Director, Academic Programs

Director, Academic Programs

The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University is a federally funded center with exemplary elementary and secondary education programs for deaf and hard of hearing students and is tasked with developing and disseminating innovative curricula, instructional techniques, and products nationwide while providing information, training, and technical assistance for parents and professionals to meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students from birth to age 21.

Reporting to the Superintendent of Demonstration Elementary and Secondary Schools, the Director of Academic Programs provides leadership for the instructional program working within a shared leadership model at the elementary school that serves Deaf and Hard of Hearing students from birth through 8th grade.

• Provides leadership for the instructional program within a shared leadership model to develop and maintain an innovative instructional environment that supports the daily operation of the school with a national mission; serves as a member of the Clerc Center Leadership Team; serves as an active, contributing member of the Clerc Center community; actively promotes Clerc Center-wide goals established by the Clerc Center Leadership Team;
  
  provides leadership, in collaborating with a range of personnel, to determine and identify long‑and short‑range plans for KDES, aligning with the current accreditation goals and plans, Clerc Center strategic plan, and all applicable planning documents, as outlined by Gallaudet University; and provides leadership for KDES in realizing these long and short‑range plans.
• Ensures that the school complies with the Education of the Deaf Act (EDA), Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and all applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations, and Gallaudet University Board of Trustees (BOT)-approved policies and curriculum. Responsible for ensuring IEP compliance, overseeing the development, implementation, and monitoring of high‑quality IEPs in accordance with federal and state regulations.
• Leads the KDES Instructional Leadership Team (KILT) to oversee the organization of KDES and coordinates the division of responsibilities among staff; implements effective systems for effective daily operations; oversees the formulation and ensures enforcement of KDES policies and regulations; oversees the documentation of all incident reports and other disciplinary actions; oversees the managing of accurate student disciplinary records and professional staff actions that are in accordance with rules governing the privacy and confidentiality of all records;
  
  oversees the implementation of standards‑based curriculum and formative and summative assessment systems; identifies appropriate metrics and use qualitative and quantitative data to assess performance and drive goals and decision‑making; and oversees the evaluation of student outcomes.
• Maintains and oversees behavior support systems, including Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and ensures the effective implementation of school wide initiatives that foster a positive school climate; oversees the Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) process, ensuring that student behavior supports are evidence‑based, data‑driven, and aligned with best practices; and focuses on high student achievement by building a positive school climate that supports the whole student, leveraging research and data to drive initiatives and instruction, and building a high‑performing staff and leadership team to achieve the school's vision and goals.
• Facilitates innovative strategies and focuses efforts to achieve high educational standards for students who are from traditionally underserved populations those who are low achievers, who come from families who use a language other than English in the home, who have secondary disabilities, who are from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, or who have unique educational needs.
• Creates a positive work environment and climate by overseeing personnel actions; effectively leads employees by building trust, communicating…