Associate Director of Special Education

Mission: The mission of The Guild for Human Services is to educate, encourage and empower individuals with intellectual disabilities so they may achieve their full potential to lead high-quality lives and participate meaningfully in the community.

At The Guild you can join a workforce of creative, dedicated, and passionate employees working every day to enhance the lives of youth and adults with intellectual disabilities and other challenges.

Summary:

The Associate Director of Education is responsible for the ongoing operations and the universal life skills curriculum/programming across The Guild School. The Associate Director ensures the completion of activities related to staff supervision, evaluation, IEP program development and implementation, reporting and monitoring, and oversight of all systems within and connected to the assigned department(s). The Associate Director assures the overall curriculum and programming of the school is safe, educational and student centered. The AD ensures that all students are afforded a healthy, educational, and safe school environment in which there are ample opportunities to experience community activities, develop relationships, make decisions, learn new skills, and be treated with dignity. The Guild considers quality of life outcomes of our individuals as essential to the work.

Primary Job Responsibilities:Programming:

• Provide transparent, trauma-based leadership for the assigned staff within the department and thus by association students receiving services.
• Develop and coordinate implementation and training for overall Guild functional life skills school curriculum; to include transitional, financial, functional literacy, etc… related to improved life skills and quality of life.
• Develop and coordinate implementation and training for overall Guild community curriculum experience to include recreational and vocational skills.
• Participate in and facilitate other internal and external meetings as required to ensure that effective student programs are developed, implemented, and evaluated including the dissemination of information necessary for effective coordination of student programs.
• Create and participate in systems for effective consultation with Guild School staff from specialists and other program consultants to incorporate their recommendations/suggestions, and treatment modalities into supervised programs as appropriate.
• Ensure all school-wide programming is coordinated, safe, communicated and educationally aligned, as evidenced by master school schedules and improved quality of life for student outcomes.
• Manage and coordinate all external community education experiences

Staffing and Supervision:

• Collaborate with Human Resources for department hiring and promotions within departments; support the Director of Special Education in overall hiring needs across the school.
• Work with Human Resources to review and approve all corrective action plans, disciplinary action plans, and evaluations before they are presented to staff within their department.
• Ensure orientation, onboarding, and training to new staff occurs from assigned managers.
• Provide on-call supervision and emergency response to Guild classrooms and locations.
• Ensure all members of department receive supervision and professional development in their areas of expertise.

Administrative:

• Ensure youth school classrooms are in compliance with all mandates of DEEC, DESE and DCF (i.e. staffing ratios, student care and supervision, fire drills etc.)
• Support the staffing and payroll process.
• Participate in off-site evaluations as part of the admissions process, ensure department staff follow plans and develop supports to integrate a new student into the Guild school community.
• Interact effectively with stakeholders concerned with student placement/progress, such as referring agencies, parents, guardians, advocates, current and potential providers of continuing or supplementary/ancillary services
• Assist with planning department and division special events.

• Master’s degree in special education. Strong preference special education administration or ability/willingness to get licensed.
• Five (5) years of experience providing services to children/adolescents who have mental health diagnoses and/or developmental disabilities
• Demonstrated supervisory and administrative skills
• Knowledge of and experience with special education law and processes
• Excellent organization and time management skills
• Ability to attend to numerous details and understand multiple regulatory standards
• Knowledge of Massachusetts regulatory standards is required with preferred experience in regulatory compliance with standards from Department of Early Education and Care (DEEC), Department of Children and Families (DCF), and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
• A valid driver's license
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, case management software, and other electronic tools.
• Undergo background record check process