[Job-Listings] FW: Job Announcement: Statewide Low Vision Specialist/TVI Contract Manager Maryland

[dandrews920 at comcast.net]

Friends,

I'm sharing a vacancy in Maryland for which we want to get the word out.
NFB of Maryland has a vested interest in making sure someone well qualified
is hired for this position.  

 

The State of Maryland has a position for a Statewide Low Vision
Specialist/TVI Contract Manager.  This position is something the NFB of
Maryland got written into statute to improve the overall quality of the
education system for blind and low vision students.  The position is shared
between the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the Maryland
School for the Blind (MSB), as MSB provides outreach and other supports
state-wide.  Maryland has 24 school districts, we call Local Education
Agencies (LEAs), and this position provides oversight, coordination, and
technical assistance.  The position is local to the Baltimore area, but
individuals from throughout the country are encouraged to apply (Baltimore
is a great place to live).  The individual should have experience serving as
a Teacher of Blind Students (TBS - previously called a TVI), or
administrative experience leading blindness education programming and
services.  The person should have a positive philosophy on blindness, and
NFB of Maryland would particularly like to see a blind person in this
position or someone blind at heart.

 

 

https://recruiting.paylocity.com/Recruiting/Jobs/Details/2563471

 

Job Type

Full-time

Description

 

SUMMARY: This position, which is jointly supervised by the Maryland State
Department of Education (MSDE) and The Maryland School for the Blind (MSB),
has the statewide leadership responsibility to ensure quality programs and
services for students who are blind or visually impaired, including those
with multiple disabilities, by developing and implementing comprehensive
plans and providing technical assistance to Local Education Agencies (LEAs)
and The Maryland School for the Blind (MSB).

ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Essential Functions:

1.	Coordinates planning, design, implementation and evaluation of
statewide professional learning opportunities that focus on improving
student achievement and professional growth in collaboration with MSDE, MSB,
LEAs, the Maryland Instructional Resource Center (MIRC), in-state and
out-of-state colleges and universities, professional and consumer
organizations.
2.	Provides technical assistance and consultation to LEAs, MSDE, MSB,
and others to enhance professional learning, student achievement,
accessibility of learning materials, and other identified needs.
3.	Develops staff development and technical assistance resources for
MSDE, MSB and LEAs that will be the joint approved product of the
partnership between MSB and MSDE.
4.	Coordinates statewide efforts of MSDE, MSB and LEAs to enhance
parent support, training, and resources.
5.	Coordinates statewide efforts to enhance the accessibility of
learning materials for students who are blind or have low vision including
those who are DeafBlind and/or have multiple disabilities.
6.	Responds in a timely manner to a wide- variety of  inquiries from
LEAs, parents, and others.
7.	Collaborates with and assists the LEA and MSB to secure special
education and related services to students when the LEA does not have the
local capacity in terms of available qualified staff to provide the IEP
required programs and services.
8.	Serves as the MSDE liaison to the Maryland State Steering Committee
for Programs of the Visually Impaired and the MIRC.
9.	Provide support with the annual census for Connections Beyond Sight
and Sound and participate in the Advisory Board for the grant,
10.	Facilitate the American Printing House for the Blind Federal Quota
Registration Program process for all blind students; facilitate the federal
DeafBlind census process for all students with DeafBlindness.
11.	Is accountable to the MSDE and MSB supervisors and develops annual
jointly approved goals that include specific objectives with timelines.
12.	Maintains knowledge of state and national education and special
education trends, issues, and opportunities related to assistive technology,
curriculum, best practices, legislation, policy, regulations and
professional standards.
13.	Works with the Division of Assessment, Accountability, and
Performance Reporting regarding the production process of all large print
and braille assessments for Statewide Assessments.
14.	Serves as National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC)
coordinator; state contact for questions, information, and dissemination;
designate/assign State Accessible Media Producers; work with the National
AIM Center at CAST regarding technical assistance to improve AIM in
Maryland. (Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Coordinator for
Maryland)
15.	Coordinates Certification for teachers of the blind and visually
impaired work group meetings.
16.	Supports the Division of Curriculum and Assessment (DCA) related to
all issues of accessibility; review online credit-bearing classes.
(Accessibility)
17.	Demonstrates understanding, instructional capability,  and use of
assistive technology for students who are blind or VI.

CONDITIONS:

Equipment Used: Computer, phone, copier, scanner, cell phone, fax machine.

Performance Standard: Must stay abreast of national issues concerning the
education of students who are blind/visually impaired, have multiple
disabilities and low incidence disabilities and ensure effective
coordination of statewide programs and resources to serve these students.

Work Environment: Multiple indoor and outdoor environments with varying
sound, lighting and temperature conditions. May be exposed to childhood and
other communicable diseases when providing direct care to students. This
position requires regular travel within the State.

Work Schedule: 37 1/2 daytime hours, Monday through Friday with daily one
hour unpaid lunch; position requires regular travel within the state;
flextime and/or additional hours, including weekends and evenings, are
occasionally required. This is a twelve-month position and will follow the
State of Maryland employee schedule.

 

Requirements

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

1.	Minimum requirement of a Master's Degree in special education of
blind or visually impaired students; Doctorate, preferred.
2.	Current certification as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and/or
Orientation and Mobility required. Special education administration or
supervision certificate preferred.
3.	A minimum of four years of teaching experience with students who are
blind or visually impaired, including those who have multiple disabilities
is required. A minimum of 3 years administration experience of programs for
visually impaired students is preferred.
4.	Comprehensive knowledge of assistive technology, common core and the
expanded core curriculum, best practices, legislation, policy, regulations,
professional standards, education, special education trends, and statewide
testing.
5.	Experience in school improvement initiatives, program evaluation,
staff development training, policy development, research, professional
publications preferred.

 

 

 

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

 

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not
the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/job-listings_nfbnet.org/attachments/20240928/f1b99b93/attachment.htm>