This position reports to the Director of Special Education & requires a leader who will work collaboratively with principals to implement and monitor district special education programs.  It will require someone who can work in a supportive, collaborative role with staff in all departments and offices.  Someone to interpret and remain current on all federal, state, and local mandates for special education and Section 504 services and to ensure that the district is in compliance.

The successful candidate must be able to handle confidential information discretely and professionally; demonstrate effective management, supervisory, team building, and problem-solving skills; excellent interpersonal skills including facilitation and consensus building, excellent analytical skills including demonstrated success in data-driven problem-solving. They must provide evidence of their commitment to developing a culture of high expectations for students & staff as well as implementing research-based practices, using data to monitor, measure, and improve student achievement through a lens of equity.  

Expectations include: Shared Vision of Learning – An education leader promotes the success of every student by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by all stakeholders. Embody, advocate and operationalize the mission, vision and strategic plan of SCSD Work collaboratively with principals to implement and monitor special education programs Work collaboratively with building leadership, supervise and coach special education teachers by visiting classrooms to observe instruction, model effective instructional practices, provide support and feedback Provide leadership and support in the scheduling, assignments, and the coordination of the evaluation of special education teachers and related service staff School Culture and Instructional Program – An education leader promotes the success of every student by advocating, nurturing and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth. Support a positive and achievement-oriented culture, which reflects SCSD’s mission and high expectations Guide special education teachers through the process of collaborative reflection and planning, in alignment with SCSD’s  goals and values Support special education teacher analysis and use of assessment data to reflect on teaching practice, make instructional decisions, inform lesson plans and meet the needs of diverse learners Assist the Special Education Director and building leaders in developing a culture of collaboration, trust, learning and high expectations by facilitating and encouraging staff to work together on key projects Develop the instructional and leadership capacity of special education staff Promote the use of the most effective and appropriate technologies to support teaching and learning and ensures that necessary resources are available Develop and implement administrative procedures consistent with NYS and federal law concerning special education and Section 504 services; assuring District is in compliance Community – An education leader promotes the success of every student by collaborating with faculty and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources. Communicate and collaborate with families to promote a culture of ongoing reciprocal communication & engagement Collect and analyze data and information pertinent to the educational environment, and uses it to make related improvements Promote understanding, appreciation, and use of the community’s diverse cultural, social, and intellectual resources through scheduling or supporting culturally diverse activities Integrity, Fairness, Ethics – An education leader promotes the success of every student by acting with integrity, fairness and in an ethical manner. Consider and evaluate the potential moral and legal consequences of decision-making Assume responsibility for thoughtfully considering and upholding mandates so that the school and/or district can successfully ensure compliance and uphold moral and ethical responsibility Model principles of self-awareness, reflective practice, transparency, and ethical behavior Safeguard the values of equity and diversity Support organizational and board decisions and direction relative to matters pertaining to individual school buildings Goal setting and Attainment Engages in the goal setting process as part of ongoing work for improvement Goals are stated in ways that allow progress toward them to be assessed and utilized data where possible; they are both actionable and measurable Action plans through delineating steps and departments and strategies for all goals; implements the Department’s action plan; monitors and refines goals and/or action steps based on formative assessment of evidence collected

Position works 10 A.M. - 6 P.M. Monday - Friday

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: The work involves responsibility for coordinating mental health care services and treatment planning in a public school.  The incumbent assesses mental health concerns and recommends therapeutic and corrective measures while collaborating with families and outside providers.  The Mental Health Counselor may provide evaluative information to students’ doctors.  The work is performed independently under the appropriate license, is a collaboration with students’ licensed primary physicians or psychologists qualified in the specialty area.  The incumbent retains responsibility for the professional tasks performed within his or her scope of practice.  Does related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:  

• Developing/implementing a comprehensive school counseling program;
• Working with students individually and in groups;  
• Participation in the annual review process and responsibility for updating Student Learning Plans; 
• Participation in the CSE process as appropriate; 
• Assisting students with personal goal setting and monitoring;
• Providing response services to include individual and small group counseling;  
• Consultation and collaboration with teachers, staff and parents/guardians;  
• Serving as a member of the School Based Support Team; 
• Providing classroom guidance instruction to students in several areas to include college and career readiness skills; 
• Assisting administrators with mediating student conflicts and partnering with parents to problem solve barriers to learning.  
• Develops a thorough developmental history with the School Based Support Team and family;
• Assesses data, discriminating between normal and abnormal findings;
• Assists in assessing mental health problems, and makes referrals to appropriate service providers;
• Assists in the development of an Independent Crisis Management Plan (ICMP) for students at risk of harming themselves or others, in collaboration with the District LCSW and/or Behavioral Specialist;
• Evaluates the ICMP for effectiveness, and institutes and supports the necessary adjustments or corrections;
• Follows up on student care by contacting providers and families and/or conducting home visits;
• Creates and maintains a variety of records and reports related to the work performed including case histories and medical charts;
• Participates in staff, quality assurance, peer review and other meetings;
• Acts as a resource person to staff regarding mental health care and provides mental health care training to staff as required;
• May instruct, guide and counsel students and/or their families regarding mental health matters.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of mental health diagnosis, assessment, and treatment; ability to recognize signs and symptoms associated with changes in the mental and emotional health of students and respond appropriately; ability to initiate and provide emergency mental care services; ability to understand and interpret complex oral instructions and/or written directions; ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; ability to create and maintain a variety of records and reports related to the work performed; ability to understand and empathize with the needs and concerns of others; in depth clinical knowledge in dealing with child and adolescent mental health; ability to collaborate with or lead a multidisciplinary team.

This position exists in the Schenectady City School District and involves the responsibility for program planning, administration and supervision for the 21^st Century Community Learning Center Grant Program.  Responsibilities include:  Working closely with Child Guidance staff, administrators and faculty located in the proposed school sites in the District, coordinates the grant activities and staff with the goal of overcoming the chronic and pervasive effects of poverty and low achievement through coordination of strategies that will close achievement gaps and engage students and families in developing 21^st century competencies to be prepared and empowered in post-secondary education and careers.  Supervision is received from the school principal with leeway given for carrying out the details of the work.  Does related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:

 

• Plans, implements and evaluates an integrated afterschool program offering a menu of needs-driven, high quality programs and services, Expanded Learning Opportunities(ELO’s)in adherence with the objectives of the grant including, but not limited to:  Targeted tutoring in reading and math based on student specific data;
• Academic enrichment aligned to the CCSS;
• Clinical social workers providing individual and group counseling and support to students and their parents/guardians;
• Youth development programs provided by the BGCS;
• Video production, music and the arts, recreation, nutrition, health and fitness;
• Technology integrated projects using iPads;
• Enriching field trips and experiences;
• Parent engagement activities and parent education including  reinforcing literacy foundations in the home;
• Enrichment featuring college and career linkages;

 

Location/Program Support:

 

• Aligns and integrates all extended day and support programming supporting each proposed site;
• Assists the Principal, faculty and other school stakeholders in promoting the Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO’s), helping with social marketing and organizing college, career and enrichment field trips;
• Assists the Principal in developing firm connections with early childhood education providers, and improving transition supports needed for students entering kindergarten and children moving on to middle school;
• Attends program conferences;

 

Communications/Customer Service:

 

• Configures and evaluates collaboration among several systems (i.e. Building administration, District Child Guidance clinicians, faculty, and Boys & Girls Club Program staff) to ensure a smooth transition from one ELO activity to activity in each program site in close collaboration with the Principal;

 

 

• Configures and evaluates communication among CCLC teachers and classroom or subject area faculty within the school building with the goal of understanding students’ individual needs through use of data;
• Convenes and serves on the site-based community school leadership team, co-led by the principal, to identify needs, set priorities and coordinate strategy;
• Assists the principal in developing firm connections with school stakeholders;
• Attends program conferences;
• Represents the community school in various public forums as needed and participates in advocacy activities to promote the initiative;
• Conducts outreach to community partners and expands and coordinates services as directed by the school principal;
• Organizes special events including those celebrating the successes of the 21^st Century Community Learning Center program;
• Coordinates with the Communications Officers for press releases and event publicity;
• Supervises the CCLC after school teachers and CCLC summer program teachers and assists this person in evaluating and continuously improving conventional parent involvement programs and innovative collective parent empowerment and family support programs;
• Supervises the program support;

 

Record-keeping/Database Management:

 

• Organizes and assures that CCLC teachers take attendance for each program activity they provide in the District’s Pentamation system;
• Assures that CCLC teachers document enrichment activity lessons and outcomes;
• Maintains overall record-keeping system;
• Assists the Principal and teachers and other school stakeholders in promoting the strategies designed to engage students and families in developing the 21^st century competencies;
• Assists school principal in managing the program budget and purchasing;
• Collects data and outcome reporting from partners, school building and district personnel for NYSED reporting with special attention to community data and its uses in school and classroom improvement planning;
• Develops evaluation-driven and continuous quality improvement data protocols for connecting out-of-school time learning and student engagement strategies to classrooms, with teachers as co-designers;
• Develops evaluation-driven and continuous quality improvement service protocols for students, parents, teachers, community partners and all program stakeholders;

 

Documents Preparation:

 

• Prepares public presentations on the 21^st Century Community Learning Center Program for various audiences;
• Prepares draft grant-related accountability and financial reports for NYSED for review by the school principal and the district Director of Planning and Accountability;
• Prepares quarterly performance and accountability reports including student data measures and partner data for the school principal;

• Does related work as required in all categories.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Good knowledge of the purposes, principles, terminology and practices employed in program planning; good knowledge of educational programs; good knowledge of public information and public relations techniques; ability to adapt to various socio-economic groups and communicate clearly and effectively both verbally and in writing; ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with others; ability to work flexible hours including evenings; cultural sensitivity; organizational skill; skill with public speaking; tact; courtesy.

 

Distinguishing Features of the Class and Information Processing Specialist II Role

This position involves responsibility for performing complex information processing activities often involving the utilization of word processing and related software.  This position differs from that of Information Processing Specialist I in that the activities performed are more complex.  Incumbents format, type, revise and print text, reports, budgets, etc. following well-established guidelines.  Additionally, when not engaged in equipment operation, an incumbent performs a variety of clerical duties.  General supervision may be exercised over a variety of Information Processing Specialist I and other clerical positions.  The work is performed under general supervision of a higher level employee.  The incumbent does related work as required.

 

Typical Work Activities and Information Processing Specialist II Expectations

• Assigns and reviews work and instructs new employees in specialized clerical and/or information processing activities of a unit; Designs parameters for selective information storage on information processing equipment to produce specialized outputs of this information in response to users' needs;
• Designs methods of assembling pre-recorded pieces of information (usually each having a number of variables to be inserted) into complete documents;
• Designs complex formats and layouts for work assignments;
• Creates word processing, spreadsheets or data base designs based on oral and written directions;
• Creates charts, statistical reports and/or performs mathematical computations;
• Manipulates data to produce requested reports;
• Chooses document formats and designs document layouts to be used for entering information which will be printed in selected areas on pre-printed forms;
• May use e-mail as a communications linkage;
• Types complex charts, statistical reports and/or performs mathematic computations;
• Discusses assigned projects with supervisors to clarify specific needs and problems;
• May attend meetings outside the normal business hours, records the minutes of the meeting and transcribes the minutes;
• Performs a variety of clerical functions related to the position.

Full Performance Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Personal Characteristics and Key Qualities of Information Processing Specialist II: 

• Thorough knowledge of the use and operation of information processing equipment and related peripheral equipment;
• Thorough knowledge and skill in classic desk top applications including word processing, spreadsheets and data bases;
• Good knowledge of office terminology and procedures;
• Good knowledge of proper grammatical usage and punctuation;
• Good knowledge of business vocabulary;
• Ability to plan and supervise the work of others;
• Ability to design complex formats and layouts for work assignments;
• Ability to understand and follow complex oral and written directions; accuracy.

 

NOTE:  The essential functions of this job are determined by the department/jurisdiction where the job is located.