Albany Leadership Charter School for Girls
Work Year: 12-Month Employee
Reports To: Principal
Supervises: Special Education Teachers, ENL Teachers, Teaching Assistants assigned to Special Education, Intervention Staff, Related Service Providers (instructional supervision), and other Student Support personnel as assigned.
MISSION:
At Albany Leadership Charter School for Girls, we empower young women to achieve academic excellence, build strong character, and grow into confident, compassionate leaders. Through rigorous instruction, meaningful relationships, and a culture rooted in scholarship, leadership, service, and sisterhood, every scholar develops the knowledge, confidence, integrity, and voice to thrive in college, career, and a life of purpose.
ACLS Pillars:
- Sisterhood
- Scholarship
- Service
- Leadership
VISION:
Albany Leadership Charter School for Girls is committed to becoming the premier 6–12 learning community for young women in the Capital Region, where every scholar is known, challenged, affirmed, and prepared to lead. Our graduates leave ALCS with the academic foundation, courage, integrity, and commitment to create meaningful change in their communities and shape the future they choose.
Commitment to Excellence:
ALCS maintains high expectations for academic achievement and personal growth. Teachers are expected to deliver instruction that prepares scholars for long-term success, including college and career readiness.
“Be Excellent on Purpose” is a guiding principle for both scholars and staff. Teachers are expected to uphold this standard through intentional planning, strong instructional delivery, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
ALL GIRLS 6–12 ACADEMY MODEL:
ALCS operates as a single-gender learning environment designed to support the unique academic and developmental needs of young women. This model promotes increased participation, confidence, and leadership development.
Teachers are expected to leverage this environment to foster independence, critical thinking, and academic risk-taking among scholars.
Position Summary:
Albany Leadership Charter School for Girls (ALCS) is seeking an exceptional educational leader to serve as the Director of Student Support. This leadership position is responsible for developing, implementing, and continuously improving a comprehensive system of supports that ensures every scholar has equitable access to a rigorous, inclusive, and supportive educational experience.
The Director serves as the instructional and compliance leader for the school's Special Education, English as a New Language (ENL), Section 504, MTSS, intervention, and related service programs. This individual is responsible for ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and charter requirements while coaching educators to deliver high-quality, inclusive instruction that meets the diverse needs of all learners.
As a member of the School Leadership Team, the Director collaborates closely with the Principal, Director of Instruction & Improvement, Dean of Students, counselors, teachers, families, and community partners to improve scholar achievement, strengthen instructional practices, and build systems that support every learner.
Essential Responsibilities:
Leadership & Program Management:
- Provide strategic leadership for all student support services.
- Develop, implement, and continuously improve systems supporting scholars receiving Special Education, ENL, MTSS, intervention, and Section 504 services.
- Supervise, coach, and evaluate members of the Special Education and ENL Departments.
- Lead department meetings and establish clear goals aligned with school improvement priorities.
- Monitor staffing, caseloads, scheduling, and service delivery to ensure effective programming.
- Collaborate with school leadership to ensure student support services are integrated into the school's instructional vision.
Instructional Leadership & Coaching:
Serve as the instructional leader for the Special Education and ENL Departments by building educator capacity and promoting inclusive instructional excellence.
Responsibilities include:
- Coaching teachers through regular observations, feedback, coaching cycles, and professional learning.
- Supporting educators in developing standards-aligned, differentiated instruction.
- Leading implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and evidence-based instructional practices.
- Supporting implementation of accommodations and modifications that increase access to rigorous instruction.
- Facilitating collaborative planning between Special Education, ENL, and General Education teachers.
- Modeling effective instructional strategies and co-planning lessons with teachers.
- Supporting instructional data analysis to improve scholar outcomes.
Co-Teaching Leadership:
Serve as the school's expert on inclusive instructional practices and co-teaching.
Responsibilities include:
- Developing and implementing effective co-teaching systems across the school.
- Conducting classroom observations focused on co-teaching effectiveness.
- Coaching teaching teams on collaborative planning, shared ownership, and instructional decision-making.
- Ensure Special Education and ENL teachers function as instructional partners rather than classroom assistants.
Train teachers on research-based co-teaching models, including:
- One Teach, One Observe
- One Teach, One Assist
- Station Teaching
- Parallel Teaching
- Alternative Teaching
- Team Teaching
Compliance & Program Oversight:
Serve as the school's compliance leader for Special Education and ENL.
Responsibilities include:
- Oversee annual reviews, reevaluations, evaluations, manifestation determinations, and required documentation.
- Ensure implementation of IEPs, 504 Plans, and ENL service requirements.
- Monitor compliance timelines, documentation, and service delivery.
- Prepare for state monitoring visits and compliance audits.
- Maintain accurate student records and required reporting.
Ensure compliance with:
- I DEA
- Section 504
- ESSA
- New York State Education Law
- NYSED Commissioner's Regulations
- Part 154 (ENL)
- Charter School Accountability Requirements
- Coordinate Committee on Special Education (CSE) meetings.
MTSS, Intervention & Student Success:
- Lead implementation of the school's Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).
- Coordinate academic and behavioral interventions.
- Monitor intervention effectiveness through progress-monitoring systems.
- Collaborate with instructional leaders to identify scholars requiring additional support.
- Analyze achievement, attendance, behavioral, Special Education, and ENL data to drive decision-making.
- Develop systems that improve scholar achievement and reduce achievement gaps.
Family & Community Partnerships:
- Serve as the primary liaison between families and student support services.
- Build collaborative partnerships with district CSE offices, ENL representatives, and community agencies.
- Facilitate meaningful family engagement throughout evaluation, placement, and service processes.
- Ensure families understand available services and support their scholars' success.
Leadership & School Improvement:
- Serve as an active member of the School Leadership Team.
- Participate in strategic planning and school improvement initiatives.
- Support the development of equitable instructional systems across the school.
- Foster a collaborative culture focused on continuous improvement and scholar success.
Lead professional development related to:
- Inclusive instructional practices
- Special Education
- ENL
- Co-teaching
- Differentiation
- MTSS
- Accommodations and modifications
- Language acquisition
- Culturally responsive instruction
Qualifications:
Required:
- New York State Certification in Special Education.
- Minimum of five years of successful teaching experience.
- Demonstrated experience leading or coaching educators.
- Extensive knowledge of IDEA, Section 504, ESSA, NYSED regulations, and Part 154 (ENL).
- Experience facilitating CSE meetings and managing Special Education compliance.
- Strong understanding of MTSS, intervention systems, differentiated instruction, and inclusive practices.
- Demonstrated expertise implementing effective co-teaching models.
- Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
Preferred:
- School Building Leader (SBL) Certification.
- Previous experience supervising Special Education or ENL programs.
- Experience leading instructional coaching cycles.
- Knowledge of charter school accountability systems.
- Experience using student achievement data to improve instructional outcomes.
What We're Looking For:
The ideal candidate:
- Believes every scholar deserves access to rigorous, inclusive instruction.
- Leads with integrity, empathy, collaboration, and accountability.
- Is an exceptional instructional coach who develops the capacity of others.
- Understands how to build high-performing inclusive classrooms through effective co-teaching.
- Uses data to improve scholar achievement and instructional practice.
- Balances compliance with innovation and continuous improvement.
- Builds strong partnerships with families, educators, and community organizations.
- Inspires others through servant leadership and a relentless commitment to scholar success.
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Pay: $75,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year
Education:
Experience:
- Secondary Education: 2 years (Preferred)
License/Certification:
- NYS SPED Certificate: Grades 6-12 (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Albany, NY 12208 (Preferred)
Ability to Relocate:
- Albany, NY 12208: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person
