Associate Director of Student Support Services

Director of Student Support Services

Join Our “Relationships-First” Team:                                

Join School in the Square in reimagining PreK-12th grade education in Washington Heights and Inwood. A tuition-free public charter school, we were founded in 2016 on our "relationships first" philosophy: making sure that we engage, educate, and empower our students, families, and professional team members. We invite you to be a part of a 175+ team whose mission-aligned culture offers sustainable, rewarding career paths in teaching, operations, and leadership, built on relationships-first collaboration and mutual support. Experience the difference at a workplace that celebrates and cultivates each team member’s passions, skills, and multi-disciplinary interests as we build a brighter future together, one student at a time. 

Why School In the Square?       

As a “relationships first” community, we... 

• Demonstrate care for colleagues, students and families,
• Commit to learning and growing together,
• Invest in relationship-building work,
• Support each other with competitive benefits including a 6% 401k match, 93% coverage of healthcare premiums, generous full company closures and PTO policies, and more!

Our Bilingual Associate Director of Student Support Services:

The Director of Student Support Services will play a pivotal role in developing, implementing, and overseeing special education programs and services and multilingual learner supports within our organization. This individual will collaborate with educators, students, and families to ensure that students with special needs and English language learners receive the support and resources necessary to achieve academic success and personal growth. The Director of Student Support Services ensures that teachers are implementing high-quality instruction that is accessible for all students, that all students are receiving the support to meet their needs and acquire English, and that we operate in full compliance with local, state, and federal regulations governing special education and multilingual learners. This position will work closely with the school-based Student Support Services Coordinators at each campus. It will also serve as the Student Support Services Coordinator at our new High School, which is adding its first 10th grade class in SY25-26.

• Ensures the academic and social emotional progress of all SWD’s and MLL’s to ensure they achieve their individual goals; Ensures that all aspects of the schools’ SWD and MLL classroom support models; Ensures the ongoing effective delivery of related services; Ensures that schools develop measurable and achievable goals for each child in alignment with state standards and educational best practices
• Ensures that schools are able to achieve their overall goals for their SWD’s and MLL’s, including the metrics for student persistence and student growth established by their individual assessment results, IEPs, NYSED, and federal law; Advocates for SWD’s and MLL’s, their families, and the educators who support them.
• Assume the responsibilities of the High School Student Support Services Coordinator overseeing the above in grades 9-10.
• Partners with school-based Student Support Service Coordinators to engage with the local Committee on Special Education (CSE) to ensure that students with disabilities are appropriately identified, have high-quality IEPs, and receive the programs and services in those IEP’s with fidelity and purpose to ensure student success.
• Work as a highly effective partner on the central S2 instructional team, participating and facilitating meetings, solving challenges and building a cohesive team.
• As a crucial member of the team for the Head of Schools, ensures that effective RTI Committees are in place at each school and that data-based practices are in place which support both effective RTI practices and faculty learning.
• Partners with the team to ensure effective practices are integrated into all classrooms and curricula as part of Tier I and Tier II interventions.
• Ensures that ongoing testing processes in the school integrate best practices on accommodations as well as aligning to all IEPs, laws and regulation.
• Performs other tasks and assumes other responsibilities as the Head of Schools may assign or delegate.
• Provides professional development and coaching for leadership and instructional staff to target instruction based on specific areas of need, including through the use of accommodations and modifications, compliance and co-teaching, tiered interventions as well as more subject specific support (aligned to their expertise).
• Ensures that any discipline or consequence decisions for students with disabilities is aligned with the Code of Conduct and provides guidance and support to principals and coordinators for suspensions and discipline referrals, including tracking and supporting the MDR process.
• Collaborates with the Data Manager and School-Based Coordinators to ensure quarterly reports to the Principal and Head of Schools describing the achievement of SWDs and MLLs, strengths in the implementation of the programs and services, and suggested areas for growth.

Who You Are:

• An expert in current teaching methods and educational pedagogy, with deep knowledge of students with disabilities and multilingual learner compliance and effective practice, knowledge of dual language, co-teaching strategies and differentiation to meet individual student needs;
• A strategic, solutions-focused thinker with strong communication and planning skills;
• A consummate coach and strong relationship builder, you get personal fulfillment by succeeding through others and developing leaders;
• Familiar with restorative practices, a strong believer in anti-racism education, culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy, trauma informed practices;
• A graduate of a Master’s Degree and possess a valid New York State Teaching Certification as a Teacher of Students with Disabilities, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, or Services;
• Experienced as a full-time effective, impactful teacher or service provider with a minimum of three years and have at least two years of previous experience in school leadership. Experience in an urban charter school setting is strongly preferred;

What Can You Expect From Us

At S2, we take as much care of our staff as we do of our students. S2 is committed to supporting our staff by helping them build sustainable, rewarding careers that center on each individual’s passions and multi-disciplinary interests. All of our faculty and staff are valued professionals and we are proud to provide team-building and collaboration, comfortable and friendly working conditions and more, to ensure our team members have the tools they need to succeed.

In addition to meaningful and rewarding work, School in the Square provides ultra competitive salaries. The salary range for this role is $90,000-$120,000. Additionally, this is a hybrid position with the option to work from home up to two days per week as needed and your schedule allows. 

Additionally, we provide opportunities for supplemental compensation, an excellent benefits package with 

• a 401K program with a 6% organizational match
• 93% coverage of healthcare coverage
• longevity bonus
• generous paid time off
• access to a federal student loan debt reduction program
• a supportive work environment. 

School in the Square understands specific groups are subject to marginalization. We believe these powerful groups should be centered in our community and are highly encouraged to apply. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.