Special Education Director

Director of Special Education Job Description

Mountain Sunrise Academy is a Waldorf-inspired public charter school in Utah County. We are located on the border of Saratoga Springs and Lehi, on the banks of beautiful Utah lake, surrounded by the majestic Wasatch mountain range. 

Title of Position: Director of Special Education

Summary of Position:Under the direction of the Executive Director, the Special Education Director will be responsible for the leadership and coordination of the Mountain Sunrise’s Special Education program. The Director of Special Education plans, implements, and supervises Special Education mild/moderate and severely handicapped educational programs and all related student support services, including planning and implementing instruction. 

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Plans and implements program goals and objectives for the special education program K-8th grade while maintaining an awareness of current laws, policies, and regulations pertaining to specific programs.  
• Plans and implements instruction for students.  
• Applies and sees the therapeutic value of whole child education 
• Participates in IEP meetings, discussions, informal conferences, mediations, and due process hearings to resolve issues regarding special education students.  
• Develops and maintains liaison with appropriate governmental agencies and relevant community groups and remains current on legislation pertaining to areas of special education.  
• Assists in the development of policies and procedures related to special education.  
• Performs regular program reviews and recommends changes in program administration, methodology, curriculum and/or procedures as necessary.  
• Assigns and schedules special education personnel.
• Provides staff development for special education personnel. 
• Participates in the selection of personnel for the Special Education Department. 
• Maintains the confidentiality of information used in personnel issues and School functions.  
• Serves as the custodian of special education records.  
• Analyzes and secures contracted services and provides oversight. 
• Directly supervises and evaluates assigned staff.

Qualifications: 

• Minimum of 3 years of special education teaching experience 
• Minimum of 2 years of administrative experience preferred 
• Knowledge of State and Federal legislation as it relates to Special Education 
• Skill in the establishment and maintenance of effective working relationships 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint), Google (docs, sheets, forms, drives), and data management environments 
• Comfortable with online/virtual meeting platforms including Google, Zoom, etc. 
• Skill in working with diverse individuals and handling situations with tact, diplomacy and discretion 
• Knowledge of various special education learning modalities/educational philosophies
• Demonstrate the highest standards of honesty, integrity, flexibility and responsiveness 
• Ability to be proactive and innovative 
• Ability to build strong teams to meet performance goals 
• Experience compiling and presenting reports to stakeholders 
• Professional oral and written communication skills in English, including academic report writing 
• Possess a valid Utah special education teaching credential and meet any other credential requirements. Mountain Sunrise will follow applicable USBE standards. All teachers will have a bachelor level degree at an approved higher education institution and will hold an appropriate license with areas of concentration and endorsements as approved by the USBE (See R277-510, R277-520 and R277-524) such as a PEL
•  Possess a Bachelor’s Degree or higher from an accredited college or university  

Demands:

Physical Demands: Occasionally sitting for extended periods of time Frequently walking, standing, stooping or bending Variable hours Physical agility and stamina (occasionally to frequently) Occasionally lifting, pushing or pulling objects weighing up to 15 pounds, seldom weighing up to 30 lbs Occasionally climbing, reaching overhead (above the shoulders), twisting, crouching or kneeling Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard (occasionally to frequently) Continually listening and speaking to exchange information and make presentations 

Right to Revise: This job description is not meant to be all-inclusive and Mountain Sunrise reserves the right to revise this job description as necessary without advance notice. The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees, and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer without notice.