Duties
The ideal candidate holds licensure for Illinois school administrator and or Director of Special Education Endorsement. S/he has knowledge of Life Space Crisis Intervention and Circle of Courage pedagogy for therapeutic intervention and is able to design school culture, programs, and procedures around these principles. S/he understands Competency-Based Learning Systems and is able to apply them to curriculum and instructional practices. S/he supervises all aspects of the program and coordinates educational, administrative, and counseling activities.
The program operates outside of the students' home districts in an alternative setting under the direction of the Leyden Area Special Education Cooperative (LASEC). Students within the program are in middle school through high school age (6th-12th grade) and need more support than is available in their home districts due to their intense emotional needs. The Director in this program embraces a unique learning environment for students that is highly specialized. The ideal candidate uses creative solutions and thinks outside the traditional curricula and methods available in a typical middle and high school setting to meet the social-emotional needs of students. All of the students who attend this program have IEPs.
Essential functions of the job may include but are not limited to the following:
- Manages day-to-day school operations.
- Creates a culture that exemplifies the Circle of Courage and Competency-Based Learning.
- Ambassador for the program and partners with cooperative school districts on student recruitment.
- Insure social-emotional and academic curricula and supports are done with fidelity
- Staff Evaluations.
- Provide structured procedure for medical dispensary of medications.
- Lead all special education meetings and ensure compliance with State and Federal Guidelines.
- Sustain, promote and encourage a school culture that embraces the Circle of Courage and Life Space Crisis Model for all students.
- Develop models for student integration into the community, home, school, and our post-high school outcomes.
- Work with building special education leadership on student referrals for the program
- Manages crises, and consults about behavior interventions.
- Reviews referrals and facilitates the intake process for new students, including completion of the necessary paperwork, and student program tours.
- Provides leadership, management, and supervisory skills that promote learning for each student in a content mastery program.
- Lead others and stand for the ideas and values that help to develop a program centered on Life Space Crisis Intervention and the Circle of Courage philosophies.
- Provide a clear vision, inspiration, energy, and insight for all stakeholders in an enlightening and high-functioning school community.
- S/he is focused on nurturing global citizens for an active role in a democratic society and understanding how to encourage students with disabilities to become advocates for themselves.
- Create a learning environment that is world focused, integrated, reflective, engaged, and full of discovery.
- Conveyor of best practice, a catalyst of learning, and protectors of the whole child.
- Attentive to habits of mind, data-driven decision-making, the change process, accountability, conflict resolution, team building, and creates a well-organized program.
- Beliefs and a skill set that guides the school in day-to-day operations to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of all students, staff, and families.
How to Apply
Please apply online at the Leyden Area Special Education Cooperative website. www.lasecfp.org
Direct questions to:
Kevin M. Wolf, Director
kwolf@lasecfp.org