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Founded in 1963, Jupiter Christian School is committed to excellence in teaching the mind, reaching the heart, and inspiring servant leaders to impact the world for Jesus Christ. Jupiter Christian School distinctively educates students in a Nurturing Community to Excel in life and Engage the world.
The Director of Learner Services is a full-time, year-round staff position. The Director provides leadership and supervision of a range of programs and services encompassing the continuum of ESE and schoolwide services and accommodations. The Director supervises the operation, implementation and ongoing maintenance of programs and services in compliance with laws that govern the school, as well as school policies and procedures. The Director works closely with JCS academic leaders to integrate general and special services. He or she works interdependently across departments to align practices and processes for streamlined and efficient use of the school’s resources to support increased student academic achievement.
The Director must be a spiritually sensitive individual who understands the mission and philosophy of Jupiter Christian School and is committed to help see it become a reality in the lives of our students by manifesting, by precept and example, the highest Christian virtue and personal decorum, serving as a Christian role model (I Timothy 4:12) both in and out of school (Luke 6:40), and as an example to parents and fellow employees in judgement, dignity, respect, and Christian living according to the Conditions of Employment outlined in the JCS faculty contract. The Director must be a born-again Christian with spiritual maturity in academic and leadership abilities that will enable him/her to teach God’s truth. The ability to communicate well with various types of people, handle confidential information appropriately, maintain a courteous, professional, and respectful attitude and integrity in all situations are pre-requisites.
General Description of Duties and Responsibilities
- Cast an ambitious plan for the future of JCS’s ESE program for the next 3-5 years, and will work with school leadership to see this through
- Deeply understanding of best practice schoolwide systems of support (Multi-tiered systems of support – MTSS) and will strategically work to translate this to the JCS context
- Lead and cultivate schoolwide best-practice instruction in areas of classroom design/layout, communication and interaction, cognition and learning, social- emotional learning, and sensory needs, and work with all JCS instructional staff to implement these principles in their context
- Work with outside specialists and in-house experts to interpret and plan for
Instructional Management
- Leads the ESE Team to evaluate psycho-educational testing and interpret needs for the implementation of individual student programs
- Maintain the digital portfolio of each student in the program by submitting all testing, updated plans and meeting notes to Blackbaud
- Leads the ESE Department by effectively designing, executing and managing short-term and long-range plans that are focused on actions designed to meet JCS’s goals and objectives
- Directs ESE personnel, services and supports for all students in the program on all campuses and ensure that students have access to JCS’s core curriculum
- Facilitates research regarding trends and best practices to support appropriate recommendations for student success through rigorous, innovative, and technological programming
- Conducts ongoing needs assessments, collects and analyzes data, uses pertinent data to refine and improve operational functions and services; evaluates ESE program initiatives for follow through
- Reviews, refines, and streamlines department processes, procedures, roles and responsibilities to align resources within JCS’s short and long-term goals
- Facilitates and/or participates in all matters of dispute relating to the families of students in the ESE program; manages and directs meetings through collaborative dialogue and resolution
- Maintains open lines of communication with JCS leadership, instructional staff, and other JCS employees regarding student learning plans, MTSS, RTI and dyslexia with all interested parties; respond to concerns of parents, teachers, building and JCS Leadership, and community members
- Maintains an accurate database and files of former and current students served in the ESE program for compliance with state and federal records management, FERPA, and HIPPA regulations
- Plans, implements, and facilitates professional learning communities for school staff assigned the responsibility of delivering and overseeing the ESE services and supports in their building
- Demonstrates the ability to prepare and present comprehensive and effective reports, both oral and written, as appropriate to varied audiences
School/Organizational Climate
- Attends and participates in department director, academic services and other JCS meetings and committees as required
- Listens and expresses effectively and in a manner that reflects a true understanding of the needs and employs specific strategies that engage, inspire, and build commitment to the cause and overall goals.
- Develops systems of communication that establish consistent, efficient, and collaborative processes for the provision of services and support to campus staff and teachers
- Exemplifies effective problem-solving methods that are student service oriented
- Engages the ESE department teacher leadership team in collaborative processes to identify and develop systems that support the administrative functions of the department in order to promote efficiency, teamwork, and a professional work environment
- Engages others in developing an overall sense of shared commitment to the department's goals and purpose and provides clear direction for work to which everyone is strongly committed
Administration and Fiscal Management
- Provides leadership in the examination of resources, including personnel, facilities, curriculum and instructional materials, and other resources that support the implementation of learning plans to ensure the efficient and sufficient provision of services within a fiscally responsible budget
- Advises on the design and equipment for classrooms and facilities
School/Community Relations
- Maintains a focus on identifying and participating in activities related to community involvement
- Implements active parent and community education programs
- Establishes partnerships with community business, volunteer organizations, and educational institutions for the purpose of expanding educational opportunities and programs for diverse learners
Professional Growth and Development
- Seeks opportunities for professional growth in alignment with professional goals
- Provides leadership for the development and coordination of professional learning activities which partner with general education efforts to promote instructional improvement for diverse learners
- Actively develops others towards goals through the use of timely and constructive feedback, targeted professional learning, personalized coaching, and recognition of accomplishments and strengths
- Supports the engagement of teacher and other ESE staff in targeted and effective professional learning activities.
- Maintains a high level of knowledge regarding developing special education issues, changes in the laws and case law, and educational methods of educating students with disabilities, for the purpose of managing an excellent ESE program in a private school setting
- Maintains a communication network with other special education directors within CESA, ACSI, Schools United, etc.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Supervises the day-to-day operations of all ESE campus operations and activities of the school including all staff and school schedules
- Leads the selection and recommendation for hiring of all special education teacher leadership and support personnel
- Maintains regular leadership team meetings with direct reports
- Promotes continuous improvement among the administrative and other professional staff, identifies individual strengths and areas for improvement, and works with Academic Team members to establish high expectations for staff performance
Qualifications
Spiritual
- Must have a clear testimony of personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior
- Please check the school's website (www.jupiterchristian.org) regarding personal faith alignment to the JCS statement of faith
- Must be able to demonstrate active membership and involvement in a local church
Education
- Required: Bachelor’s Degree with Reading or Special Education
- Preferred: Master’s Degree or higher; Wilson Reading and/or Orton Gillingham Certification; ACSI Certification
- Experience
- Required: At least five years’ experience working with children diagnosed with learning disabilities at the Elementary and Secondary levels using specific programs and strategies designed for their individual learning needs.
