DC Wildflower Public Charter School DC Wildflower PCS Student Support Partner Washington, DC · Full time

Apply for DC Wildflower PCS Student Support Partner

DC Wildflower PCS is committed to creating public, intentionally small, authentic Montessori environments that model the world free from oppression. We believe intentionally small, community embedded, teacher-led Montessori learning environments will accelerate the journey for students of the global majority to be and feel safe, seen and heard. DCWPCS is where students’ identities are affirmed and their genius unleashed!

Location

This will be a hybrid role with at least one day per week at each of our microschools and the remainder of time virtual.  For school year 2026-27, these are:

• The Riverseed School at 913 55th St NE (PK3 - 3rd)
• Blue montessori at 1516 Marion Barry Ave SE (Pk3 - K)

Overview

The Student Support Partner at DC Wildflower Public Charter School (DCWPCS), is our “educational equity” leader, ensuring that we meet the needs of all students, in particular focusing on special populations: students with disabilities (IEP and 504), English Language Learners, students experiencing homelessness or economic distress, or in the foster care system. You will use your in-depth knowledge and understanding of federal and local law, best practices, and instructional methods to ensure comprehensive and well-coordinated implementation of student supports across our sites.

Description

The Student Support Partner reports to the Executive Director of Stakeholder Engagement and works closely with the Operations Partner in support of Teacher Leaders at their school sites. They will be accountable for the core systems, processes and policies across the following areas:

• Serving as LEA POC for all OSSE requirements regarding special populations and Special education to ensure organizational compliance within Washington, DC
• A multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) that begins with a robust child study process (RTI) and has clear decision-making for IEP services, placement and other support.
• The Child Find process to promote accommodations and solutions for all children.
• Assure the quality of accommodation plans (Section 504) and individualized education programs (IEPs) that address individualized learning goals, objectives, learning strategies and behavior management plans for students with special needs.
• Assure that annual Home Language Surveys lead to an appropriate EL screening process and annual assessment of English Learner’s progress.
• Monitor and/or coordinate all student support services including academic or behavior intervention, related service providers, and social work/counseling services, focusing on relationships with external agencies and service providers. 
• Ensure compliance with reporting timelines and paperwork required and/or mandated by state, federal, and local laws. Develop a calendar of compliance deadlines and coach and support site based staff with execution of IEP/Eligibility meetings. 
• Maintain special populations student files as needed.
• Collaborate with and support school-based student support staff in making adaptations/modifications to classroom activities, and/or materials to support and reinforce Wildflower Montessori’s philosophy of whole child education and guidance.
• Communicate with families regarding LEA-level special populations information.

They will provide programmatic and organizational support and alignment in the following ways:

• Support Teacher Leaders and LEA staff with developing instructional and school climates that incorporates needs of exceptional leaders into school design decisions and implementation 
• Coach school-based staff in instruction for special populations in alignment with IEPs and up to date best practice 
• Partner with Executive Director and Operations Partner to ensure resource allocation within school sites align compliance and inclusion requirements 
• Participate in regular observations and debriefs with the Executive Director, general education coaches, and special education staff to improve fidelity to high quality Montessori instruction and implementation of IEP services and supports. 
• Support the DCW organization with developing and maintaining a broad spectrum of services within a Montessori model that fulfills special education requirements for public programs within the District of Columbia aligned to a vision of liberatory excellence. 

As a charter support team member, you will ebb and flow between being the LEA lead, a team collaborator, and an advice giver in support of Teacher Leaders in all stages from executing key leadership priorities across 2 separate  micro-school sites.

What you bring

This robust founding role requires that the Student Support Partner embodies certain mindsets and habits. These characteristics include but are not limited to:

• Desire to learn and grow. You are eager to stretch beyond your current experience, develop new skills and expertise, and more deeply explore your purpose and potential. 
• Commitment to practicing emotional intelligence. All staff participate in a system of governance in which autonomy is valued and power is distributed. Our roles evolve regularly as our work and the surrounding circumstances change, and we rely on radical transparency, requesting and sharing advice with one another, a commitment to participation in conflict resolution practices, and clearly articulated roles and responsibilities to ensure that each staff member is able to lead within their role. The tenants of Emotional Intelligence—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management—support us in fully engaging in our autonomous system of governance.
• Designer’s mindset. You are adaptive and ready to iterate on plans and designs as new information becomes available. You tackle new experiences and projects with curiosity and candor.
• Entrepreneurial leadership. You are flexible, open-minded, see opportunity in obstacles, and are energized by using creativity and resourcefulness to anticipate challenges and create solutions to problems.
• Generosity of spirit. You build authentic relationships in diverse settings, practice gratitude, and lead with love. You seek advice openly and are comfortable working in a non-hierarchical organization.
• Commitment to serving diverse and multifaceted communities. You are eager to increase access to Montessori for racially and socioeconomically diverse communities and are deeply committed to supporting the development of intersectional communities. You understand the role race, along with ethnicity, gender/gender identity and sexual orientation, play in contributing to persistent inequity. You have engaged in culturally responsive and anti-racist practices with the students and families you serve.
• Decision-making rooted in a liberated vision of what is possible. Beginning with the end in mind, your visions for how to operationalize the core values of DCWPCS are rooted in a future world where liberty and justice are truly for all. With this vision in mind, you co-create student- and family-facing experiences with those most closely impacted, balancing the various needs of internal and external stakeholders—Teacher Leaders, staff, volunteers, board members, donors, and partners—and ensure smooth and efficient operations across school sites. 
• Willingness to bring your full self to this work as the culture shaper. You have the aptitude, stamina, time, and appetite to raise yourself to the challenge of starting and supporting social entrepreneurs (the Teacher Leaders) who are launching unique intimate school communities. You will be a key leader who weaves and supports the interdependence across classroom sites.

Qualifications

You are an experienced Student Support team member looking for a new opportunity. You are ready to take on more responsibilities and work collaboratively as part of a growing leadership team and school community. In addition, the Student Support Partner should have:

• A Master’s degree (or certification) in Special Education 
• 3+ years of full-time teaching experience, Special Education strongly preferred
• 2+ years of Special Education leadership (coordinator, coach, assistant principal)
• Also preferred:
• Montessori certification
• ESL certification or commensurate experience
• Familiarity with systems like Special Programs, TOTE, and PowerSchool
• Experience coordinating student support like social services or counseling 
• Experience working with special needs learners in an inclusive setting
• Experience working in neglected urban environments 

Terms

You will have the opportunity to shape the culture of DCWPCS. In addition, you will:

• Join a team that invites deep connections to the work. We intend to support students in understanding their whole selves, so we create an environment that is inclusive and we invite each new member into conscious relationship
• Participate in a non-hierarchical, flexible exchange between your role as “lead” and “advice giver." You navigate this dynamic role through clarity about your responsibilities, your individual strengths, and clear co-created accountability maps.
• Join a small, highly experienced team working to actualize a more liberated culture of being in community together

DC Wildflower offers a comprehensive benefits package including 401(k) retirement savings, generous leave, and an individual professional learning stipend.

Start Date: The SSP will need to be available to start in July, ideally with availability to begin onboarding in June. We plan to review applications and interview on a rolling basis.

Notices

DC Wildflower Public Charter School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, creed, religion, sex or gender, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, status with regard to public assistance, or in any other way based on personal identity markers that do not relate to the capacity of an individual person to carry out the responsibilities of a role. 

Applicants must be currently authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Salary range $95,000 - $105,000 per year