SY 23-24 Special Ed Coordinator
About AppleTree
AppleTree focuses exclusively on Preschool and Pre-K education with a mission of closing the achievement gap before students get to kindergarten. We provide free, full-day public charter school programming for three- and four-year olds in 12 locations across Washington, DC, employing our innovative and award winning instructional model, called Every Child Ready (ECR). This instructional model provides educators with tools and resources for “What to Teach”, “How to Teach” and “How to Measure Success.” Our instructional model is also used with partners across the nation. We continuously test and improve this model through feedback from AppleTree educators, partners and other stakeholders to ensure that children are learning and exploring through play and appropriate instruction.
Position Summary
AppleTree is seeking a motivated, passionate and experienced Special Education Coordinator to coordinate special education meetings for students who are suspected of or have a disability.
The Special Education Coordinator ensures that all children and families with special needs receive optimal developmentally appropriate educational experiences. Under the primary direction of the Special Education Manager and secondary direction of the Principal, the Special Education Coordinator will ensure that students’ Individual Education Plans (IEPs) in inclusion, push in and/or pullout settings, depending on the IEP Team’s decision about placement and what is appropriate as the student’s least restrictive environment is being implemented.
This position will serve to support the Special Education Manager with operational tasks including IDEA compliance activities and comprehensive case management of all students on assigned caseload participating in the special education program to ensure their academic and developmental progress.
The Special Education Coordinator will use in-depth knowledge of early childhood special education practices to support special education teachers in providing effective and research-based interventions to children identified for special education services. The Special Education Coordinator will also work with regular education teachers in a consultative manner to integrate these strategies into their practice within the RTI model.
The Special Education Coordinator reports to the Special Education Manager, with input from the school Principal.
What you’ll do…
Supports Achievement for all students
- Demonstrate competency and expertise with the implementation of AppleTree’s evidence-based instructional model, Every Child Ready
- Maximize student achievement, especially for those students identified for special education and those at-risk of being identified for special education, by supporting the implementation of a Response to Intervention instructional model
- Use information and data from a variety of sources to understand students’ developmental and instructional needs and to improve teaching and learning for all young children
- Actively support the diversity of learners in their classrooms (e.g., cultural, linguistic and academic diversity)
- Support universal screening and various assessment activities for all aspects of the special education program including identification and eligibility in accordance with IDEA, and aligned with RTI and AppleTree standards
Provides case management to all children eligible for special education and related services
- Develop annual IEPs in conjunction with the Special Education Team that include developmentally appropriate goals for each child that considers the individual child’s need
- Gather data, documenting through the Special Education Data System (SEDS), and any other aspects of the IDEA compliance process
- Collaborate with the classroom teaching team to support and consistently assess each child’s progress toward their IEP goals and to ensure their successful access of the general curriculum through specialized support plans (SSP)
- Work with the related service providers, such as therapists and social workers, to maximize the professionals’ impact with identified special education students in all of the school environments
Establishes and maintains cooperative partnerships with parents
- Ensure parents receive all notifications and evaluation reports in advance of the MDT meetings; ensures parents are welcomed as participating partners in all meetings
- Collaborate with families and other school personnel to develop an effective and viable transition plan to a Kindergarten Program for students with IEPs
- Actively seek to make connections with their students’ family members and other important people in their students’ lives
- Solicit parents and community members to share their skills, experiences and cultures in the classroom
- Regularly communicate the school’s and individual children’s educational goals and progress to families
- Communicate school-wide AppleTree family engagement activities and participates in at least one family event each month
Ensures compliance with federal and local regulations
- Notify the Lead Teacher of all special education related meetings or events to ensure timeliness and adherence to IDEA regulations
- Participates as a team member on interdisciplinary teams to support the full continuum of services for children transitioning from Tier 2 to Tier 3 of the RTI process
- Utilize the OSSE approved special education data system (SEDS) that supports children’s learning including SEDS/Easy IEP and AppleTree’s use of Google Docs and other databases and systems that are mandated
- Assist with the development of the AppleTree’s Special Education Program, as needed or required, for the purposes of ensuring program quality and standardization of practices across all campuses and to ensure consistency and continued compliance with all state and federal laws
- Maintain a high level of knowledge regarding current best practice in special education services for young children
- Implement all established AppleTree special education policies and procedures
- Maintain accurate special education records, to include documentation of service delivery by all professionals providing services to students on the special education Teacher’s caseload and monitors the documentation of special education services provided as required by IDEA, state regulations, and AppleTree policies
- Participate in monthly, AppleTree-wide special education and student support services professional development activities
- Complete COS Data and the appropriate evaluations in a timely manner in collaboration with teaching teams
Upholds professional responsibilities
- Maintain strict confidentiality with regard to all aspects of student information
- Understand, and practice in accordance with, federal, state, and local laws, statutes, and/or policies that relate to students and families; such as, speech-language pathology, special education, education rights, ethical conduct and privacy
- Maintains necessary ongoing licensure/certification maintenance requirements within specified timelines
- Seek out professional development opportunities for oneself
- Demonstrate professionalism in all interactions and duties
- Maintain cooperative, respectful and supportive relationships with colleagues
- Allocate time and resources effectively
- Implement all established AppleTree policies and procedures
- Evaluate Instructional effectiveness, documents and shares modifications to instructional approaches based on assessment data, reflection, and feedback.
- Actively participate in professional development opportunities provided and seeks out additional professional development
- Communicate professionally and constructively with colleagues
- Fulfill the standards of professionalism including appropriate dress, attendance and timeliness
- Participate in monthly professional learning community meetings
What we’re looking for…
- Candidates must have, at the minimum, a bachelor’s degree in elementary or early childhood special education, and one or more years of successful professional teaching experience.
- Teachers with master’s degrees in early childhood special education or a certified speech language pathologist are preferred
- Two or more years of successful professional teaching of young children with special needs is preferred.
- Demonstrate leadership experience
- Strong organizational skills and communication abilities
- Ability to work collaboratively and well within a team
- Candidates must receive a passing score on the Special Education and Elementary Education Content Knowledge (PK-3) by the start of the school year.
What's in it for you…
- Competitive Salary
- Employee Health Benefits that are in the 95th percentile of other schools in the DC Metro Area
- Fully covered Dental
- Benefits for you and all eligible dependents
- Fully covered Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Accidental Death and Dismemberment and Life insurance with buy-up options
- Free Online Wellness Platform for you and up to 4 eligible dependents
- Competitive Paid Time Off, including early close Mental Health Days
- 5% Employer Contribution to your Retirement Account (whether you contribute or not)
- AppleTree Scholarship to pay for continued education
- Network Professional Development Opportunities
AppleTree’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement
At AppleTree, we endeavor to foster an environment where each person’s true self and experience is welcome. We believe that only with a diverse and inclusive environment can you truly celebrate and support all students, families, and staff. Our commitment to diversity is founded on the belief that our community is strengthened by the vibrant exchange that occurs when individuals with different backgrounds, abilities, and heritages share their various perspectives with one another.