Superintendent, Education ​/ Teaching

The Superintendent of the Special School District (SSD) will have the opportunity to improve the education, choices, and quality of instruction for thousands of K-12 students in Louisiana.

Success will require this leader to champion the vision for SSD and its unique student population; identify metrics and communicate a higher set of expectations for the district; and drive related transformation efforts to build a broad base of support through engagement with the community, civic leaders, and policy leaders at the state level, as well as grassroots leaders in homes and schools throughout the state.

The SSD Board of Directors seeks a seasoned, high-caliber Superintendent to accomplish its vision:
to empower students to turn challenges into opportunities as big as their dreams
.

The Special School District is an educational service agency governed by a 12-member Board of Directors that is responsible for hiring the Superintendent. Since its inception in 1977, SSD has provided educational opportunities to Louisiana students with low-incidence disabilities and a variety of unique needs.

SSD operates two schools:
Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired (LSVI) and Louisiana School for the Deaf (LSD). These state-operated schools provide educational programs to all eligible Louisianastudentswho meet the admission criteria and who are deaf or hard of hearing, blind or visually impaired, or identified as having other low-incidence disabilities. Students can enroll as residential or day students at no charge regardless of their place of residence in the state.

SSD also provides educational programs to students enrolled at privately operated, public health, and correctional facilities. These programs span across four entities: the Office of Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, the Office of Behavioral Health, the Office of Juvenile Justice, and the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

The Superintendent will continuously work to:

• Increase the academic achievement level of all SSD students by working collaboratively with the Chief Academic Officer, Assistant Superintendent for Special School Programs, Director of the Louisiana School for the Deaf, and Director for the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired.
• Facilitate a collaborative effort to review and refine SSD’s vision, mission, and beliefs to focus on developing a statewide model of excellence in serving students who are deaf or hard of hearing, blind or visually impaired, or identified as having other low-incidence disabilities.
• Develop an annual academic strategy for SSD schools anchored in high expectations and measurable growth in student performance and college and/or career attainment for all students, while understanding and celebrating what is unique about each school’s student population and tailoring school strategies with these distinctions in mind.
• Ensure an academic setting that provides students with opportunities and support to build independence and self-advocacy skills on the path to adulthood. This element is essential not only at school but also in dormitories and off-campus venues where students learn to interact with the community at large and gain invaluable work experiences.

Additional job functions include:

• Maintain a visible presence in schools, programs, and the community.
• Communicate with the public through available opportunities such as the SSD website, newsletters, social media, media releases, and public speaking engagements.
• Provide the SSD Board of Directors, students, families, staff, and community with clear, frequent, and accessible information about each schools’ mission, curriculum, and academic performance.
• Ensure administrators and teachers communicate student progress and academic resources.
• Develop strong, sustainable partnerships with stakeholder agencies including Local Education Agencies.
• Develop and implement a hiring and retention plan that complies with applicable state and federal laws and targets the most qualified teachers, administrators, and shared specialty service personnel.
• Foster an environment of continuous learning and improvement among faculty and staff.
• Administer and track an educator evaluation program that aligns with state requirements, supports teachers and school leaders, and defines expectations for student learning.
• Develop a strategic plan as required by the Office of Planning and Budget to achieve agreed-upon strategic goals.
• Maintain and…