Director of Educator Preparation and Certification Officer

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Job description

Job Description:

DIVISION: SEHD

DEPARTMENT: Dean's Office

BASIC FUNCTION:

Support educator preparation programs, direct field placements, serve as certification officer.

UNUSUAL WORK CONDITIONS: Occasional evening and weekend work.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL NEEDED:

EDUCATION:

Master's Degree or higher in Education or related field from an accredited institution.

EXPERIENCE:

Fairfield University's School of Education and Human Development (SEHD) seeks a Director of Educator Preparation and Certification Officer with a vision toward equity, diversity, inclusion, and racial justice in educator preparation.

The successful candidate should possess strong organizational, communication, and relationship-building skills, flexibility and creativity in problem-solving, be team-oriented, and maintain confidentiality.

Additionally, candidates with knowledge about educator preparation in higher education, state department of education expectations for preservice and inservice educator preparation, and certification requirements are desired.

Three or more years of PK-12 teaching or leadership experience in a school district is preferred.

REPORTS TO: Associate Dean

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

As the Director of Educator Preparation, the Director of Education Preparation and Certification officer will act in a collaborative capacity to build, facilitate, and evaluate school-community partnerships that supports the SEHD's vision toward equity, diversity, inclusion, and racial justice in educator preparation.

Responsibilities include the following:

* Establish and maintain new and existing reciprocally beneficial and diverse clinical partnerships for the purpose of pre-service educator development with appropriate PK-12 schools. Visit schools as needed to develop, maintain, and strengthen existing partnerships and relationships.
* Coordinate and oversee diverse field placements for candidates across programs, including early fieldwork experiences, practicum, student teaching, and internships.
* Collaborate with faculty and Dean's Office to develop a recruitment plan to increase diversity amongst students pursuing education as a career.
* Periodically review field-site policies, practices, and assessment strategies, including the maintenance and revision of fieldwork handbooks.
* Establish and maintain a system for evaluating field placements, university supervisors, cooperating teachers, and school settings. Develop reports using evaluation data to meet annual accreditation requirements (e.g., CAEP and SPA Reports).
* Recruit a diverse pool of cooperating mentor teachers to work with the students in our undergraduate/graduate programs during fieldwork, practicum, and student teaching, following procedures established with school districts and program directors.
* Recruit and hire a diverse pool of university supervisors to mentor and evaluate practicum, DSAP, and student teachers.
* Design and conduct orientation and professional development for university supervisors and cooperating teachers.
* Supervise and mentor a graduate assistant who provides ongoing support for clinical placements, internships, etc.
* Collaborate with and support the instructional needs of university-based program directors, faculty, and supervisors and site-based cooperating teachers, curriculum leaders, and administrators.
* Collaborate with university faculty on structuring pre-service field experiences to meet university and school needs, as well as Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) standards. Collect university student performance evaluation assessments from cooperating teachers and distribute to appropriate faculty.
* Engage in mediation and problem solving as needed in collaboration with program directors, university faculty, community partners, and Fairfield candidates.

As Certification Officer for SEHD, the the Director of Education Preparation and Certification officer will serve in an administrative capacity to oversee internal educator certification processes, and collaborate with the CSDE on external educator certification processes.

Responsibilities include the following:

* Oversee SEHD educator certification application protocols, including providing certification information workshops, and maintaining regular communication with students regarding certification processes and deadlines.
* Serve as the liaison between the SEHD and the CSDE regarding certification issues and changes.
* Attend regular dean's and director's certification meetings conducted by the CSDE to stay up-to-date with current state educator certification requirements.
* Keep faculty informed of announcements and changes related to certification regulations.
* Coordinate and facilitate Title 2 annual certification database and final report required by the CSDE.
* Coordinate and support edTPA portfolio submission procedures for initial teacher certification candidates.

Pay Range: $51,156-$62,524.

This position is based at Fairfield University's Fairfield, CT campus.

Duties may change and/or be added at any time.

Disclaimer: The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Category:

Academic - Admin

All offers of employment are contingent upon a satisfactory background check.

Fairfield University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, committed to excellence through diversity, and, in this spirit, particularly welcomes applications from women, persons of color, Veterans, and members of historically underrepresented groups. The University will provide reasonable accommodations to all qualified individuals with a disability.

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