Special Education Administrator

Description

This position is for the 26-27 School Year with a start date of August 10. The Connect Academy is an organization with multiple campuses. All campuses have open positions posted for next year. Connect Academy Carol Stream is a PreK-8 building serving students with challenging, sometimes aggressive behaviors. The High School campus is located in Addison. The Lombard location serves PreK-3 students with autism who are nonverbal/minimally verbal as a bridge to public elementary school. ReConnect serves general education students as an alternative setting, often in lieu of expulsion. All provide comprehensive therapeutic services to address social-emotional and functional needs to support access to learning in addition to standards-based academics.

Site Administrator Job Description

Employment Type: Full-time | Exempt

Reports To: President

Mission: The mission of our program is to provide our students with a high quality of education that offers instruction in both academic and social/emotional realms. The purpose of the academy is to provide students with social/emotional/behavioral issues a state-of-the-art therapeutic day program. Through hands-on instructional experiences, as well as a therapeutic approach in art, music, and movement, the program is designated to meet all of the needs of this diverse student population.

Job Summary: Under the direction of the President, the Site Administrator oversees daily operations of their specific school program ensuring a safe, supportive, and effective learning environment.

Essential functions of the job may include but are not limited to the following:

• Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal Rules and Regulations relative to special education and specifically knowledgeable with Illinois State Board of Education 23 IAC Part 401 Rules procedural and notification requirements, safety drills, etc.
• Provide visionary leadership in development and implementation of the educational program.
• Supervise and evaluate school staff regarding job performance, including accountability for daily expectations and any potential need for performance improvement.
• Provide supervision and oversight of the school’s clinical team in collaboration with the Connect Academy’s Clinical Coordinator.
• Assist with recruiting, hiring, and training new staff.
• Management of proactive marketing and relationship management with external partners to ensure full student capacity and pipeline.
• Provide ongoing professional development to ensure staff are well equipped with knowledge and skills to effectively support students, including outcome data review and identification of areas of desired improvement.
• Collaborate with staff to monitor and oversee the development of IEPs.
• Build relationships with families and caregivers to support the holistic development of each child, providing regular communication and support.
• Continuously assess and improve school programs and services, using data-driven decision-making.
• Thoroughly and professionally respond to emails, voicemails, and other communications from staff, parents, and external partners in a timely manner.
• Help develop and implement school policies, procedures, and programs.
• Collaborate with community organizations and agencies to provide comprehensive services and resources for students.
• Manage budgets and resources efficiently, allocate funds to support programmatic needs and initiatives in tandem with finance support, collaborate with d44 staff for facility management.
• Organize, participate in, and lead meetings with staff and student activities/events.
• Address disciplinary issues in accordance with school policy, assist with crisis or urgent situations that arise, making decisions to ensure safety of all staff and students.
• Ensure that instructional practices are research-based and aligned with best practices in special education and therapeutic support.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement and development among staff.

Benefits:

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• 401(k) Match
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Time Off

Requirements

License/Certification:

Illinois State Board of Education Professional Educator License endorsed as Principal, General Administration, or Special Education Director AND Learning Behavior Specialist Endorsement and/or approval (Required)

Other Requirements:

Background Check, Physical Exam