Elementary School Director of Student Support Services

Community Roots is hiring:

We are currently looking for an Elementary School Director of Student Support Services who will be both innovative and inspiring in the pursuit of meeting the needs of all students in grades K – 5.  This position will report to the Elementary School Co-Directors and supervise the Learning Specialist team and all related service providers.

About Community Roots:

Community Roots Charter School (CRCS) is a K-8 school in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. As a diverse by design school, we are committed to being inclusive and centering anti-bias/anti-racist education. We provide all students with an educational environment where learner variability is acknowledged, valued and supported. We view this variability as an inherent strength of our community and use it to inform classroom practices and lesson design. We also establish a strong sense of community where students reflect on their identities, learn from each other, develop critical reading and thinking skills, and are equipped with strategies to take action on issues they care about.

Teaching and learning at CRCS is embedded in a meaningful real world context, where we teach children to see the connections between school and the world. Through a rich social studies focus and a social-emotional curriculum, we aim to equip all of our students with the skills and perspectives that will support them in developing into fully engaged members of their communities.

Please visit our website for more information about our school: www.communityroots.org

Benefits and Compensation:

Competitive salary scale based on years of experience with a 403b employer match of retirement contributions
Single and family dental, vision, and health care
Pre-tax commuter benefits
Available funding for professional development opportunities
Community of teachers and staff who are driven, compassionate and supportive
Community Roots seeks individuals who:

Believe that all children have the right to an exceptional education, understand that children learn in different ways, and work hard to provide/create the support each student needs
Believe that working and educating children in a diverse and inclusive environment is essential
Are committed to anti-bias/anti-racist education, professionally and personally
Are capable of building a safe, nurturing, supportive and high achieving school culture
Believe that communicating and building relationships with children’s families is essential
Believe that a combination of creativity and research generates engaging curriculum

Believe in and are capable of high levels of collaboration and communication
See themselves as active learners committed to ongoing professional development
Are reflective and embrace feedback
Qualifications:

Belief in CRCS mission and philosophy
Strong belief in and ability to collaborate
Demonstrated ability to prioritize and problem solve independently
Demonstrated ability to prioritize student achievement while creating a nurturing and encouraging school environment
Strong organizational skills
Strong communication skills
Experience in working with students with IEPs and students at risk
Previous managerial experience preferred
Certification in Teaching Students with Disabilities required

Main responsibilities will include:

Leadership

Oversee all programs and services for students with Individual Education Programs and 504 plans as well as those students identified as needing additional at-risk services in grades K – 5, including reading intervention, math intervention and behavior plans and any accompanying assessments.
Work with Co-Directors across K-8  to develop and institute school-wide goals and plans for improving inclusive education practice.
Collaborate with Co-Directors to provide professional development around inclusive practices for the faculty.
Supervise and support the work of Learning Specialists through regular meetings, observation and feedback.
Ensure regular and effective communication between support providers, support providers and teaching staff, support providers, teaching staff and families.
Ensure communication, documentation and effective transition of services and information about students from one grade to the next
Communicate and model expectations for maintaining an inclusive environment to all stakeholders including staff, families, and students.

Coordination

Coordinate the development, maintenance and oversight of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) including, developing IEP goals, collecting documents for meetings, setting pre-meetings and other meetings for all students with IEPs and in process of evaluation
Ensure the school’s compliance with Special Education regulations and the maintenance of accurate special education records in accordance with state and federal law including required special education reporting to state authorizers
Serve as liaison for the Committee on Special Education (CSE) and related service provider agencies
Maintain and oversee logs for intervention services and CSE related meetings
Serve as liaison and advocate for families and students with the CSE and other agencies

Assessment

Oversee the implementation of assessments and assessment programs, such as BIPs and FBAs.