Special Education and Program Coordinator

Educational Alliance brings together and partners with diverse communities in Lower Manhattan, offering individuals and families high-quality, multi-generational programs and services that enhance their well-being and socioeconomic opportunities. We are a place where everyone is welcome and where progress is powered one relationship at a time. We are proud of our legacy as a Jewish organization, and we provide high-quality, transformational services and programs to all New Yorkers through our network of community centers on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and East Village. As we have for 130 years, we offer best-in-class programming–now across 15 sites—focusing on a mix of education, health and wellness, arts and culture, and civic engagement.

Early Childhood at Manny Cantor Center is an inspired, responsive and progressive preschool serving children ages 0-5 years old, built on the following principles: all children are competent, capable, and curious; all families have something to contribute; we are stronger together. Our pioneering blended-funding model incorporates Head Start, Early Head Start, Universal Pre-K and tuition funding to serve all families on the Lower East Side and beyond.   Inspired by the schools of Reggio Emilia, our classrooms are joyful and nurturing learning environments that foster inquiry, exploration and reflection. With the support and supervision of our Associate Directors of Education, our teachers work collaboratively with children to co-construct a curriculum that draws inspiration from children’s interests and the world around us.

We are seeking a full-time Special Education and Program Coordinator who will work to advance the vision of our early childhood education program, ensuring that all children are welcome and have the resources needed to thrive in our school and beyond. The ideal candidate will be a passionate and warm collaborator, have a high EQ and be an excellent communicator with proven success connecting and relating to parents, staff, and the community.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Special Education Support

• Assist in the completion of documentation necessary for the referral process

• Develop and maintain tracking system to monitor all children receiving support services, or who are in the process of receiving services

• Obtain all relevant paperwork including IFSP/IEP reports

• Establish and maintain relationships with outside service providers

• Collect clearance paperwork for all outside providers (NOAs, etc.)

• With the assistance of the Education Directors, consult with parents about the referral process and their child's progress on a regular basis

• Provide information regarding community resources for children, families and staff

• Maintain hardcopy and digital files

• Schedule and coordinate all evaluations, IFSP and IEP meetings

• Coordinate all support services offered onsite by providers (Speech, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Special Education Itinerant Teachers, ABA therapy)

• Communicate with EI service coordinators and CPSE chair people as necessary

• Be the EC@MCC point person for all providers/agencies

• Any other job duties deemed appropriate

Enrollment, Registration, and Compliance

• Support families through the enrollment process by supporting them in completing all required paperwork for registration

• Collaborated with the Director of Operations to ensure all required paperwork has been submitted for health and wellness compliance

• Keep documentation of fire drills and lockdowns

• Work with the Director of Operations to keep and up to date and complete allergy list for student’s by each floor

• Maintain incident report files and ensure that all incident reports are completed correctly

• Build respectful and reciprocal relationships with families to be able to answer questions about program services and supports

• Maintain all responsibilities of Mandated Reporting

Administrative Support

• Manage and maintain up-to-date physical and digital files for all children, as required by Head Start/Early Head Start/UPK/Early Learn/CACFP/DOH/DOE

• Update family case notes, class rosters and attendance in compliance with our funding requirements as needed

• Support logistics and day-to-day operations of Early Childhood program, including answering phones, scanning, filing, faxing, copying, and answering the door

• Create and translate flyers, forms, and mass emails to provide information about program events and relevant opportunities to families

• Ensure that weekly information to families is up to date (menus, special announcements, etc)

• Complete daily attendance check for classrooms and outlog for classes leaving the premises

• Daily Classroom and aftercare check

• Ensure that all information in Child Plus is up to date

• Work with the Data Manager to complete any vendor portal updates, record attendance and enroll students 

• Work with the Director of Operations to keep the supply closet stocked and complete any school operations tasks as neccesary

• Attend staff meetings, professional development, program enrichment and other events as assigned (sometimes outside of work hours)

• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working with families, particularly diverse families required

• BA preferred

• Proficient Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word and Forms a must

• Highly organized and detail oriented

• Experience with the Pyramid Model a plus

• Outstanding written and oral communications skills

• Ability to interact with families of diverse religious, cultural and social backgrounds required.

• Familiarity with the Lower Manhattan community preferred.

• Ability to multitask and handle challenging situations in a professional and courteous manner.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality of records and information and operate in a deadline-driven environment.

• Understand developmental milestones, appropriate practice and assessment for all age groups in the school.

• Self-motivated, highly efficient, and able to problem solve

• Demonstrated ability to handle stressful situations in a professional, warm and friendly manner

• Conversational in Spanish and/or one or more Chinese dialects a plus

BENEFITS

• Generous PTO Policy
• Competitive Salary
• Medical & Dental Insurance
• Pension Plan
• 403b Retirement Plans
• Discount Perks for Movies, Broadway Shows, and Amusement Parks, etc.
• Free Gym Membership to our MCC Fitness & 14TH ST Y Gym
• Discounts to programs at Educational Alliance

LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the position. 

EEO INFO

Educational Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, marital status, disability status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. 

For further information about Educational Alliance, please visit https://edalliance.org.