TEACHER, SPECIAL EDUCATION (2615)

The Natick Public Schools Seek a

Special Education Teacher

Start date : 09 / 16 / 2024

We invite you to explore a career with Natick Public Schools.

The Natick Public Schools educate approximately 5,300 students from Pre-K through age 22. We are an innovative, supportive, and high-performing district whose outstanding staff provides high quality services for our diverse students and their families from Natick and Boston.

Natick Public Schools is a community dedicated to all students achieving high standards in a safe, trusting, respectful environment where learning is exciting, dynamic, and engaging, and where connectedness and belonging are valued and actively cultivated.

We are home to families that speak almost 60 different languages and our student population is approximately 29% Students of Color and 71% White students.

With a graduation rate of 97% and 90% of our students attending post-secondary schools, we are proud of our commitment to excellence in educating students to be informed and successful citizens of a global world.

We enthusiastically welcome educators to our district who seek and thrive in a diverse environment that focuses on the whole child in a strengths-based approach.

Please partner with us in our mission to support the diversity of our school community, promote and deliver equitable practices for all of our staff, students, and families, and create meaningful connections that enable everyone to feel included and thrive.

Job Title

Teacher, Special Education

Location

Preschool

Reports To

Building Principal and Director of

Student Services

Work days / FTE

School Year 183 days / 1.0 FTE

Salary / Benefits

Salary and benefits per contract with the Education Association of Natick Unit A

Benefits Eligible?

JOB GOAL : Profile of a Natick Educator

The Special Education Teacher is responsible for day to day management of the classroom and provision of instruction, including development and implementation of the Individual Education Plan (IEP) goals, assessment, and curriculum design.

The teacher is also responsible for the supervision of classroom staff and ongoing parent contact. The teacher is expected to collaborate with general education / special education teachers to ensure student needs are met.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education : Bachelor's Degree, Master's preferred

Professional Certification :

• MA DESE licensure in Special Education and Early Childhood Education
• MA DESE SEI Endorsement
• Additional certification in general education and / or ESL highly desirable

Specialized Knowledge :

• Ability to identify both formal and informal assessments that measure student skill level and conceptual understanding of academic, social-emotional, and behavioral benchmarks
• Ability to evaluate / analyze formal and informal data in order to provide recommendations based on data
• Understanding of child / adolescent development
• Knowledge of best instructional practices for students with special abilities
• Thorough understanding of the development and implementation of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for students
• Through understanding of district, state, and federal policies and regulations as they relate to students with disabilities
• Thorough understanding of and commitment to the principles and practices of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice as they relate to student engagement and opportunity

Preferred Experience :

• Experience working in a diverse public school setting preferred
• Experience working with students with disabilities / special abilities preferred
• Experience providing instruction and support for academic, social-emotional, and / or behavioral needs
• Experience working in a diverse public school preferred
• Experience working with students who are English language learners preferred
• Experience with Google Suite (Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Classroom, etc.) and PowerSchool preferred, but will train the right candidate

Skills

• Demonstrated aptitude for work to be performed
• Bilingual skills, especially in Spanish and Portuguese, are highly desirable
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Candidates should have a passion for working with students, families, and colleagues
• Candidates must be flexible and collaborative
• Candidates must be able to multitask in a fast-paced, supportive environment that nurtures student growth
• Candidates must be organized and able to meet ongoing, time-sensitive deadlines for work production
• Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Superintendent may find appropriate and in conformity with state certification requirements.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED

Phone, intercom, personal computer and software applications as outlined above, scanner, copy machine, calculator, camera, printers and fax machine.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB (not limited to)

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position.

Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.

• Design and carryout developmentally appropriate curriculum / programming as required by IEP goals / MA curriculum framework
• Develop data collection systems using curriculum-based and school-wide progress monitoring tools to monitor progress towards goals and standards
• Implement behavior and incentive plans and maintain data to support student's behavior and social emotional needs.
• Guide classroom support staff in implementing activities that support student's goals and other areas of need and in collecting data.
• Provide direct individual and / or group instruction through inclusion and / or resource models
• Provide interdisciplinary programming through consultation with professional and support staff
• Conduct thorough educational evaluations, developmental assessments, and / or progress monitoring necessary for quarterly progress reports, annual assessment and re-evaluations
• Prepare MCAS alternate assessment on students, as assigned
• Implement social skills training approaches and programs
• Initiate and support the use of assistive technology to provide access to the curriculum and to support communication as necessary
• Support the transition of students within the classroom and building by using positive behavior supports, visuals, and developmentally appropriate interventions.
• Organize daily schedule to meet caseload requirements
• Consult with staff in other discipline areas to improve programming
• Facilitate ongoing parent communication and encourage family involvement
• With the guidance of the Coordinator and in collaboration with team members, develop appropriate individual IEPs consistent with District expectations and all applicable laws and regulations
• Participate in ongoing professional development in the Special Education Department and in your school(s) to support the implementation of School and District initiatives and goals
• Works with district and school leadership to combat systemic barriers that limit student and families' equitable access to opportunity
• Identifies and addresses bias and its impact on rigor and opportunity for students
• In collaboration with administration, updates policies and equitable access procedures as needed
• Other duties as outlined by Special Education building or district administrator

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the job satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to :

• move about the classroom, school, school grounds, office, and / or off-site locations.
• On some occasions, it may be necessary to move quickly across even or uneven surfaces;
• remain in a stationary position for periods of time;
• operate a computer and other school / office productivity machinery (i.e., iPad, copy machine, computer printer, assistive technology, etc.);
• read material from a computer monitor as well as handwritten or printed matter with or without visual aids;
• position oneself to maintain files and access school / classroom / office materials;
• communicate with others so that information received and given is understood and accurately communicated;
• communicate and collaborate effectively with students, parents, and other staff members in person, via video conference, on the telephone, and / or in writing;
• observe details at close range
• in the school setting, ensure the safety of students;
• multitask and meet multiple demands from several people;
• may need to teach and support students with life skills development such as eating, cleaning, and toileting
• lifting up to and including 25 lbs
• the noise level in the work environment is moderate to loud.

SELECTION GUIDELINES

• Formal application
• Rating of education and experience
• Oral interviews
• Reference check
• Strong record of work performance in current and previous roles required
• Successful completion of Criminal Records Check (C.O.R.I.), Sexual Offender Record Check (S.O.R.I.), and fingerprints.

The Natick Public Schools do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, color, religion, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, physical and intellectual differences, immigration status, homeless status, or any other class protected by law.