Intervention Specialist (2026-27)

INTERVENTION SPECIALIST

JOB DESCRIPTION

Who We Are:

The Dayton Early College Academy (DECA) is an award-winning, high performing network of charter schools located in Dayton, Ohio. Serving grades K-12, DECA’s three campuses are singularly focused on helping children from the city of Dayton gain the skills they need to be successful in college and beyond. 

Mission :

We prepare future college graduates today to become the leaders of our community tomorrow.

Core Values:

1. Put students first;
2. Demand success;
3. Invest deeply in relationships;
4. Do what’s right;
5. Prove education changes lives;
6. Find joy.

Our Students and Results :

We serve students in grades K-12 in the Dayton Public School area; academic proficiency is not considered during the admissions process. Admission is first come, first served. 

• 94% of our students are African-American and 72% are economically disadvantaged;
• Over 80% of our students will be first in their family to go to college;
• DECA is committed to providing a rigorous and engaging academic curriculum;
• Our campuses foster an awareness of social justice issues; 
• Strong community partnerships are at the core of our success;
• DECA alumni graduate from college at a rate nearly 5 times the national average for first generation college students and on par with their suburban counterparts.

 

Successful Applicants:

• Are developing and practicing cultural competence in their teaching, teamwork, and leadership;
• Build relationships with students, families, colleagues, and community;
• Provide, seek, and act on feedback;
• Live our Core Values.

Job Summary : Intervention specialists/advisors serve as advocates and academic support team coordinators for students. The teacher manages students’ individualized educational plans (IEP). The IEP is based on modifications needed to address the student’s deficits and requires a variety of instructional strategies and settings. The teacher will know their students well, help them plan and follow through on their learning goals, and work tirelessly to create optimal learning experiences for students in their advisory groups. This position reports to the campus principal.

Qualifications:

• Valid Ohio Intervention Specialist license; Prior relevant experience preferred;
• Effective interpersonal skills with children and adults;
• A broad range of interests and experience with a passion for learning;
• Knowledge of state and national academic content standards and IDEA rules and procedures;
• Basic knowledge in all core content areas;
• Knowledge of pedagogical theories, perspectives, and developments;
• Sound classroom management skills;
• Ability to improvise and work through uncertainties;
• Experience with technology‐integration in the teaching and learning process;
• Effectiveness in an interdisciplinary, teamed environment;
• Skills in graphic technology preferred;
• Collegiality and an eagerness to participate in student-centered school activities are essential
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions;
• Entrepreneurial spirit;
• Leadership skills;
• Excellent problem‐solving skills

Duties/Essential Functions:

• Serve as positive role model for students;
• Assess student academic, social, and personal strengths and needs;
• Develop meaningful, appropriate relationships with each student and his/her parent/guardian;
• Be available to students and parents for education-related purposes outside of the traditional prescribed times and day when required to do so (within reason);
• Develop annual IEPs with the students and parents as well as chair the Evaluation Team Referral Process;
• Implement, by instruction and action, DECA Middle’s mission;
• Know and understand DECA Middle’s goals and how they align to content area standards as defined by Ohio Department of Education;
• Celebrate student accomplishments;
• Hold students accountable for their academic progress;
• Advocate for, and on behalf of, students and families;
• Forecast educational needs of each student;
• Plan a program of instruction that is both challenging and that meets the individual needs, interest, and abilities of each advisee;
• Report each student’s progress, both educationally and socially, through, at minimum quarterly reports, phone calls to parents, and weekly student meetings;
• Attend faculty meetings and other staff development and planning sessions as determined by the principal and school staff;
• Facilitate additional academic, social, and health services for each advisee as needed;
• Mediate student conflicts to the best of the teacher/advisor’s ability;
• Maintain accurate, complete, and factual records on each student as required by school law and sponsor agreement with The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation;
• Employ a variety of educational techniques in pursuit of educational goals and establish clear objectives for each student;
• Work with school team on academic and social intervention strategies for student;
• Provide supplemental and educational activities in order to support student growth;
• Ensure that each student employs standard materials prescribed by school staff (planners, journals, etc.);
• Periodically transport students complying with traffic ordinances and school transportation policy; 
• Performs other duties as assigned by the principal; and
• Strives to continually improve professional competence.

Duties/Essential Functions:

• 185 days
• Salary to be determined based on experience and education level.
• All staff members are issued one-year contracts.

Working Environment:

Workplace locations include:

• School, activity center, outdoor play areas;
• Retreat/field sites; and
• Other environments as deemed necessary/appropriate.

Physical demands:

• While performing the duties of his/her job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk, and/or hear.
• The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required for this position include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.

Additional Working Conditions:

• The noise level in this work environment is quiet to loud depending on the activity and location.
• Working conditions for this job include (1) possible exposure to blood, bodily fluids, and tissue; and (2) occasional operation of a motor vehicle to transport students.
• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

ANY PERSON WHO KNOWINGLY MAKES A FALSE STATEMENT IS GUILTY OF FALSIFICATION UNDER SECTION 2921.13 OF THE REVISED CODE, WHICH IS A MISDEMEANOR OF THE FIRST DEGREE