Director of Pupil Personnel Services

North Smithfield School Department Position Title:DIRECTOR OF PUPIL PERSONNEL SERVICES Reports to: Superintendent of Schools Approved:Superintendent of SchoolsReviewed/Revised: October 1, 2013 POSITION SUMMARY: < To direct, coordinate, develop, and supervise all Special Education and Pupil Personnel Services programs [including Limited English Proficiency/English as a Second Language (LEP/ESL), Section 504 (district-wide)] by providing leadership that reflects best practices towards optimizing the delivery of services in those program areas. PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL QUALITIES: Make serving and supporting children with special needs and their parents the primary responsibility. Respect the privacy of students and parents and hold as confidential information in accordance with State and Federal laws. Regard colleagues, parents, and students with respect, courtesy, fairness, and good faith. Communicate both verbally and in writing in a most effective manner A satisfactory attendance and work record. A strong commitment to providing an educational environment which fosters active, challenging learning experiences so that all students (particularly those with special needs) achieve their fullest potential. Work effectively with various health, social, and educational providers and advocacy groups who interact with students, families, and educators. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Evaluation, Diagnosis and Placement Responsible for supervising staff and coordinating all services related to: Referral, evaluation, disability determination and the IEP process Accurately reporting and updating all student information for North Smithfield and RIDE using a database program Collection of census data Child Outreach screening programs Organize and monitor the student records system to insure that necessary information is accurately retained for each student. Program Operations/Evaluation Develop, plan, and implement effective district wide special education, social work, school psychologist, speech/language, hearing services, ESL services, occupational and physical therapy services, and homebound instruction services. Responsible for coordinating with the building principals: Special Education Referral Process, including RtI, pre-referral activities Special Education initial and annual IEP meetings Oversee the scheduling of special education, ESL students Coordinate the scheduling of special education, ESL staff Support services: occupational and physical therapy, visually impaired, speech/language, ESL, counseling Identify the needs of the special education programs (reviews/evaluations); develop and implement appropriate changes to programs Present and communicate district needs to the Superintendent of Schools and School Committee with the recommendations for improvements or changes to local programming. Responsible for coordinating: Services for student in outside placements (school district or DCYF) Special Education transportation (both locally and out-of-district) Parent and Student Services Responsible for working directly with parents and professionals to help solve student educational problems; this includes working with parents, advocacy groups, teachers, guidance counselors, community agencies, and hospitals. Legal Issues Responsible for having current knowledge of the laws and legislative intent in matters relating to Special Education, ESL, and 504 students with the primary focus of ensuring that the School Department does not violate these requirements Responsible for working with parents, advocates, and parents' attorneys in resolving all issues related to Special Education Prepare, implement and is responsible for mediation and due process hearings Responsible for preparing legal documentation when necessary that may be used by the School Committee attorney in case presentation Staff Supervision and Evaluation Responsible for the supervision and evaluation of professional and support staff as assigned Plan and conduct special education personnel meetings Budget Preparation and Long Range Planning Responsible for projecting the needs of Special Education students' long range and making recommendations to meet their needs in the various schools. Prepare the special education budget as well as monitoring and implementation of the budget. Responsible for expenditures in all budget accounts relating to the Office of Student Services. Develop and manage the annual IDEA Part B and Section 619 Pre-School portions of the Consolidated Resource Plan, and others as required Work with district staff to redesign Special Education job descriptions, rules and responsibilities as per new regulations Professional Development Responsible for recommending and planning as necessary professional development as approved by the Director of Curriculum and Professional Development and Superintendent of Schools. Administration Interview prospective candidates for open positions along with an interviewing team, and recommend to the Superintendent the best qualified candidate(s) for the job. Assist the Superintendent in the implementation of District Strategic Plan goals for the school system. Execute other reasonable duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Superintendent. Serve as the compliance officer for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. REQUIRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITY TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: Master's Degree or higher in Special Education and/or related discipline from an approved institution Hold or eligible for Rhode Island Certification as a Special Education Administrator Five (5) or more years preferred of documented teaching experience in Special Education Able to develop, implement, and coordinate Special Education services using a team approach Knowledge of state and federal regulations to ensure School Department compliance in matters relating to Special Education services Able to establish and maintain professional relationships with parents and personnel Able to work collegially with principals or designees to ensure that each school carries out its role in the Special Education processes and when appropriate, provide Special Education services to qualified students Demonstrated knowledge of, and an ability to use, computer technology as it relates to job responsibilities Demonstrated ability to effectively handle complex district-wide issues using a problem solving approach Strong oral and written communication skills Satisfactory attendance and work record QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: Twelve (12)-month work year at an annual salary and benefits as determined by the School Committee upon recommendation of the Superintendent through the individual administrative contract. EVALUATION: Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with the School Committee's policies and procedures. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. NOT APPLICABLE WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually low. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties may be assigned. THIS JOB DESCRIPTION SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED TO IMPLY THAT THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE THE EXCLUSIVE STANDARDS OF THE POSITION.