Non-Continuing Position, for the remainder of the 2017-2018 school year only.

Starting January 2nd, 2018

Primary Purpose

The primary purpose of this position is to provide students with instruction which enables them to meet their goals and objectives as describe in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). 

Directly Responsible to:  Building Principal and Director of Special Services

Essential Functions

• Maintains a positive attitude and productive learning environment
• Sets high expectations for student achievement and behavior
• Identifies skill deficits in academics, social, behavioral, and adaptive areas and initiates instruction in these areas
• Adapts curriculum, materials, and teaching techniques to meet the individual needs of students 
• Designs and conducts valid assessments which reflect present levels of performance for use in the development of IEPs and WAAS portfolios
• Develops IEPs with input from the IEP team which reflect individual student needs in all domains of need identified by the school psychologist’s evaluation
• Collects frequent data on all IEP goals and objectives, WAAS portfolios, and behavior plans to reflect students’ progress
• Keeps all paperwork legally compliant and current in accordance with mandated timelines 
• Incorporates IEP requirements within students’ daily lesson plans
• Instructs students in accordance with WVSD adopted curriculum guidelines and common core state standards
• Mainstreams students in regular classroom settings as appropriate
• Proactively collaborates with and supports general education teachers so that mainstreaming can be achieved    
• Communicates regularly and proactively with parents to keep them apprised of their child’s progress and behavior
• Suggests techniques to promote learning at home
• Actively participates and is flexible in collaborating with special education staff and works cooperatively with regular classroom teachers  
• Extends skills and uses techniques from specialists in the classroom environment
• Incorporates augmentative communication in the classroom as needed based on student enrollment (e.g. PODD)
• Supports the building and district goals and positively participates in special education and building meetings
• Effectively uses paraeducators – provides supervision, direction, and training
• Provides positive behavioral support to students
• Effectively writes and implements behavior plans as necessary using team input
• Restrains students from harming themselves or others
• Ensures students ability to participate in school based Special Olympics activities.
• May be required to provide detailed one-to-one assistance with changing, diapering, personal hygiene, etc.
• May be required to assist students with feeding and administer tube feeding
• Knowledgeable and experienced with discrete trial including supervision and implementation with paraeducators     

* The list of essential functions in this job description is not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary by determination of an appropriate administrator and Human Resources. 

 Other Functions

• Possesses strong classroom management skills
• Proficient in developing complex schedules for students and paraprofessionals that coordinate with general education, resource, and specialist staff schedules 
• Maintains a high level of ethical behavior and confidentiality
• Models appropriate professional behaviors at all times
• Remains calm and collected when managing difficult and potentially aggressive student behavior
• Observes and utilizes professional medical/safety precautions to include positioning children in a safe and secure manner in adaptive equipment and transferring orthopedically disabled children to and from different equipment including toilets 
• Other duties as assigned

 Working Relationships

Communicates regularly with students, parents/guardians, and teaching staff.  Required to deal with a wide range of student behaviors; required to deal with a wide range of physical and emotional disabilities; may occasionally deal with distraught or difficult students. 

 Working Conditions

The daily work is performed in a classroom/office setting.  The job incumbent is often required to stand or sit for prolonged periods; be exposed to computer display terminal for prolonged periods; and meet externally imposed and inflexible deadlines.  May be required to work outdoors in inclement weather; lift, move, and position students and equipment; supervise the playground, bus loading/unloading; attend to students’ personal hygiene; may be required to deal with distraught, angry, or hostile individuals; may need to take precautions to avoid exposure to student bodily fluids and cleaning or disinfecting compounds; required to work in non-routine positions for extended periods. 

 Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Identifies and adjusts to individual student’s needs
• Challenges students academically and creates a learning environment that is positive for students
• Knowledgeable of student behavior and methods to assure proper conduct
• Works successfully in a team context with other staff members
• Believes that all students can learn and promotes this belief in meetings with the IEP team and classroom teachers
• Implements strength-based education
• Follows recommendations from district specialists
• Flexibly accommodates changing schedules 
• Understands and carries out oral and written instructions
• Sensitive to cultural and language differences
• Produces accurate documents using word processing, spreadsheets, and software on both Macintosh and PC computers
• Works independently with minimal supervision
• Knowledgeable in successful techniques and strategies for working with students who have autism and behavioral difficulties
• Demonstrated ability to work with students of diverse academic and behavioral needs  

Working Environment

The usual and customary methods of performing the job’s functions require the following physical demands: occasional lifting (able to lift 50 pounds and assisting in lifting over 50 pounds), carrying, pushing, and/or pulling; some stooping, kneeling, crouching, and/or crawling; and significant fine finger dexterity.  Generally the job requires 34% sitting, 33% walking, and 33% standing. 

 Qualifications

Valid Washington State teaching certificate with special education endorsement are required.  Must be able to meet the “highly qualified” standards under NCLB.  Successful previous evaluations and strong classroom management skills are required.  Knowledge of common core state standards and state assessments (including the WAAS portfolio) is required.  Previous experience writing behavior plans is required.  Experience in or willingness to be trained in Right Response and/or other required programs.  Demonstrated success with non-traditional learners and at-risk students.  Previous experience working with self-contained students and students who have autism is preferred.  Proven capability to design and implement specially designed instruction for students with a spectrum of deficits in reading, writing, math, and functional skills, including monitoring and reporting of progress are required.  Preference will be given to candidates who have successful elementary teaching experience with supportive references. 

Bilingual Preferred

Continuing Education/Training 

• Current CPR and First Aid Certificates are required
• Current Restraint and De-Escalation Certificate is required
• Participation in district and building professional development is requiredBottom of Form