2024-2025 | Middle School Dean of Special Education

Boston, MA, United States

Job Description Job Description Salary:

What is Boston Prep?

Boston Prep is a college-preparatory charter public district, made up of a single-site middle and high school. In 2024-2025, our community will include 700 students in grades 6-12, nearly 500 alumni, over 150 faculty members, and hundreds of families. The majority of our students and families reside in Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, and Hyde Park. As a charter public school, we welcome all students via an impartial public lottery, and hold the same high expectations and ambitions for all of our students, including those with special needs and English language learners.

What Do We Believe?

At Boston Prep, our mission is to prepare students to succeed in a four-year college and embody, in thought and action, lifelong ethical growth. We foster an environment structured around accelerating academic growth, as demonstrated by our extended school day and school year. We believe that to do this work effectively, relationships are the heart of our community and an understanding of anti-racism is critical in serving our community effectively.

To achieve our ambitious goals, our approach includes six essential beliefs that we believe leads to our success:

We have an exceptional adult team; we are One Team .

We hold high expectations for all students.

We foster ethical growth, inside and outside of the classroom.

We have an invested, passionate student culture, balanced by structure and joy.

We offer a range of support, academic, social, and emotional, to all students.

We ensure college persistence through a number of student and alumni support.

What Do We Value?

Our mission guides Boston Prep and our values guide how we work together as a One Team. Our values hold us accountable to ourselves, to one another, to our students, and to our families. They remind us of how we strive to do the work of our achieving mission together, united as a One Team. Our One Team’s values:

We are mission driven.

Everyone is here for the same reasons.

Organizational changes are required to achieve the mission.

We believe all of us, in every step of our journey, have room to improve.

Staff actions drive student results.

Who Are We Looking For?

At Boston Prep, we believe that every teacher has the power to make a difference in the lives of our students. We are committed to creating a culture of inclusion and belonging where all students feel seen, heard, and valued. As a teacher with us, you will have the opportunity to inspire and empower the next generation, while also making a meaningful impact on your own career. You embody the mindset that “kids do well if we believe they can”.

We recognize that representation matters, and we strive to ensure that our students see themselves reflected in their teachers and leaders. We believe that a team of diverse leaders and teaching staff enhances our students' educational experience and fosters a deeper sense of belonging. As a teacher at Boston Prep, you will have the opportunity to work alongside a team of passionate educators who are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment.

We are committed to providing our teachers with the coaching and resources they need to thrive. We offer ongoing professional development opportunities and a supportive work environment where your contributions are valued and recognized.

If you are a dedicated educator who is passionate about creating a culture of inclusion and respect, we invite you to join our team. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our students and build a brighter future for our community.

As Dean of Special Education (MS), key responsibilities include:

Leadership & Management

Manage and develop an exceptional team of special education teachers for students with disabilities in an inclusion and partial inclusion setting

Meet regularly with special educators, paraprofessionals, and related service providers to collaborate care for students and to provide coaching and support

Regularly observe special educators and paraprofessionals

Provide formal and informal written feedback of instruction, pull-out and push-in support sessions, co-teaching partnerships and materials, and accommodations and modifications

Collaborate with the Middle School Leadership Team and content Department Chairs to ensure students are successful academically and behaviorally within the school setting

Ensure all students with disabilities in an inclusion and partial inclusion setting are receiving services and accommodations as outlined in their IEP and 504 plans

Oversee all aspects of the partial inclusion program, including scheduling, curriculum development, and instructional practices, in partnership with the Director of 6-12 Instructional Supports & Services

Coordinate and lead professional development in partnership with the Director of 6-12 Instructional Supports & Services

Communicate the philosophy that all students, regardless of disability should be given the opportunity to succeed at the same level as their peers and should be fully expected to do so

Compliance & Accountability

With with the HS Compliance Manager to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations for students with disabilities in the inclusion and partial inclusion settings

Help to manage the pre-referral and referral process for students not yet identified as having a disability

Help to coordinate evaluations necessary for initial or re-evaluations for special education services

Write or collaborate on writing and editing of IEPs and 504 plans for students who receive support services

Chair Team meetings and train others on facilitation practices

Oversee provision of services for all students with disabilities

Partner with the Middle School Leadership Team to ensure all state and district testing accommodations and other requirements are met for students with disabilities

Partnering with Students and Families

Communicating frequently with students, families, and school leaders around academic and behavioral progress

Attending occasional after-school events

Additional responsibilities of the role include:

Building of School Culture

Partnering with team members, students and families, to actively uproot racism and inequality in our community

Modeling empathy, embodying the mindset that “kids do well if they can”

Upholding school and grade level systems and structures with fidelity

Assuming extracurricular responsibilities, if desired

Maintenance of Organizational Culture

Actively engaging in one’s learning; seeking and acting on feedback regularly

Actively pursuing professional development, inside and outside of the school

Collaborating with other teachers and school leaders to advance the school’s mission

Qualifications include:

An Undergraduate Degree or Graduate Degree in a related area of study

A passing score on the Communications & Literacy MTEL, as well as a MTEL in the content area(s) they teach within their first year of employment at Boston Prep

An active MA Special Education license, either in Moderate Disabilities or in Severe Disabilities

An SEI Endorsement (core academic and special education teachers only) as defined by DESE, within their first year of employment at Boston Prep

For more information, please visit our website at www.bostonprep.org.

One Mission. One Team. One School. We are Boston Prep.

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At Boston Preparatory School we acknowledge barriers to opportunities that exist within the job seeking market. Many potential candidates shy away from applying due to lack of confidence in their skills and imposter syndrome. As we do our part to dismantle these barriers within our own recruitment processes, we encourage candidates from all walks of life, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, to apply and make positive change within the lives of our students.

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