Posting # 1148

Posting date: January 3, 2023

Posting closes: January 18, 2023

Start Date: July 1, 2023

Location: Sioux City

Region: West

Overview

Northwest AEA provides visionary leadership and quality, student-centered services through relationships with families, schools, and communities. In short, our focus can be summed up in these four words: Inspiring Learning. Changing Lives.

Our vision is to be the first contact for timely and ongoing support to improve the performance outcomes and well-being of all learners.

We seek a visionary leader to join our administrative team as a region Director. This vacancy is due to the retirement of one of our current administrators.

Why Northwest AEA?

Our vision, mission, and anchors guide our actions. Staff at Northwest AEA believe that what they do inspires learning and leads to changed lives for the students, staff, and families we serve. Our work is anchored in building positive, professional relationships with stakeholders and with one another. We embrace responsiveness in how we serve so that students, staff, and families can see improved results.

About the Agency

Northwest AEA provides special education and school improvement services to 34 public school districts and 32 accredited, non-public schools. The agency serves 45,000 students and more than 5000 educators in a 10-county area of Northwest Iowa (Lyon, Osceola, Sioux, O'Brien, Plymouth, Cherokee, Woodbury, Ida, Monona, and Crawford).

Our headquarters is located across from the Morningside College campus in Sioux City with regional offices in Cherokee, Denison, Le Mars, Onawa, and Sioux Center.

Assignment

The assignment for this position is the West Region (greater Sioux city area). Final assignment TBD.

Vision: Our vision is to be the first contact for timely and ongoing support to improve the performance outcomes and well-being of all learners.

Mission: Northwest AEA provides visionary leadership and quality, student-centered services through relationships with families, schools, and communities.

Mission in Four Words: Inspiring Learning. Changing Lives.

Anchors: Relationships. Responsiveness. Results.

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Position Title: Director, West Region

Reports To: Executive Director of Special Education

Qualifications:

• Iowa administrator license (required)
• Iowa evaluator approval (required)
• Master’s degree in the field of education or related area (required)
• Minimum of five (5) years of successful professional experience in a school district or educational service agency (required)

Job Purpose: Develop positive, professional relationships with area education agency (AEA), local education agency (LEA), and non-public school staff, including multi-disciplinary problem-solving teams, in order to assist them in responsive implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) that yields improved results for student learning and behavior.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Serve as the administrative first point of contact for LEA and AEA staff within a defined geographic region of the agency in order to provide timely and ongoing support to improve the performance outcomes and well-being of all learners
• Support school administrators and staff in the implementation of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and Specially Designed Instruction frameworks
• Lead major initiatives and change efforts
• Actively engage as a member of the administrative leadership team and other agency leadership teams, as appropriate, to ensure that we adhere to our mission, vision, and anchors with fidelity
• Plan, schedule, and lead small group, departmental, regional, and/or agency-wide meetings as appropriate
• Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills, including strong presentation skills
• Track record of producing positive results in previous assignments
• Behave ethically and professionally
• Represent Northwest AEA in a way that engenders trust and confidence in the agency, its mission, its vision, and anchors

Supervision & Support of Staff:

• On a routine basis, engage in coaching, support, and feedback of staff through consistent, weekly contact
• Supervise and evaluate assigned certified and classified staff
• On a routine basis, review and approve staff calendars, mileage reimbursement, leave requests, professional learning requests, travel requests, and expense & travel reimbursement requests
• Demonstrate values, beliefs, and attitudes that inspire agency staff to higher levels of performance
• Support and mentor aspiring leaders within the AEA
• Provide visionary leadership and oversight to AEA/LEA problem-solving teams to implement the diagnostic, design, and delivery cycle of Specially Designed Instruction for students experiencing learning or behavioral challenges
• Responsively address issues related to weighting of students receiving special education services, special education count date, and other reports as needed
• Assist the Executive Director of Special Education with General Supervision responsibilities (e.g. compliance with IDEA, Iowa Administrative Rules, etc)
• Advocate for all students with diverse learning needs, especially children with IEPs, resulting in practice that is aligned with the spirit and intent of all federal and state mandates.
• Collaborate with service providers and agency staff to improve student learning
• Maintain confidentiality related to agency, LEA, non-public school, student, and/or family information
• Make effective use of available technology to complete and disseminate appropriate documentation of activities and results
• Promote and support the work of Collaborative Learning Communities (CLCs)

Working Conditions

Occasionally exposed to dust, noise, odors, and other workplace irritants. Stress associated with work pace and pressure. Work involves irregular hours and days and will be done in a variety of settings: AEA office, school buildings, and remote.

Travel

Frequent travel within the agency is required. Occasional travel within the state and country for meetings and conferences relevant to the position. Exposed to the hazards of the road while driving. Use of a personal vehicle is expected.

Terms of Employment:

Twelve-month contract. Salary and work year to be established by the Board.

Evaluation:

Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with the Board’s policy on Administrative Evaluation.