Position/Title: Special Education Teacher (LBS1) K – 8 Grade

Qualifications:

- Professional Educators License with LBS1 Endorsement registered in Lake County

- Preferred: 1-3 years of Special Education teaching experience

- Preferred: Content Area Endorsements to support students in Reading, Written Expression and Mathematics

Direct Supervisor: Teachers are supervised by the Director of Student Services

Overview: The teacher is the person directly responsible for the students assigned on his/her class list. The teacher is the team leader for the student and is responsible for coordinating the necessary special education, supportive services, and general education services to meet each child's needs. The teacher is accountable for providing direct instruction/co-teaching, collaborating with grade level teachers to ensure accommodations/modifications are provided and other educational supports such as case management to special needs students and assisting them in their academic and social development. The teacher is directly responsible to the Director of Student Services. This is a 180-day position.

Performance Responsibilities:

1. Employ special educational strategies, including but not limited to scientifically or evidence based instruction, and techniques to improve the development of sensory-and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition and memory.

2. Possess considerable knowledge of current best practices, laws, including due process and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and interventions regarding the education of special needs students.

3. Possess considerable knowledge of specific disabilities and familiarity with common children’s mental health disorders, as well as specific strategies/interventions to use in the classroom.

4. Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate newly acquired knowledge.

5. Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification and positive reinforcement. Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students that align with the Grass Lake School social emotional curriculum.

6. Confer with parents, administrators, and educational team members to develop individual educational plans designed to promote students’ educational, physical, and social/emotional development. Communicates and provides consultation with team members, parents and guardians regarding student interventions, medications, and programmatic needs.

7. Attend and actively participate in team meetings to discuss individual students’ needs and progress. Employ a problem-solving process to determine a course of intervention (Multi-Tiered System of Supports [MTSS]) as prescribed by the district’s tiered interventions outlined in the Grass Lake School curriculum and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS).

8. Administer identified district and state required assessments. Utilize and interpret student performance data to adjust instruction.

9. Ability to develop relevant assessment tools and integrate the results of the assessment into instructional units.

10. Confer with other staff members to plan, schedule, and implement lessons that promote learning following the Grass Lake School curriculum frameworks.

11. Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students.

12. Coordinate integration of students with special needs into the general education environment

13. Observe, evaluate, collect and analyze data of students’ educational performance (academic, behavioral, communication).

14. Create a classroom environment conducive to the needs of all students. Ability to develop and update curriculum, lesson plans and associated materials necessary to meet the unique needs of the special education students.

15. Integrate technology into daily instruction as a means to engage students in meaningful learning.

16. Work collaboratively with paraprofessionals, define expectations for providing supports to students and keep them abreast of any changes in supports provided. Provide feedback to administration on paraprofessionals within the designated timelines.

17. Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to learn, improve and maintain instructional best practices as a special education teacher.

18. May provide in-service training to other staff or teacher aides.

19. Obtain certification for Non-violent Crisis Intervention Training offered by Grass Lake School or through SEDOL and maintain status by taking the refresher course as recommended by program supervisor.

20. Excellent skills in organization, and in verbal and written communications.

21. Maintain daily attendance and punctuality according to building/department hours.

22. Actively participates in District Wide implementation of Project Based Learning.

23. Follow all policies and procedures of Grass Lake School.

24. Complete all other duties as requested by your supervisor.

Anticpated/Full Time Instructional/Resource Special Education Teacher