Elementary School Special Education Teacher

Special Education Teacher

Background

The mission of Two Rivers is to nurture a diverse group of students to become lifelong, active participants in their own education, develop a sense of self and community and become responsible and compassionate members of society. Two Rivers Public Charter School serves a diverse group of learners across three locations.

The Two Rivers staff shares a strong belief that all children can learn and be high achievers. We focus on the whole child, recognizing the importance of character education and the social-emotional needs of children while helping them achieve academic excellence.

Staff at Two Rivers create an exciting educational environment in which students and staff become a community of learners on a journey of discovery. Two Rivers uses the EL Education model, emphasizing interactive, hands-on, project-based learning. The curriculum at Two Rivers is rigorous and standards-based, and provides opportunities for students to excel in all areas. An integrated arts program and a content-based Spanish program augment the school’s demanding academic program. These elements come together through learning modules that allow students to incorporate and apply their classroom learning through real-world experiences.

What educators can expect working at Two Rivers:

• A diverse and welcoming work environment
• Weekly professional development opportunities
• Take a deep dive into becoming an anti-racist organization by participating in small group training and facilitated conversations
• The opportunity to participate in school decisions, be creative, and be part of a mission-driven organization
• Staff at Two Rivers are part of an energetic and caring team devoted to creating an incredible school experience

Ideal candidates will possess the following qualifications and skills:

• Candidates must meet one of the following criteria:
  • Master’s degree in Special Education;
  • Bachelor’s degree, two years of satisfactory lead teacher experience, including supporting students with IEPs or in an inclusion setting, and a passing score (as outlined by ETS) on the (1) Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications PRAXIS and (2) Principles of Learning and Teaching exam;
  • Bachelor’s degree and two years of satisfactory special education teacher experience;
  • Bachelor’s degree and active OSSE certification or active certification from another state.

• Demonstrated ability to develop differentiated lesson plans and use instructional tools to meet the needs of students with learning challenges
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with general education teachers and other service providers to ensure the academic and social growth of students
• Demonstrated ability to integrate curriculum across academic disciplines
• Dedication to teaching in ways that are interactive, hands-on, project-based, and promote self-discovery and critical thinking
• Commitment to high academic achievement for all students, and meet the needs of every child in a diverse population
• Previous experience using data to inform instruction on an ongoing basis
• Clear understanding of curriculum, instruction, and child development
• Ability to establish an effective and efficient classroom culture that emphasizes and supports literacy and math across all content areas
• Ability to nurture students and work collaboratively with families
• Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to work as a member of a team
• Possess a professional growth mindset that contributes to a community of educators

About the role:

The Special Education Teacher is responsible for delivering instruction to identified students in special populations (Multilingual Learners) and students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) while supporting differentiation for all students using the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Strong collaboration with general education teachers through co-teaching and co-planning is critical to success in this role. This job description is meant to provide a general overview of this position.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Maintain accurate and timely records of student attendance, academic performance (all courses), and behavior incidents.
• Four times per year, use student records and assessments to create progress reports and report cards, including writing comments for students’ grades as required.
• Update student grades bi-weekly using assessment data to share with school teams, students and families, with a minimum of two grades per student.
• Four times per year, use student records and assessment data to create and submit progress reports for all students with IEPs.
• Implement Expeditionary Learning, Responsive Classroom, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and components. Teachers in their first year at Two Rivers commit to learning these models by attending new staff orientation in the summer and a new teacher professional development series held throughout the year.
• Provide specialized instruction so that students with disabilities meet the goals specified in their IEPs.
• Develop an engaging curriculum in partnership with general education teachers. The curriculum should be designed to teach grade-level standards and skills and have multiple entry points for students.
• Plan at least weekly with your teaching team. Planning should include a discussion of modifications and accommodations for identified students.
• Implement best practices to ensure that Multilingual Learners make progress in language domains.
• Apply research-based strategies to meet the needs of students with disabilities and Multilingual Learners. Seek additional materials and resources as needed.
• Work with your teaching team to plan and implement learning expeditions, ensuring that content, fieldwork, and learning modules are accessible to all students.
• Facilitate clear planning around student needs and learning goals, specialized instruction, and classroom structures that support student success.
• Develop and revise clear criteria and standards for quality work. Regularly examine student work to ensure that it meets EL Education’s three dimensions of student achievement: High-Quality Work, Mastery of Knowledge and Skills, and Character.
• Work with the teaching team to create student document panels, displaying student work and documenting the process leading to mastery. Involve students in developing and creating displays.
• Collaboratively plan and execute Celebrations of Learning with the teaching team at least two times per year, providing students with an opportunity to share their work with an audience of parents, other students, and community members.

This is a 10.5-month position, which is exempt and therefore not eligible for overtime pay under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

For more information about Two Rivers, please visit