What are the Different School Staff Roles and Responsibilities?
A student’s success in school occurs as a result of school staff members, parents and student collaboration. The school system must also be flexible and organized.
School Principal
On a broad basis, besides having to be responsible for managing and organizing; principals “are also responsible for the quality of instruction at their school and for student discipline” (SEAC, 2007, p.1).
Principals are responsible for:
School Principal
On a broad basis, besides having to be responsible for managing and organizing; principals “are also responsible for the quality of instruction at their school and for student discipline” (SEAC, 2007, p.1).
Principals are responsible for:
- Ensuring all staff members are familiar with special education policies and procedures
- Implementing policies provided by the ministry
- Ensuring staff is qualified to help the student meet his/her goals
- Ensuring that ample amount of resources are available in school for a diverse student body
- Proposal of programs with the help of other school members
- Tracking student’s progress
- Ensuring the development, implementation and review of the student’s IEP
- Taking action when recommendations are given
- Communicating (coordinate and consult) what needs to be communicated to all involved personnel (including parents)
- Ensuring parent’s consent is given when needed (example: assessment)
- Following and implementing board policies regarding special education
- Helping in the development and implementation of an IEP
- Composing lessons that arouse the student’s curiosity in learning while making it challenging enough
- Supervising progress and change in behavior
- Teachers are the ones who ensure that goals are set for students to acquire skills to be used in and out of school
- Communicating and working with other school personnel and parents as a team
- “Ensuring that assessments are current and that reports are given to parents” (British Columbia Teacher’s Federation, 2009, p.8)
- Must be qualified to work with students with special needs according to Ministry regulations
- Work under the supervision of the regular classroom teacher
- Work with the classroom teacher and provide him/her with in-class strategies and accommodations to facilitate the learning process
- Carry out assessments to help the regular classroom teacher set goals
- Modifying, implementing and developing the IEP
- When designing the program, special educators are responsible for “gathering relevant information through working with the student to provide feedback into the planning process” (British Columbia Teacher’s Federation, 2009, p.6)
- Introduce programs based on IEP
- When implementing programs, special educators are responsible to use their skills and knowledge by using specific techniques and strategies suitable to meet the child’s needs
- Work with the student in the most suitable setting based on monitoring
- Provide the student with personal care
- Review special education plan (including IEP)
- Collaborate with all school staff members
- Makes recommendations that help the child’s learning
- Keep parents updated and involved
