The SSBC position requires knowledge of Special Education, Gifted and Talented, Multilingual, and Section 504 rules and regulations at both the state and federal levels; School District policy; IEP/Special Education management systems; School and District MTSS academic, attendance, and behavior models, data systems, and intervention programs. Experience in educational leadership and supervisory responsibilities. Valid Maine Special Education Administrator Certification (282 and 035/030 endorsement(s)) or Master's Degree or working towards a Master's Degree in Special Education/Administration required. At least three years of teaching experience in Special Education with leadership responsibilities preferred. In addition, our ideal candidate will possess the following skills and abilities:
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines
- Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
- Commitment to managing effective relationships with colleagues
- Problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills
- Excellent attention to detail and consistent follow-through
- Ability to maintain confidentiality
- Eagerness to participate in a professional community
- Experience working in a school setting at all grade levels
- Ability to learn and effectively utilize technology
Responsibilities
Collaboration and Teamwork
- Demonstrating collaborative teaching, coaching, and leadership skills
- Providing orientation and in-service programs for school staff
- Facilitating all PLC (Professional Learning Community) activities and coaching with Special Services staff
- Leading interviewing and hiring of candidates for Special Services positions within your building(s)
- Serving as liaison with School Principals, Special Services staff, and outside agencies
- Promoting and coordinating activities that support the inclusion of students with disabilities
- Collaborating with administrators in developing and improving various systems of support
- Supporting colleagues to ensure collective success
Administrative Tasks
- Serving as a Local Educational Agency (LEA) for all Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings
- Collaborating with building administrator(s) to supervise and evaluate Special Services Teachers/staff, Related Services, and Educational Technicians
- Reviewing student IEPs for staffing needs and schedule accordingly to support students
- Reviewing transfer student files and schedule transfer IEP meetings
- Collaboratively facilitating the systematic coordination, monitoring, and dissemination of the Kindergarten screening, Childfind, and Extended School Year (ESY) processes and programming
- Communicating and arranging for all Special Education transportation needs, including summer programming needs
- Working Collaboratively with other SSBCs to organize and manage ESY programming
- Keeping the Director of Special Services informed of all current and anticipated financial needs
- Creating the purchase orders for all supplies necessary for the efficient operation of Special Services personnel in the assigned building(s)
- Supporting case managers with appropriate processing of initial referrals and necessary triennial evaluations
- Scheduling, chairing, reviewing, and maintaining required paperwork for Special Services meetings
- Managing required documentation and following up with building staff to ensure receipt and review
- Engaging in professional development and training
- Providing professional development regarding curriculum, instruction, service delivery, and due process compliance to staff members
- Maintaining a strong knowledge base for reviewing building data, student achievement data, and monitoring IEP data
- Attending meetings and in-service training and presentations
- Providing student support and involvement, as needed
- Supporting student needs for field trips, special events, athletic activities, and transition programming
- Supporting student needs during emergency drills, assemblies, play periods, field trips, etc.
- Assisting with the supervision of students during various activities
- Assisting teachers in ensuring that students’ personal, safety, and well-being needs are met
- Traveling to other district buildings or out-of-district meetings, including required attendance at state-level meetings
Data Collection and Analysis
- Assisting with data collection for state reports
- Reviewing building and student achievement data, and monitoring IEP data and services delivered
Professionalism and Attentiveness
- Handling multiple tasks at once and responding to numerous requests for information
- Analyzing, problem-solving, and mediating challenging and complex situations
- Exhibiting high standards of ethical practice and wise decision-making
- Performing other responsibilities as assigned by the Director of Special Services
Core Competencies
- Change agent - you’re able to persuade staff to try new things, approach something differently, and/or pivot to a new direction when needed; you use evidence to persuade, build allies, and celebrate wins along the way to invest staff in new approaches
- Flexibility - you accept the fluidity of evolving priorities; you are open to changes and ready to take
advantage of unexpected opportunities; you adapt quickly as new priorities emerge.
- Strong communication - you excel at verbal and written communication, and use both to engage internally and externally with confidence and effectiveness; your presence and communication skills enable you to advocate effectively for your team and your work
- A team mentality - you view your work as supporting the whole and integral to team effectiveness
- Collaborative nature - you comfortably give, receive, and incorporate feedback while knowing when to stand your ground; you don’t take criticism personally and absorb feedback effectively; you enjoy contributing to a shared vision.
- Resourceful - you optimize available resources and tools (internally and externally) to enhance your impact; you network proactively and with confidence to broaden the scope of people who can serve as a resource to your work.
- Highly responsive - you are flexible and able to adjust when faced with unexpected, real-time problems that demand your attention.
- Active listener - you’re a strong, active listener; you can read body language and between the lines to pick up both on what’s being said and what’s not being said; you can identify the nuance of what’s being suggested, however obliquely, and articulate it strategically for others.
- Ethical practice - you are guided by the rightness or wrongness of actions; you have a strong moral compass; you believe that ethical behaviors maximize productivity and effectiveness and that ethical shortcuts only hurt long-term goals.
Reasonable Accommodations: RSU 21 will provide accommodations to an individual with a disability, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or applicable law, who has made the district aware of their disability unless doing so would cause an undue hardship to the district.
Terms of Employment: 210 days per year. Salary range is $70,000 to $90,000, commensurate with the candidate's qualifications and experience.
Evaluation: Performance of this job will be evaluated at least annually.