Here’s what you need to know:
Our APs of SPED lead campus-based special education departments in providing high-quality special education programming. The AP of SPED, along with the Director of Special Education and School Leader, carries out KIPP New Jersey’s vision for world-class special education services: effective and efficient SPED programming for all students with disabilities that allows them to meet their individual potential. The AP of SPED directly manages the special education team and is in constant communication with the school community as a whole.
Here’s what you’ll be doing:
- Team Leadership: Build strong teams characterized by trust, investment in goals, and ownership
- Content Expertise: Execute the vision for special education by working through a diverse team of teachers and service providers; Co-chair the child study team to manage the special education eligibility process; Work alongside the regional team to execute next steps based on student population and need (this includes instructional coaching, programmatic planning and compliance management).
- People Leadership & Performance Management:
- Work with members of the special education team to set individual goals based on school-wide goals and student achievement data;
- Manage the performance of SPED teammates to get outcomes for kids through O3s, observation/feedback, and professional development;
- Conduct weekly O3s with each teammate focused on instructional strategies, content, feedback based on observations and holding them accountable to goals;
- Conduct regular classroom observations of SPED teammates
- Instructional Leadership: Conduct weekly walkthroughs focused on identifying strengths and weaknesses for the department as a whole in order to spread best practice and action plan, conduct weekly O3s with the school leader focused on outcomes of students with special needs; conduct content team meetings ; uphold school leader’s vision for school culture and hold staff and students accountable to expectations (this includes coaching around culture).
- School Leadership: Collaborate as a member of the school leadership team and regional leadership team to ensure all students with disabilities meet their goals: Conduct weekly conversations with the school leadership team focused on student achievement data for focus grade levels and ensure that there are clear next steps and strategies to drive student outcomes; attend monthly regional AP PD; provide input to school leader on vision and goals.