Meridian Teacher (General or SPED) 26-27 School Year

ESU 13 is looking to add a Special Education Teacher for the 26-27 School Year

Meridian School is a separate school placement for students with significant support needs. The school is located on ESU 13’s main campus in Scottsbluff. It has 3 classrooms for students age 5 to 21. Meridian focuses on life skill academics and functional skills. Students participate in leveled, age-appropriate math, literacy, science, social studies, and social-emotional curriculums.  In addition, students have music class and participate in a community bell choir. They attend the YMCA for swimming and physical education class. Students who are of transition age have work-based learning experiences with the support of a job coach, a transition skills class, and the RPAD program – an apartment where students work on independent living skills like cooking, shopping, and home care. Placement at Meridian School is an IEP team decision in accordance with a continuum of placement of students in their least restrict environment (see NDE Guidance Doc for more information).

Job Title:   Teacher

Department:   Instruction

Education Level and Certification:   Bachelor’s degree required. Must at all times during employment possess a Nebraska Teaching Certificate with such endorsements as required by NDE Rule 10 and all other certification and training as required or assigned.

Additional Education, Certification or Licensure Requirements:

Endorsement: Special Education Endorsement appropriate for the instructional responsibility assigned to the teacher (grade level and disability) as required by NDE Rules 24 and 51, in addition to all other required or assigned certification and training.

Terms of Employment:  185 Day Contract / Schedule 4
Reports To:   Special Education Director and/or Special Education Coordinator

Performance Responsibilities and Job Tasks:  

1. Maintain all required special education documents, including:
   • Creating, reviewing, and finalizing Individualized Education Plan (IEPs), Multidisciplinary Team Reports (MDTs), Prior Written Notices (PWNs), Notices of Meeting, and all other SRS documents
   • Opening and finalizing progress reports in timely fashion and in accordance with district deadlines
   • Prepare, share, and update Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) and safety plans, as needed
2. Manage caseloads, including:
   • Preparing, scheduling and conducting IEP’s and MDT’s on or before due date
   • Monitoring service provision for related services
3. Provide research-based specialized instruction to address instructional goals and objectives contained within each student’s IEP
4. Write reports, lesson plans, learning objectives, and tests using professional/technical concepts, principles, and terminology
5. Develop a working knowledge of students on caseload as it pertains to providing special education services.
6. Serve as primary parent contact and document contact as directed by supervisor
7. Supervise and help evaluate paraeducators with the SPED Program Coordinator.
8. Conduct formal and informal diagnostic observations and evaluations and progress monitoring.
9. Collaborate and consult with fellow educational professionals and community service providers regarding needs of students and program (e.g. Vocational Rehabilitation, social services, public health, etc.)
10. Collaborate and consult with school district personnel regarding educational issues and needs
11. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with children, students, parents, staff, administration, and the general public
12. Attend regularly scheduled and other announced special education meetings and training as requested.
13. Comply with NDE Rule 51 guidelines

Additional or Different Physical Requirements:  

1. Must be able to fulfill restraint training procedures.
2. Provides or assists with the provision of physical care of all students who require such care in terms of toileting, changing, feeding, lifting, and hygiene whenever necessary.
3. Provides or assists with provision of activities as may be recommended by related service providers (e.g. speech-language pathologist, physical therapist, etc.)
4. Maintains the physical environment of the classroom so that it is orderly and a visual enhancement to learning.
5. Maintains the emotional climate of the classroom so that it is warm, positive, and supportive.
6. Ability to obtain student transportation endorsement.
7. Provides on-the-job training and supervision for paraeducators.
8. Provide safe supervision of all students during all phases of the school day both at the school site and at all other sites accessed for program delivery.
9. Assumes responsibility for organizing and implementing traditional special events or other activities for the benefit of students (ex. prom, graduation).

Working Conditions

1. Inside offices and classrooms.
2. Outside for activities with students and student supervision.

FLSA Status:   Exempt.

Professional exemption:  The employee has a primary duty of performing work requiring knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction and study or has a primary duty of teaching, tutoring, instructing, or lecturing in the activity of imparting knowledge and is employed and engaged in this activity as a teacher.

Essential Functions:   The essential functions of the SPED Teacher position include: (1) regular, dependable in-person attendance on the job; (2) the ability to perform the identified tasks and to possess and utilize the identified knowledge, skills, and abilities and to perform the identified work activities; and (3) the ability to perform the following identified physical requirements:

It is the policy of ESU 13 to not discriminate on the basis of sex, disability, race, color, religion, veteran status, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, or other protected status in its educational programs, admission policies, employment policies or other administered programs. Persons requiring accommodations to apply and/or be considered for positions are asked to make their request to the ESU 13 Administrator.