Director of Low Incidence Programming - Gratz High School

About Mastery:

Founded in 2001, Mastery Schools is a public charter network of 23 K-12 schools in Philadelphia and Camden, serving more than 14,000 students. 

At Mastery, we’re on a mission to provide all students with the academic and personal skills they need to succeed after graduation and pursue their dreams. Student achievement is not just a goal for our organization; it's the reason we exist, and every member of our team is dedicated to securing student success. We are also committed to pursuing equity, actively disrupting systemic racism, and addressing the disparities that limit our students' choices. 

Our culture is built on respect, service, and the belief that the success of our students, their families, and the communities we serve will help us achieve our mission. We foster a positive, open, and inclusive environment where honesty, humor, and continuous improvement are celebrated. 

Join us in creating a model urban school district that serves all students with excellence. Together, we can make a lasting impact.

Position Summary:

The Director of Low Incidence Programming, is responsible for program design and development including behavior support programming and Community Based instruction, long-term program implementation with students and staff, ongoing evaluation of the program, and continued program development. The Director focuses on services and policies to increase authentic student inclusion, academic rigor, and achievement in the low incidence program. The Director ensures world class education is being provided across all settings and as such provides significant vision and leadership. The Director of Low Incidence Programming provides instructional coaching, supervision and evaluation, and provides support to all staff within low incidence programming.

• Program Management:
• Observe, Coach, and Evaluate Low Incidence teaching and support staff
• Chair IEP meetings as LEA Representative
• Manage and support all transportation needs for low incidence programming and 9-12th grade students outside of programs also requiring transportation services
• Own all scheduling including building program schedule and student schedules for the academic school year and Extended School Year
• Manage day to day operations of programs including but not limited to, student crisis, substitute coverage needs, etc…
• Develop and maintain enrollment and review process for all students that are being considered for low
• incidence programming (both within the LEA and the Mastery network)
• Support Culture team in execution of modified Culture process for low incidence programming or manage a designee to support that work
• Support staff with PBSP development and conducting of FBAs or manage a designee to support that work.
• Responsible for the orchestration and execution of PASA testing for low incidence programming and 9-12th grade
• Collect, analyze and share out data regarding a variety of different data points for program effectiveness

• Program Development & Evaluation:
• In collaboration with Culture leaders, develop and refine modified culture systems for low-incidence programming
• Coordinate, develop and present professional development for staff throughout the year as well as onboarding training for any new staff throughout the year
• Manage the relationships with all support agencies (nursing, TSS, BSC, 1:1, DHS,CBH, etc) to ensure all students get the proper support to achieve
• Manage related service providers for students in low incidence programs
• Develop systems and expectations for all modes of operation and create ongoing evaluation process

• Other Job Functions:
• Provide Case Management for Students within program, as needed
• Manage a variety of projects at the school and network level, as needed
• Other duties as may be required to ensure central office supports are effective and our schools and students are successful

• Ability to work well in a team and enhance cooperative working relationship
• Strong leadership skills and a demonstrated capacity to work with students with cognitive disabilities
• Knowledge of public education and charter schools highly desirable but not required
• Excels in problem solving, has a sense of humor and has a desire to provide only the highest quality education for students
• Thinks in an innovative way and leads the pursuit of LRE for all students creating and promoting inclusion opportunities

• Bachelor’s Degree required; Master's preferred
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience implementing and monitoring specialized services programs for school-aged children with severe cognitive disabilities
• Minimum of three (3) years of school-based leadership and management experience strongly preferred
• Prior teaching experience in the Special Education field is strongly preferred

• Ability to physically perform the essential duties of the role – either on-site or remotely – as required, and to work in the environmental conditions required, such as: traveling to network campuses; maneuvering in office spaces (including standing, walking, sitting for long periods of time, speaking loudly and clearly, seeing and hearing things both near and far away); stooping, kneeling, reaching file cabinets/shelves; fine finger and hand manipulation in use of computer, chalkboard, dry erase, &/or projectors; filing, faxing, scanning, coping, typing, mailing, and making phone calls; sitting for up to two (2) hours looking at a computer monitor, using a keyboard/mouse, and typing.

• Position requires local &/or regional travel to Mastery and other sites. Must have valid driver’s license and vehicle, or access to reliable transportation.

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Mastery's Benefits Package:

We offer a full benefits program and opportunities for professional growth. Some of our most popular benefits include our 403(b) retirement plan for PA employees (with a 5% match from Mastery), enrollment in the State of New Jersey Pension Plan for NJ employees, a robust Employee Assistance Program, mental health and counseling programs, an annual Professional Development Fund, and discounts and perks at a myriad of retailers, travel organizations, insurance providers, and so much more, as well as a Benefits VIP Helpdesk to help you navigate various benefits-related topics. Please go here to see all of our Benefits offerings!

Annual Calendar:

As you plan to make Mastery your new work home, please feel free to review our Calendar for the 25/26 School Year. We like to think our calendar is a benefit of working here too!

Why You Should Apply:

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they can perform every job description task. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may come from a less traditional background. Mastery may consider an equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.