2024-2025 | Director of Special Education 6-12

Job Description

Salary:

What is Boston Prep?

Boston Prep is a college-preparatory charter public district, made up of a single-site middle and high school. In 2023-2024, our community will include 700 students in grades 6-12, nearly 500 alumni, over 150 faculty members, and hundreds of families. The majority of our students and families reside in Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, and Hyde Park. As a charter public school, we welcome all students via an impartial public lottery, and hold the same high expectations and ambitions for all of our students, including those with special needs and English language learners.

What Do We Believe?

At Boston Prep, our mission is to prepare students to succeed in a four-year college and embody, in thought and action, lifelong ethical growth. We foster an environment structured around accelerating academic growth, as demonstrated by our extended school day and school year. We believe that to do this work effectively, relationships are the heart of our community and an understanding of anti-racism is critical in serving our community effectively.

To achieve our ambitious goals, our approach includes six essential beliefs that we believe leads to our success:

• We have an exceptional adult team; we are One Team .

• We hold high expectations for all students.

• We foster ethical growth, inside and outside of the classroom.

• We have an invested, passionate student culture, balanced by structure and joy.

• We offer a range of support, academic, social, and emotional, to all students.

• We ensure college persistence through a number of student and alumni support.

What Do We Value?

Our mission guides Boston Prep and our values guide how we work together as a One Team. Our values hold us accountable to ourselves, to one another, to our students, and to our families. They remind us of how we strive to do the work of our achieving mission together, united as a One Team. Our One Team’s values:

• We are mission driven.

• Everyone is here for the same reasons.

• Organizational changes are required to achieve the mission.

• We believe all of us, in every step of our journey, have room to improve.

• Staff actions drive student results.

Who Are We Looking For?

At Boston Prep, we believe that every teacher has the power to make a difference in the lives of our students. We are committed to creating a culture of inclusion and belonging where all students feel seen, heard, and valued. As a teacher with us, you will have the opportunity to inspire and empower the next generation, while also making a meaningful impact on your own career. You embody the mindset that “kids do well if we believe they can”.

We recognize that representation matters, and we strive to ensure that our students see themselves reflected in their teachers and leaders. We believe that a team of diverse leaders and teaching staff enhances our students' educational experience and fosters a deeper sense of belonging. As a teacher at Boston Prep, you will have the opportunity to work alongside a team of passionate educators who are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment.

We are committed to providing our teachers with the coaching and resources they need to thrive. We offer ongoing professional development opportunities and a supportive work environment where your contributions are valued and recognized.

If you are a dedicated educator who is passionate about creating a culture of inclusion and respect, we invite you to join our team. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our students and build a brighter future for our community.

As a Director of 6-12 Instructional Supports and Services

You believe in creating an educational experience where students are able to see themselves reflected in the content of your class.

Additional responsibilities of the role include:

Leadership & Management

• Manage special education teachers, Team Chair, related service providers, paraprofessionals, outside service professionals (ex. APEX ABA services, PYD transition support, etc.) for students with disabilities in an inclusion and sub-separate setting
• Meet regularly with special educators, paraprofessionals and related service providers to collaborate care for students and to provide coaching and support
• Provide feedback and coaching on planning, instruction, pull-out and push-in support sessions, compliance, co-teaching partnerships and materials, and modifications to special educators, both novice and experienced
• Facilitate, with Director of Support Services, mid- and end-of year evaluation meetings for all Support Services staff, providing feedback and next steps re: deliverables
• Collaborate with the Middle and High School Leadership Team and content Department Chairs to ensure all students with disabilities in an inclusion and sub-separate setting are successful within the school setting, and accommodations and modifications, as outlined in students’ IEP and 504 plans, are present in all classrooms
• Support the implementation of small group testing, extended time, modified exams, and the inclusion of other accommodations as listed in students’ IEP/504 plans
• Work with special educators and paraprofessionals to develop and implement behavior plans for use in the partial inclusion or general education settings
• Coordinate and lead professional development for special and general educators, in partnership with the Director of Special Education, to showcase best inclusionary practices, provide support in modifying student work and assessments and ensure student success
• Develop post-secondary transition program for students 18 years+
• Participate in the hiring process for new special education teachers, related service providers, etc.
• Manage online paperwork compliance system (Esped/PowerSchool) and act as a resource for special educators and related service providers.

Compliance & Accountability

• Oversee provision of services for all students with disabilities, ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations for students with disabilities in the inclusion and sub-separate settings
• Work with school leadership to ensure student schedules include appropriate placement and all necessary related services, with correct frequency/duration
• Work with special educators to develop partial inclusion curriculum (scope and sequence, lesson plans, modification of materials and student work, grading structures)
• Manage the scheduling of all annual, 3 year, and initial IEP/504 meetings, ensuring compliance with meeting due dates and the participation of all necessary Team members
• With Administrative Assistant, process all evaluation, IEP, and 504 paperwork in accordance with compliance timelines, all paper student files
• Manage the pre-referral and referral process for students not yet identified as having a disability
• Coordinate evaluations necessary for initial or re-evaluations for special education services, and communicate testing, reporting, and meeting deadlines to all Team members (related service providers, special education teachers, Administrative Assistant)
• Write or collaborate on writing of IEPs and 504 plans for students who receive support services, providing edits to all drafts of IEP/504 plans and act as LEA representative to sign off on finalized documents before they are submitted to families for review and signature
• Manage Age of Majority paperwork for all students beginning age 17
• Chair Team and Manifest Determination meetings
• Partner with the school’s leadership team to ensure all state testing accommodations and other requirements are met for students with disabilities

Partnering with Students and Families

• Work with Administrative Assistant to develop a clear parent communication system to ensure family participation in all scheduled IEP/504 meetings
• With Director of Support Services, facilitate annual feedback from families regarding the special education program, incorporate data to facilitate a program review
• Communicating frequently with students, families, and school leaders around academic and behavioral progress
• Answer questions/act as a resource for families as needed regarding the Special Education process (initial evaluations, parent concerns, requests from family healthcare providers, etc.)
• Attending occasional after-school events

Building of School Culture

• Partnering with team members, students and families, to actively uproot racism and inequality in our community
• Modeling empathy, embodying the mindset that “kids do well if they can”
• Upholding school and grade level systems and structures with fidelity
• Assuming extracurricular responsibilities, if desired

Maintenance of Organizational Culture

• Actively engaging in one’s learning; seeking and acting on feedback regularly
• Actively pursuing professional development, inside and outside of the school
• Collaborating with other teachers and school leaders to advance the school’s mission

Starting Salary for this position: $125k

Qualifications include:

• An Undergraduate or Graduate Degree in a related area of study

• A passing score on the Communications & Literacy MTEL, as well as an MTEL in the content area(s) they teach within their first year of employment at Boston Prep
• An SEI Endorsement (core academic and special education teachers only) as defined by DESE, within their first year of employment at Boston Prep
• Provisional Teacher License in the role of Moderate Disabilities or Initial Administrator license

For more information, please visit our website at

One Mission. One Team. One School. We are Boston Prep.

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At Boston Preparatory School we acknowledge barriers to opportunities that exist within the job seeking market. Many potential candidates shy away from applying due to lack of confidence in their skills and imposter syndrome. As we do our part to dismantle these barriers within our own recruitment processes, we encourage candidates from all walks of life, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, to apply and make positive change within the lives of our students.