Position Title: Director of Student Services
Qualifications:
- Maine Certification as Administrator of Special Education
- Master’s Degree in Special Education or related field
- Three to five years of teaching experience in special education
- Direct knowledge and understanding of development, social and emotional needs of children, and experience with positive behavioral supports.
- Knowledge of special education law and all pertinent legal requirements at both the state and federal levels.
- Superior interpersonal, collaboration, and communication skills.
General Position Description
This position is for RSU48, the towns of Damariscotta, Bremen & Newcastle. The Director of Student Services is responsible for the leadership, administration, and supervision of all special education programs and student services across the district. This includes ensuring compliance with federal and state laws, implementing policies and procedures, managing staff, overseeing the budget, and promoting best practices to meet the needs of students with disabilities and students that qualify for other services.
Responsibilities:
- Provide vision and strong leadership in comprehensive student services for the district, day-to-day operations, and work closely with the Superintendent and building administrators on student services.
- Coordinate and facilitate specialized programming and support services in compliance with federal and state requirements such as Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Maine’s Chapter 101 Unified Special Education Regulations inclusive of our students in secondary school choice, out of district placements, and our district school. Participates in IEP meetings as needed.
- Oversee the FAPE needs for 3 and 4 year olds through district-based universal pre-K and through collaboration with community partners such as CDS.
- Establishes consistent and clear lines of communication at all levels; district, school and parent community regarding special education.
- Coordination and hiring of special transportation services, extended school year programming, and hourly sub-contracted positions pertaining to special education.
- Supervise the maintenance of accurate records on student progress, services, and individual education plans.
- Complete state forms, reports, and monthly updates as required, including program and MaineCare billing as needed.
- Assist schools in procedure development for the pre-referral process, interventions, and the collection of data using scientifically based assessments and methodologies to close the achievement gap.
- Collaborate with school administrators in the recruitment, interviewing, training and evaluation of all special education personnel.
- Oversee the Special Education budget lines, including appropriate staffing levels and purchasing of instructional materials for special education via the local entitlement grant or other funding sources.
- Make recommendations for and assist in arranging in-service programs for special education staff and educational technicians, including Safety Care.
- Provide leadership and training for the development, completion and submission of the alternative assessment to meet DOE requirements.
- Provides leadership in the informal and formal resolution of complaints for student services issues.
- Coordinates all litigation including due process, mediation and resolution meetings required by law.
- Act as the district's McKinney-Vento and Foster Care liason. Keep building coordinators up to date on laws and procedures.
- Act as Title IX and Affirmative Action Officer and assist in investigations covering harassment, discrimination, or other topics as assigned by the Superintendent.
- Assume responsibility for own professional growth, for keeping current with special education regulations, literature, new research findings, and for attending appropriate professional meetings and conferences.
- Performs other duties as assigned by the Superintendent.
Terms of Employment:
Terms, salary, and benefits shall be determined by the Board, Superintendent and Director of Student Services under the individual contract. Performance shall be evaluated in accordance with the provisions of the Board's policy on evaluation of the administrators.
Please send a cover letter, resume, certification, transcripts, three current letters of recommendation and an application by Feb 28, 2025 to superintendent@rsu48.org. Application and full job description can be found at rsu48.org under Employment.