SPED Due Process Coordinator

Job Description

Job Responsibilities:
General responsibilities:
Coordinates the school’s due process component of the special education program and services; developing related goals and objectives and recommending policies, planning, implementing and working with staff in evaluating the special education programs and services as it relates to due process.
Acts as liaison with other staff, serving as a resource of information regarding special education programs and services.
Ensures that procedures are appropriate in relation to policies required by local, state and federal regulatory requirements.
Significant attention and time to analyzing data, planning activities, monitoring programs/services, sharing IEP status and goals to staff when appropriate, responding to others and consulting with program personnel.

Special Education Requirements
Responsible for compliance of special education Due Process procedures and policies.
Write IEP’s and conduct IEP meetings for all Special Education students, in compliance with Minnesota Special Education Laws
Perform Special Education evaluations
Attend all necessary Special Education training

Advisee Education Plans

Identify students interests, aptitudes and needs and help them develop projects and learning opportunities that support those interests and needs.
Understand validations and credits and effectively guide students through their learning plans.

Student Progress
Monitor, record and report students’ progress on IEP goals
Monitor student progress with regular check-in meetings
Track student achievement/validations/credits to reflect progress
Maintain awareness of student’s status regarding all state testing, graduation requirements and guide them towards learning opportunities that will address deficits and goals
Create sped progress reports

Project Based Learning
Ensure that each student has meaningful high quality projects that support their learning and development.
Ensure that all project proposals are complete and aligned to state standards.

Student Relationships
Build caring, mentoring relationships with all advisees
Be aware of issues facing advisees and help them with these issues, including referrals or interventions to/with administration and/or the youth advocate if appropriate
Understand how to avoid and resolve conflicts

Content Area Specialist
Design curriculum in your area of expertise to help students meet validation requirements
On an interest and/or as needed basis and upon consultation with Education Director, facilitate workshops and create self-guided packets
Teach small-group classes as needed in areas of basic skills, social skills and transition planning
Co-facilitate a reading/ math group (DLA/ concentrated Math)
Act as a validator in your content area

Administration
Make sure all Special Education reporting dates are met
Assist in ensuring that all entrance materials are present and follow through on all attempts to gather student information
Assist in performing billing duties and keeping track of paperwork
Enter student transcripts into Excellence
Enter credits for classes, packets, projects, community service, etc. in a timely manner
Keep track of advisees attendance, work with Dean of Students on issues related to attendance and send out truancy letters where necessary
Verify, correct and/or add contact information on Excellence
Help administer NWEA tests, school surveys and other tasks as necessary

Parent Contact
Maintain, or attempt to maintain, continuous contact with advisees’ parents/advocates

Maintain and log parent contact in compliance with Minnesota Laws
Inform advisees and parents/advocates of school events, policies and announcements

Advisory Teamwork/Relationships
Train other general education staff in special education procedures and teaching techniques.
Participate in advisory activities such as Community Meeting, Access Pass, Student of the Week, Quiet Reading, field trips, etc.
Create a supportive and encouraging work environment for all staff
Share best practices, knowledge, templates, etc.
Supervise interns where appropriate

Other Activities
Serve on a school committee or perform some additional activities or tasks beyond your regular role
Participate in grants projects undertaken by HSRA as appropriate
Develop community contacts in your content area or elsewhere
Perform any task that needs to be done

Management Responsibilities or Key Relationships:
As a member of the HSRA staff the Special Education Due Process Coordinator is expected to contribute to the success of HSRA as a whole. The Special Education Coordinator works directly with the Case Manager and reports to the Assistant Director of Educational Programming. The Special Education Coordinator collaborates with all HSRA staff, students, parents and community to ensure that the students are achieving success.
Job Requirements:
Must have excellent communication and organizational skills
Must have strong leadership skills and know how to handle problems quickly and efficiently
Must initiate a team environment and cultivate teamwork; must be a team player
Must be able to listen and maintain a very detailed list of daily duties including addressing all problems and correspondence brought to your attention and follow up on all job related activities
Must be dependable, dedicated to school mission and must be able to make quick, accurate and precise decisions
Must be able to handle many tasks simultaneously and still be available to handle new incoming immediate concerns and any problems that arise unexpectedly
Must be able to interface on a professional level at all times with a variety of different personalities.
Must be prepared to do whatever other tasks that may need to be done
Ability to work with a diversity of individuals and or groups,
Must be able to create action plans and exercise independent problem solving skills
Must be able to meet deadlines and schedules, provide direction and leadership, work with detailed information and frequent interruptions
Must have excellent communication, listening and organizational skills
Must foster a team environment and cultivate teamwork
Willing to respond appropriately and promptly to staff concerns related to student behavior.
Must be dependable, dedicated to school mission and vision and success
Must be willing to work with diverse student populations and staff and promote an environment of respect, cultural inclusion and equity of all students and staff and maintain a professional demeanor.
Must be adaptive and flexible and willing to take on other duties as assigned by the Program Director
Ability to handle and maintain confidential information regarding students, staff, parents etc.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:
A valid MN Teaching License in Special Education.
At least five years experience working with High School students in an urban environment.
Prior successful experience in urban, multicultural education desirable
Demonstrates continued professional development through course work, research, peer collaboration, and or job-embedded staff development
Working knowledge of subject matter, classroom management techniques, current researched best practices and strategies, as well as student learning styles and needs, both academics and affective.

Institution Description

High School for Recording Arts is defined by its commitment to find and nurture the genius and creativity of every student despite any life challenges or setbacks. Our school is built around the recognition that every learner has special talents and strengths, passionate interests, impactful personal experiences, and unique perspectives on the world and learning. Our aim is to actively recruit students that have dropped out, are over-aged and under-credited, or have not found success in the traditional educational system. To better reach this traditionally neglected or abandoned group, we believe in creating a dynamic educational culture rooted in positive relationships, Hip Hop, the arts, and creativity that inspires our students to transcend individual barriers to success.

Application Instructions/Comments

Please send cover letter and resume to:

Maureen Foss
maureen@hsra.org

Saintanne Tipton
saintanne@hsra.org