Job Description:

Position Title: Special Education Coordinator

Location: Leidal Education Center

Department: Special Education

Reports To: Director of Special Education

Term: Ongoing 217-day contract beginning with the 2024-2025 school year

Schedule: Mon-Fri Full-time

SUMMARY: The Special Education Coordinator assists the Special Education Director in analyzing, planning, implementing and monitoring a comprehensive system of special education services. The Special Education Coordinator plays a crucial role in supporting and enhancing special education services within our organization. Reporting to the Special Education Director, this position involves collaborating with educators, administrators, and support staff to ensure the effective implementation of programs for learners with special needs. 

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty and requirement satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required for the role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: (Other duties may be assigned)

Collaboration:

Develops positive, effective working relationships with learners, families and staff.

Assists in the assessment of need an appropriateness of outside placements of special education learners. 

Facilitates the transition of services between in-district placement and out-of-district residential placement for learners in special education. 

Collaborates with various staff on the district’s state systemic improvement plans.

Assesses and recommend building and district level staffing needs for special education programming. 

Supports individual learner teams in making recommendations regarding special education programming for learners. 

Collaborates with district and building administration on staff support and management:

Assist with hiring processes (interviews, screening, reference checks).

Train and mentor employees (certified and classified).

Plan, assign, and direct work.

Provide performance feedback, coaching, and evaluation.

Addresses concerns as directed.

Collaborates with outside agencies for potential partnerships.

Partners with Transition Specialist and Building Administration on transition programming aligning guaranteed viable curriculum, interventions, transition readiness to support successful post-secondary outcomes.

Supports transition assessment work, goal writing, and course of study alignment.

Communication:

Connects and shares ideas through appropriate/applicable formats to express thoughts and ideas with integrity.

Compassion:

Understands the complexities of cultural and global issues and how they relate to employee and learners’ experiences.

Partners with others to resolve potential controversy and conflict through respectful discussion.

Proactively seeks to understand the ideas, opinions, and skills of others.

Creativity:

Connects with team members and shares ideas in an effort to improve the overall learner and employee experience.

Gathers and monitors district-level data to inform program decisions, portfolios, and overall school and district improvement.

Critical Thinking:

Monitors individual, building, and district-level data to inform the best implementation of Individualized Education Program (IEP) functions.

Partners with staff to implement intervention processes, including follow-up steps, to enhance outcomes.

Reasons, interprets, and analyzes information to generate new knowledge and understanding.

Demonstrates extensive knowledge of special education law. 

Maintain specialized knowledge in all disability areas. 

Seeks knowledge and continued commitment to understanding best practices in education.

Reflection:

Maintains communication with supervisor and director regarding general feedback, career advancement opportunities, and areas of growth opportunities.

Resilience:

Maintains composure while dealing with stressful situations.

Proactively seeks out resolutions and takes initiative to resolve knowledge gaps.

Consults with the Special Education Director and with building principals to provide performance-based feedback on special education teachers upon request. 

Responsibility:

Assists the Director in the development of Special Education policy and procedure.

Monitors and supports compliance with IDEA procedures and paperwork and state regulations. 

Assesses the effectiveness of programming at building and district level through compliance monitoring, observation, collaboration with a variety of departments (general education, special education, assistive technology, administration). 

Coordinates, establishes, and maintains intervention programs aligning guaranteed viable curriculum, interventions, transition assessments and programming to support successful post-secondary outcomes.

Provides consultation to classroom teachers and special education teachers regarding individual learner’s educational needs. 

Collaborates and manages secondary transition related programming and district level tasks.

Monitors funding opportunities and State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) and shares out to applicable audiences.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT: The physical demands and work environment 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.

While performing the essential duties and responsibilities of this role, the employee is regularly required to reach with hands and arms.

While performing the essential duties and responsibilities of this role, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, bend, talk, and hear.

The specific vision abilities required for this role include close and peripheral vision.

The employee may be required to lift up to ~30 pounds.

The employee must work with the public and various WFPS staff while simultaneously managing several competing demands.

The employee will work in an environment that has a quiet to loud noise level.

Education and/or Experience:

Master's degree in special education or related field.

Demonstrated leadership experience in an educational setting is preferred.

Minimum five years of successful teaching in one or more areas of special education. 

Teaching License in the State of North Dakota.

Special Education Director’s Credential or comparable leadership credential progress toward completion is preferred.

Language Skills:

Ability to read, write, and comprehend simple instructions and short correspondences in the English language.

Ability to communicate effectively verbally, expressively, and reactively. 

Ability to design presentations and effectively present information in one-on-one and group situations.

Other Skills and Abilities:

Exercise confidentiality, discretion, and good judgement.

Adhere to the assigned work schedule by maintaining regular and punctual attendance.

Ability to work with a variety of people.

Ability to maintain composure under stressful conditions.

Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with learners, staff, and the school community.

Ability to use computers and other forms of technology.

Ability to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and Board of Education policies.

Strong understanding of confidentiality and commitment to abide by confidentiality regulations. 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

None.

Salary: Position follows the Admin Salary Schedule 2024-2025: https://www.west-fargo.k12.nd.us/cms/lib/ND02203445/Centricity/domain/103/salary/Admin%20Salary%20Schedule%202024-2025.pdf