Special Education Teacher (2024-2025 SY)

Department: Special Education Job Title: Special Education Teacher - Bridge Program FLSA Status:

(Exempt/Non-exempt) Exempt; Unit A Reports to: Assistant Principal for Student Services / Principal In compliance with state and federal laws, newton public schools is committed to equity, anti-racism and a nondiscrimination policy for students, employees and prospective applicants. All educational and employment determinations are based on an individual's qualifications and achievements without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, pregnancy, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, ancestry, homelessness, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by state and/or federal statute.

Summary:

The Special Education Teacher for the Bridge Program provides specialized instruction and therapeutic intervention for middle school students with social emotional learning needs. This teacher provides small group specialized instruction in both substantially separate and general education settings targeting curriculum frameworks with modifications as needed, positive social/emotional outcomes, and explicit skills related to IEP goals. This teacher contributes to the development of a healthy and safe environment by advancing the understanding of the social, emotional and developmental needs of students and their families and has a strong belief that all kids can succeed.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

• Requisite licensure as defined by the DESE (Moderate and/or Severe/Multiple Disabilities licensure strongly preferred)

• 3-5 Years of experience required, preferably working with teens/young adults/families in a school setting

• Experience running programs/programming for youth with social emotional learning needs.

• Desire to provide direct instruction in social, organizational, and life skills to adolescents with social emotional learning needs.

• Experience implementing all parts of the IEP process

• Understanding of special education regulations and laws

• Knowledge of a wide range of disabilities

• Excellent oral and written communication skills

• Ability to use technology effectively

• Ability to handle a multitude of varying and complex issues

• Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with numerous building stakeholders

• Believes in helping all students achieve their potential, including minority and low socio-economic students

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities (Not Limited To):

• Provide small group specialized instruction with modifications, as needed, to curriculum frameworks in a substantially separate setting in areas including, but not limited to, English Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies

• Provide small group specialized instruction to promote skill building in the areas of planning and organization, as well as skills related to IEP goals/objectives

• Partner with counselor/clinician to co-lead small group interventions targeting social emotional skill building

• Embed therapeutic strategies as part of content instruction to promote access for students with social emotional learning needs

• Collaborate with general education teachers and embed supports in the general education setting, as appropriate, to foster generalization of skills

• Establish and maintain home/school connections for students and work with families concerning home situations that relate to school performance.

• Partner with team members to develop and enhance community partnerships with varied community agencies to meet the identified needs of students and families

• Partner with team members to support crisis intervention to children and their families

• Serve as IEP liaison for students, conduct IEP meetings and complete all related paperwork in a timely fashion

• Administer testing as part of the process for determining eligibility for special education services, including students in the Bridge program and for other students as necessary

• Use formal and informal assessment strategies to monitor student progress to inform instruction and to revise IEPs as appropriate

• Participate in the process for students referred to the Bridge program, or prior to referral when appropriate, and contribute to the placement decision making process through planning and consultation with the team

• Engage students in activities related to transition planning to post-high school life

• Attendance at departmental and school-wide meetings

• Consistent, reliable and punctual attendance is essential for supervision and instruction of the students

• Responsible for implementing "other job related duties" as needed

Work Environment & Physical Requirements:

Work Environment:

• Majority of work is performed in a school/classroom environment.

Physical Requirements:

• While performing the duties of this job, the teacher is frequently required to walk, stand, sit, talk, and hear. The teacher is regularly required to bend, stoop, crouch and/or kneel. The teacher is occasionally required to lift and/or move objects weighing up to 25 pounds. Must be able to assist with student behavioral needs as necessary, including responding to students who are physically unsafe, using physical restraints as part of a de-escalation process, and moving furniture in response to a crisis situation.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.