Director of Early Childhood Program

Director of Early Childhood Program

RSU 34 is seeking a certified Director of Early Childhood to manage the special education process and provide direct services for preschool children aged four through five during the 2026‑2027 school year. During the 2027‑2028 school year we will also take on the FAPE responsibilities for 3‑year‑olds. This 220‑day position ensures compliance with IDEA Part B and the Maine Unified Special Education Regulations (MUSER).

The coordinator works with multi‑disciplinary teams and families, providing Child Find activities, instruction and facilitating the continuum of services, including Extended School Year (ESY).

• I. IEP Team Coordination & Case Management
  • IEP:
    Ensure that evaluation findings are reported to the IEP Team and assist the team with goal development based upon assessment results.
  • Service Coordination:
    Coordinate the provision of the Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and related services throughout the full calendar year.
  • Transition:
    Part C to Part B Transition – lead the mandatory 90‑day transition meetings;
    Bridge to Kindergarten Coordination – manage the internal hand‑off to elementary teams.
  • Community Liaison & Outreach:
    Serve as the lead for Head Start and private daycare Child Find.
• II. Special Education Instruction
  • Teaching/Instruction:
    • Engage the child in developmental and learning activities.
    • Provide instruction at the child's developmental level, utilizing direct teaching techniques or facilitating learning by engaging the child's interests, as appropriate.
    • Support and facilitate the acquisition of new academic and social skills/knowledge.
    • Implement curriculum appropriate to the child's individual needs.
    • Supervise educational technicians in programs, as needed.
  • Evaluation and Assessment:
    • Conduct observations in the child's natural environment or least restrictive environment (LRE) setting.
    • Gather and review documentation specific to the child's developmental history.
    • Determine the child's level of functioning and report findings in a summary of evaluation results and diagnostic impressions for the IEP team.
  • Parent Communication:
    • Ensure that parents receive accurate information in a timely manner.
    • Inform parents of progress toward child outcomes as a member of the IEP team.
    • Communicate relevant information to other team members regarding the child's learning environment and family events.
  • Recordkeeping and Reporting:
    • Contribute goals and short‑term objectives to the IEP team where appropriate.
    • Write and maintain required reports for therapy to meet Maine Care and other regulatory requirements.
    • Complete billing documents to ensure proper billing to third parties.

• A Department of Education certificate in 282 Teacher of Students with Disabilities and a related special education certification (e.g., 030 Administrator of Special Education, 035 Assistant Special Education Director, 286, 291, 292, 293) is required.
• Successful background, criminal records, fingerprinting, and reference checks.
• Experience working with the preschool population and multi‑disciplinary teams is highly preferred.