Position Summary

Under the general direction, and in cooperation with, the Assistant Superintendent for Student Programs and Services and the SELPA/Special Education Director, the Pre-kindergarten Special Education Program Manager coordinates and administers the instructional programs, staff and students of the Special Beginnings itinerant infant/preschool program and the PAL (Partners in Autism)pre-kindergarten autism special day classes. The program manager is also responsible to assist in the planning, coordination and implementation of inter-agency programs targeting young special needs children. The program manager provides curriculum and instructional leadership and has a lead role in working with various local community-based agency personnel and school district administrators.

Minimum Qualifications

• Possess an appropriate California Administrative Credential and Special Education or Pupil Personnel Services credential. Previous supervisory or administrative experience desired.
• Demonstrate competence in communicating effectively with staff, district personnel and other agency representatives.
• Possess a valid California Driver’s License or otherwise ensure ability to attend to duties at multiple worksites during the day.
• Possess at least 7 years of successful special education experience, including teaching, school psychology, speech/language pathology, etc., preferably in a program serving young children.
• Possess an advanced degree and experience/training in program and budget planning; staff and curriculum development; staff/program evaluation; staff motivation and consensus building.
• Familiarity with program planning and special education law and processes.
• Strong leadership, organizational, communication and human relations skills, including the skill of building group consensus.

Examples of Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversees development of programs and delivery of services to special needs children birth-to-kindergarten throughout Humboldt County.
• Leads and supervises itinerant and pre-kindergarten autism teachers and para-educators and HCOE speech/language pathologists assigned to these programs.
• Consults with district administrators and special education staff regarding inter-district processes, programs and transitions;
• Develops and sustains cooperative working alliances with school district personnel and various community agency representatives;
• Represents HCOE on Humboldt Assessment & Referral Team, provides community outreach/child find and oversees Early Start Interagency Agreement procedures;
• Receives, logs and assigns referrals for special education services from community agencies and individuals and monitors service delivery;
• Plays a key roll in the selection, placement and professional development for staff members under his/her leadership;
• Authorizes expenditures within previously approved budget and assists with annual budget development;
• Oversees timely and accurate CASEMIS reporting of programs and remediates inconsistencies in reports.
• Attends HCOE special education leadership meetings;
• Serves as a member of the Superintendent’s Leadership Council;
• Actively engages in an ongoing program of professional development to maintain and improve management skills and leadership abilities;
• Performs other duties as assigned, including the supervision of other special education department staff, as necessary.

Additional Requirements

Individuals who serve as Pre-kindergarten Special Education Program Manager provide services in the office as well as in various sites throughout the county, sometimes serving multiple sites in a single workday. Public speaking skills, group problem solving and leadership ability, the ability to communicate effectively in writing, the capacity to maintain personal demeanor during periods of peak work flow and perform efficiently within restricted timeframes are critical factors for success in this position.

Individuals who serve as certificated or classified management personnel must be willing to modify days/hours and to work additional days/hours on occasion with appropriate compensation and be willing to travel using own transportation with mileage reimbursed, or county office fleet vehicle, as the job may require.

Physical Requirements

(Consideration will be given to reasonable accommodation for the following physical requirements.)

Sufficient vision to read printed materials; sufficient hearing to conduct in-person and phone conversations; sufficient mobility to move about the county office and other sites as may be required; ability to speak in an understandable voice with sufficient volume to be heard in normal conversation distance, on the phone, and to address groups of varying sizes; physical and emotional stamina to cope with sometimes stressful situations and conditions.

CLASS: 3 | GTE:gb 3/27/09