The Foundation Schools Looking for Education Director- Special Education – High School – ED at Largo, MD Full Time

The Foundation Schools is a special education day school which delivers innovative school programs and support services for children and adolescents with emotional disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and other learning challenges. For over 40 years, the combination of academic support and therapeutic services has given our students a chance to reach their full potential. The Foundation Schools has schools in Gaithersburg, Largo, Rockville and Landover, Maryland that serve over 200 students in grades K-12. We are currently accepting resumes for High School Education Director.

The mission of The Foundation Schools is to provide a highly specialized educational and therapeutic program for students preparing them to be productive and successful in their future academic and career paths. The Foundation Schools employs special education strategies and techniques to provide quality instruction that results in the students’ mastery of approved curriculum and that promotes social, emotional and cognitive learning. We effectively manage student behavior through implementation of behavior management systems, school rules and policies.

Our Core Values’ provide a strong foundation for our programs, are integrated into our positive behavior intervention system, drive our actions and guide our staff and students daily to TWIRL (Teamwork, Work Ethic, Integrity, Respect, and Leadership). We offer a supportive working environment with small class sizes and excellent resources.

The Foundation Schools offers a comprehensive benefit package including tuition assistance and a generous retirement package. Visit our website at www.foundationschools.org for more information.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education, Experience and Certification

• Master’s degree or higher in special education or related field is required
• MSDE Advanced Professional certification or eligibility for MSDE Advanced Professional certification in special education or administration
• Five or more years of experience in an education setting, preferably working with students with emotional disabilities is preferred
• Knowledge of IDEA and its specific applications to educating students with special education needs and emotional and other disabilities
• Supervisory experience preferred
• Knowledge of curriculum and curriculum adaptations for students with disabilities
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) abilities are a plus

Physical, Interpersonal and Cognitive

• Utilize basic office equipment such as computer, tablet, telephone, fax, copier, etc.
• Complete reports and data input while using a variety of computer programs
• Move and carry supplies; light lifting, non-repetitive
• Maintain a professional demeanor and relationship with students, colleagues, families, and community partners
• Work positively and collaboratively with others
• Maintain a professional work ethic and meet the standards of professionalism including appropriate attire, attendance, and timeliness
• Demonstrate effective time management and organization skills
• Prioritize and plan work activities
• Use time and resources efficiently, set realistic action plans and goals
• Speak clearly and be understood by others
• Read and express thoughts in a written format
• Possess and demonstrate a high level of mental and emotional balance
• Respond quickly and tactfully to crisis situations while using critical thinking to assess problems
• Work with minimum supervision and meet deadlines
• Physically restrain or assist in student restraints
• Possess sufficient mobility to provide program support and manage student behaviors

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Establish expectations for teachers on standards for classroom structure, instructional lessons, and classroom management; supervise, coach, and counsel teachers on performance expectations
• Ensure teachers utilize a variety of instructional methods, adapt the curriculum to meet individual needs and ensure IEP accommodations are provided
• Ensure that all teachers have access to the curriculum and IEPs, and ensure that teachers are able to demonstrate how to access the curriculum and IEPs at all times
• Monitor the writing and implementation of lesson and/or unit plans
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• Conduct regularly scheduled department meetings, supervision sessions, and instruction based professional development for the instructional staff to enhance their effectiveness in the program; report to management team areas of concern
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• Monitor and supervise the diagnostic prescriptive teacher(s) to ensure state mandated testing is implemented according to guidelines
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• Update and maintain students’ transcripts or educational records with required information
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• Update credit checklist for high school students at enrollment and upon course completion to ensure credit requirements are met and tracked appropriately, create and distribute schedules for new students
• Review student files to ensure documents, such as report cards, interims, and transcripts, are appropriately completed and filed
• Supervise the IEP Coordinator on all aspects of the IEP process (IEP development, meetings, trainings, documentation, etc.)
• Demonstrate an understanding of LEA course sequence to ensure proper scheduling for students
• Ensure teachers are effectively communicating with parents/guardians about students’ academic and behavior progress and reporting other issues as needed
• Oversee the media center and collaborate with the librarian to ensure appropriate materials and equipment are available to promote the effective use of the library by teachers and students; ensure the library inventory meets COMAR regulations
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• Order and maintain an accurate inventory of appropriate equipment and classroom instructional materials, both print and non-print, which adhere to COMAR regulations; recommend instructional materials, and educational software appropriate for use in the special education environment
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• Provide direction to staff during crisis and non-crisis situations to assist staff with improving behavior management skills and decision making skills; manage the need for additional staff in crisis situations and direct staff back to other duties when appropriate; facilitate debriefing sessions with staff to review incidents and identify people responsible for completing required documentation
• Follow suspension determination protocol and notify the appropriate staff of suspension determination
• Implement and ensure staff uses the points and/or levels systems consistently; provide regular feedback, counseling and coaching to staff on their execution of the systems
• Conduct and maintain documentation on observations of assigned staff to evaluate staff’s knowledge, skills, and abilities, and to monitor program quality; meet with staff to discuss observations and develop performance improvement plans as necessary
• Demonstrate knowledge of current special education laws and regulations including IDEA, FERPA, COMAR, and DCMR; monitor staff compliance with laws and regulations
• Participate and contribute to the management team by actively participating in management meetings, sharing information, and observations to improve school programing
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• Work with other members of the management team and school staff, to determine the student and/or program needs and adjust interventions and practices, to best meet those needs; work with team to develop interventions and/or incentive plans when appropriate
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• Contribute to the development, implementation, and monitoring of the school’s annual goals. 
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• Assist with the interviewing, hiring, supervision, coaching, progressive counseling, and termination process for teachers and other assigned support staff; complete performance evaluations and individual goal creation for assigned staff
• Demonstrate an understanding of how our students’ disabilities impact their behavior and ability to learn; display knowledge of students’ diagnoses and adapt intervention strategies accordingly to meet the requirements of the students’ IEPs and BIPs
• Effectively manage student behavior through the implementation of the behavior management system, school rules, policies, and procedures; model appropriate behavior for the students during the school day
• Proactively identify behaviors among all students that could lead to a crisis, an unsafe situation or disrupt the learning environment; use effective behavior management techniques to address these behaviors in order to limit the severity and length of disruptions
• Proactively provide supervision of students to ensure the safety and security of the school program at all times
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• Maintain student confidentiality in accordance with The Foundation Schools Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest Statement and student record confidentiality procedures
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• Demonstrate appropriate use of verbal de-escalation skills to manage student behaviors; utilize the behavior continuum in order to use or consider the use of the least restrictive behavioral interventions necessary; use effective, appropriate, and approved strategies during a crisis including the participation in seclusions, therapeutic holds, escorts, and student restraints when necessary; consistently, and appropriately utilize and model TACT 2 techniques or classroom behavior management strategies
• Actively participate in committees, meetings, supervision, and professional development activities
• Consistently model and implement the organization’s core values to drive actions and to guide our students to incorporate Teamwork, Work Ethic, Integrity, Respect, and Leadership into positive behaviors
• Comply with all of The Foundation Schools’ policies, rules, protocols, and procedures