Inclusion Team Coordinator - High School
Posted: Continuous
2012-02-01
Available: 02/01/2012
E.L. Haynes PCS Kansas Ave Campus High School
E.L. Haynes Public Charter School
Job Announcement
Inclusion Coordinator - High School
About
E.L. Haynes Public
Charter School was founded in 2004 and has an award-winning program based on
effective practices for advancing student achievement. E.L. Haynes is among the
top-performing charter schools in Washington D.C., and is recognized locally
and nationally as a model and for our exceptional student achievement gains.
E.L. Haynes currently serves over 800 students in grades PreK-9 and
continues to grow until it serves PreK-12th grade.
Our Mission
Every E.L. Haynes
student of every race, socioeconomic status, and home language will reach high
levels of academic achievement and be prepared to succeed at the college of his
or her choice. Every E.L. Haynes student will be adept at mathematical
reasoning, will use scientific methods effectively to frame and solve problems,
and will develop the lifelong skills needed to be successful individuals,
active community members, and responsible citizens.
Description
The E. L. Haynes Public Charter School is seeking an Inclusion Coordinator for the 2012-2013 school year.
The Inclusion Coordinator works with our High School Administrators and Director of Student Support Services to ensure that E. L. Haynes’ services for students with disabilities are not only compliant but also maximally effective. The Inclusion Coordinator is specifically responsible for creating and maintaining systems to identify students with disabilities, coordinating the services and accommodations/modifications for students with disabilities, and organizing and analyzing student data to increase the effectiveness of the special education and 504 programs. In addition the Inclusion Coordinator serves as liaison to all internal and external constituents, including families, the OSSE, the DCPCSB, and other relevant local organizations. The Inclusion Coordinator communicates with and trains staff in systems, programs, and instructional practices that serve students with disabilities at E. L. Haynes.
Inclusion Team Coordinator Responsibilities- Demonstrate effective co-teaching practices by making own planning sessions and instructional times open for observation by E. L. Haynes’ staff members and providing demonstration lessons in classrooms.
- Support effective teaching by providing relevant tools and resources to inclusion teaching teams, including co-teaching self-assessment tools/rubrics, planning templates, and collaborative relationship meeting protocols.
- Ensure coherence in students’ educational programs by coordinating instruction, discussing student work, and sharing best practices with E. L. Haynes’ literacy, curriculum, and English Language Learner specialists.
- Provide teacher coaching:
- Provide feedback specific to the effective use of Inclusion techniques and collaborative planning.
- Meet regularly with inclusive teaching teams to discuss instructional planning and practices.
- Plan and deliver professional development sessions that model effective teaching practices for teachers during the summer institute and throughout the school year.
- Meet with instructional leadership regularly to:
- Discuss common trends based on classroom and planning observations, suggest school-wide structures, practices and procedures that will support teaching share new understandings of research in the field of inclusion, and assess the overall effectiveness of the inclusion program.
- Coordinate the successful implementation of the special education and 504 planning process:
- Identify current students with possible exceptionalities through regular general education student data reviews and teacher check-ins, the Academic and Social Student Support (AS3) process, and screenings
- Identify new/incoming students with possible exceptionalities through review of enrollment paperwork and solicitation of records from past schools
- Ensure that the referral process is timely and thorough and that eligibility decisions are well-made:
- Develop a referral system that is easy to use by both parents and teachers
- Respond to parent/teacher referrals within 2 days of the referral
- Provide guidance to teachers in their preparation of comments and data for meetings
- Schedule, convene and facilitate multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings with all relevant specialists, teachers, and family members within 10 days of the referral
- Submit referral paperwork to evaluators within 3 days of the family consent for evaluations
- Schedule evaluations with specialists and teachers
- Communicate with families and teachers about referral and evaluation status throughout the process
- Follow-up with evaluators to ensure reports are received in a timely fashion
- Review evaluation reports for accuracy and readability
- Send evaluation reports to families and relevant staff members prior to MDT/eligibility meetings
- Prepare for MDT/Eligibility meetings by creating an agenda, photocopying all paperwork, reviewing reports, questioning evaluators, soliciting teacher input, and preparing a description of options available to the team based on the information available
- Seek outside resources and expertise to give input into decisions that are tricky
- Schedule, convene, and facilitate MDT/Eligibility meetings within 60 days of the referral
- Ensure that families and staff understand fully the eligibility decisions that are made (both short-term and long-term implications for students)
- Distribute meeting follow-up paperwork to all parties
- Ensure that meeting follow-up steps are completed (e.g., new evaluations, Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan creation)
- Ensure that IEPs and 504 plans are well-developed and appropriate for students with disabilities:
- Work with service-providers, inclusion teachers, and general education teachers to assist them in the creation of high-quality goals, accommodations/modifications, and service-hours that match recommendations from the eligibility meeting and reflect the E. L. Haynes standards
- Conduct trainings in IEP and 504 plan preparation for special education and other relevant staff
- Complete paperwork during IEP/504 plan meetings with meticulous attention to detail
- Create and maintain IEP/504 plan folders for each student that are well-organized and useful to all team members
- Work with case managers, teachers, related service providers, and the DC Department of Transportation to coordinate the scheduling of all special education services for students with IEPs
- Disseminate 504 plans to all teachers who work with students with 504 plans
- Oversee the provision of testing accommodations for students with disabilities for school-wide testing initiatives (interims, Terra Nova, DC-CAS, others)
- Train all special education staff in the use of the EasyIEP program and any other programs that may be developed by the OSSE
- Ensure that general education teachers understand special education and their roles/responsibilities
- Hold an annual professional development session for staff in inclusion and the special education process at E. L. Haynes (in the summer or first month of school)
- Provide a special education resource guide to teachers
- Communicate regularly with general education teachers to ensure that they are comfortable with their responsibilities and able to complete them successfully
- Oversee the completion and dissemination of quarterly progress reporting for students with IEPs
- Ensure that families feel informed, engaged, and supported throughout the special education process
- Set up meetings, phone and in-person communication in a manner that takes into account family perspectives
- Ensure that essential information is translated or interpreted into native languages when necessary
- Follow NCLB, IDEA, and OSSE guidelines for communicating with families about services
- Track and document all family contact for students in the special education process
- Facilitate manifestation determination meetings for students with disabilities who experience disciplinary action that impacts their time in school
- Work with OSSE Placement Specialists to place students in appropriate programs if a more restrictive environment is found to be necessary
- Implement mediation, dispute resolution sessions, and due process procedures according to legal guidelines
- Communicate with the Director of Student Support Services and E. L. Haynes’ special education counsel in cases that seem tricky
- Establish positive relationships with parents’ attorneys to ensure the best interests of students are served
- Support E. L. Haynes’ acquisition of Medicaid funding
- Analyze special education student data (e.g., referrals made, student demographics, student achievement, disciplinary trends) to:
- Ensure that special education population mirrors student population and rule out discrimination or bias in the process
- Ensure that Haynes special education statistics mirror those of national trends or are better than national trends
- Ensure that students with IEPs are making progress toward their IEP goals and the E. L. Haynes standards
- Regularly share data summary and analysis with Director of Student Support Services and Principals
- Serve as liaison to OSSE and DCPCSB:
- Participate in trainings related to special education, the 504 planning process, and differentiated instruction
- Respond promptly to requests for information regarding our special education programming and 504 plans
- Maintain regular communication with OSSE and DCPCSB special education contacts
- Ensure E. L. Haynes’ success in special education audits and compliance monitoring
- Maintain student IEP files in such a way that they are both useful to all IEP team members and meet expectations of OSSE’s monitoring division
- Prepare student data and complete all paperwork required by OSSE and DCPCSB within their timelines
- Communicate regularly with DCPCSB and OSSE regarding expectations for special education teacher certification
- Prepare materials to share with auditors and compliance reviewers regarding special education program
- Maintain a copy of all submissions made to the OSSE and DCPCSB
- Support the recruitment/hiring process of special education teachers and staff members
- Be an active member of the E. L. Haynes Professional Learning Community:
- Work with the special education teachers, staff members, and the Director of Student Support Services to identify staff development needs in inclusive/special education best practices and plan workshops according to those needs
- Network with other charter school and public school special education coordinators
- Remain up-to-date in special education law and regulations, including IDEIA, District of Columbia Chapter 30 law and OSSE policies regarding special education
- Embrace E. L. Haynes’ educational program, school culture initiatives, and race and equity initiatives
- Participate in E.L. Haynes professional development, including the Summer Professional Development Institute
- Seek out additional opportunities for professional development that will lead to achieving personal professional development goals
- Visit other charter and public schools that have high-quality special education programs
- Participate in school-wide committees
- Attend and participate in school events
Qualifications
- The ideal candidate will have two or more years of
Special Education Coordination experience in an urban setting.
- Familiarity and experience with special education compliance in the District of Columbia.
- Clear understanding of standards based curriculum,
standards based assessment, and differentiated instruction.
- Proven ability to work as a member of a team.
- Commitment to meeting the needs of every child in a
diverse population.
- Commitment to his/her own learning and professional
development.
- Strong collaborative capabilities.
Spanish speakers and
persons of color are strongly encouraged to apply.
Salary & Benefits
We offer a competitive
salary and benefits package, depending on experience and qualifications.
E.L. Haynes is an equal-opportunity employer and it is our policy to recruit,
hire, and promote for all jobs on the basis of merit, qualifications, skills
and competence. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national
origin, marital status, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, or
any other protected status. E.L. Haynes will fully comply with all
employment-related and other laws. All employment decisions will be made solely
on the basis of the individual's qualifications as related to the requirement
of the position being filled.
To Apply
Please visit the Join
Our Team page, Open Positions on the E.L. Haynes website; www.elhaynes.org/positions.html to
submit an application. You may upload your resume and other relevant documents.
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