High School Dean of Special Education

Job Description

1. Set vision and goals

   • Supports development of Special Education program-wide vision and takes an active role in investing and mobilizing teachers/support staff to achieve the collective goals of the school; owns the implementation of select program/school priorities in support of the school-wide vision

   • With guidance from the School Leader, leads the planning and goal setting for the Special Education department that he/she coaches and ensures alignment with school-wide goals

   • Identifies and addresses equity challenges within the school

   • Articulates how Special Education department vision and goals connect to KIPP DC's goal of becoming an anti-racist organization

2. Plan and prioritize

   • Provides input into the planning, communication and execution of school-based priorities and identifies what the school’s priorities mean for his/her own leadership and people that he/she manages

   • Manages the planning and execution of goals and plans for specific teachers and Special Education department

3. Manage and develop groups of teachers

   • Leads grade level/department level collaboration and learning

   • Effectively manages and develops teachers of a wide range of skill and experience level by defining responsibilities, setting goals and providing ongoing feedback and support

4. Lead school culture

   • Supports teachers in leading classrooms with high-quality Tier 1 student learning and engagement

   • Plan for and predictably respond to student behavior that doesn't meet school culture expectations. Coach, support and follow up with teachers in service of empowering them to do the same

   • Manages parts of the daily program/school operations (e.g. arrival/dismissal, lunch/recess)

   • Acts as the first Leadership Team contact on Special Education student intervention and family communication; determines appropriate next steps and follow ups

   • Develops teachers in understanding process and roles in student support and intervention and develops systems and structures to execute on those roles

   • Supports teachers in building an inclusive environment for all students

   • Build intentional, meaningful relationships with students, their families and communities in the hopes of having school community where people truly feel as though they belong

   • Participate in key leadership responsibilities such as recess and lunch duty, monitoring transitions, and any other support necessary to run a positive and smooth functioning school

5. Hire and retain highly-effective staff

   • Consistently communicates to teachers/support staff, through words and actions, that they are valued, supported, and cared for

   • Implement retention strategies to ensure highly-effective teachers stay teaching and support staff stay

6. Build own and team’s content knowledge

• Develops deep mastery over best practices in Special Education and those departments for which he/she/they coach

• Engages in self-driven, ongoing learning regarding curriculum, pedagogy, coaching and school leadership

• Collaborates with School Vice Principals to support teachers in instructing/best practices in Special Education and connects teachers with relevant resources to improve their content knowledge, pedagogy and instruction

• Leads Special Education department meetings and/or professional development for groups of teachers

• Collaborates with Campus Director to support case management and special education classrooms

• Leads Professional development for Special Education teachers/case managers with Campus Director/Compliance Manager and services for all special education students

7. Develop and coach teachers

• Leads data-driven instruction by analyzing specific department level data and developing and executing plans to address gaps and by helping teachers do the same thing for their classes

• Provides high-quality coaching by keenly observing classrooms and connecting with teachers, accurately diagnosing classroom instruction, and providing frequent feedback for teachers across skill level; intensively coach new and struggling teachers with a range of coaching techniques

• Work with key stakeholders to follow-in progress monitoring for special populations

• Supports response to classroom behaviors and individualized behavior plans as they are aligned to supporting teachers through coaching

• Respond and address discipline issues with the support of the school leadership team

• Manages parent contact and relationships as it aligns with classroom coaching

• Student Focus: builds strong relationships and holds high expectations for students, holds students’ best interests in mind, keeps owns commitments to students and makes sure others do the same and builds a culture of respect for all students

• Achievement Orientation: sets challenging goals for self and others, takes initiative to go above and beyond to to achieve results, follows through on commitments, demonstrates resilience and flexibility

• Continuous Learning: Takes responsibility for behavior, mistakes, and results, takes calculated risks, uses research to inform practice, continually seeks opportunity for improvement, values creativity and innovation, shares effective practices with others

• Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Gathers information from multiple sources, sorts out complexity, anticipates problems, breaks down information and effectively analyzes

• Self-Awareness: demonstrates understanding of own identity, privilege and power, understands strengths and weaknesses and the impact on others’ perceptions, seeks feedback and self-development

• Cultural Competence: demonstrates knowledge and respect for cultures of community served, creates an inclusive environment, adjusts behavior according to cultural norms and cues, works effectively across difference, creates and sustains an environment in which people from diverse backgrounds can succeed

• Impact and Influence: adapts leadership style to influence others, anticipate reactions of others and makes a compelling case for a position, stimulates others to take action and accomplish goals

• Individual Reflection: Reflect on own identity; maintain strong self-care practices; demonstrate a growth mindset

• Stakeholder Management: expertise in cultivating trusting relationships; develops mutually beneficial relationships and partnerships, gains trust of key stakeholders, consistently demonstrates respect and appreciation for others

Qualifications

KIPP DC is looking for High School Dean of Special Education candidates who are committed to KIPP DC’s mission that all students can learn and achieve at high levels, have a strong instructional background, a commitment to creating identity-affirming learning experiences, and are looking to develop the leadership skills necessary to lead great schools. Specifically, candidates should have:

• Bachelor’s degree

• Minimum of four years Special Education teaching experience

• Demonstrated academic results

• Demonstrated leadership experience

• Demonstrated record of timeliness, good attendance, reliability and responsiveness

• Demonstrated experience with supporting learning of special needs populations, staff development, and pedagogy

• Unquestioned integrity and commitment to KIPP DC’s mission and to advancing its anti-racist ambition through their work with staff, students, alumni, and families

• KIPP DC offers an extremely competitive compensation and benefits package:

• Salaries for staff are competitive with added compensation for KIPP DC’s extended day and year.

• KIPP DC offers its employees competitive rates for medical, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance. KIPP DC’s plans include options for Health Savings Accounts, Flex Spending Accounts, and access to OneMedical.

• KIPP DC also offers its employees a 403(b) retirement account with employer contributions and matches vesting after three years.

• KIPP DC has various support programs in place during the pandemic, including extended sick leave and robust health and safety protocols and training programs.

Additional Information

​​KIPP DC Public Schools does not discriminate against, or tolerate discrimination against, employees or applicants for employment on any legally-recognized basis or protected class including, but not limited to, actual or perceived race; color; national origin; immigration status (except as necessary to comply with federal, DC, state, or local law); religion; sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions); age; physical or mental disability; medical condition; sexual orientation; gender (including gender identity or expression); marital status (including domestic partnership status); genetic information; political affiliation; pregnancy; family responsibilities; personal appearance; veteran status; uniform service member status; status of being unemployed; status as a victim or family member of a victim of domestic violence, sexual offense, or stalking; matriculation; or any other protected class under federal, state, DC, or local law.

Click here or here to review KIPP DC’s non-discrimination policy and KIPP DC’s Title IX Coordinator’s contact information.

KIPP DC requires all staff to provide proof that they are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccine (meaning they have received a full course of a COVID vaccine and receive a booster, when they are eligible) or obtain approval for exemption due to medical or religious reasons before beginning employment.