Special Education Teacher

Special Education Teacher

Status Full-Time Contract 10 Months Reports to Special Education Director

Classification Exempt Start Date August 1st End Date May 31st

About Brookside Charter School

Brookside Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school serving Pre-K through 8th-grade students in Kansas City Public School (KCPS) boundaries. We focus on rigorous academics, leadership skills, and the whole child to prepare students for success beyond our doors. Our caring community of well-trained and supported staff members, engaged families, and supportive community partners empowers students to be leaders of their tomorrow. We are committed to diversity, culturally relevant teaching and learning, family and community engagement, restorative practices, and social and emotional learning.

Position Summary & Purpose

The Special Education Teacher, having both content and instructional expertise, will work as a classroom teacher to support student learning. The Special Education Teacher will focus on individual and group professional learning that will emphasize and assist planning and classroom instruction; assessment of student progress; and advancement of Brookside Charter School mission, vision, and values.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Job Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities described herein are not a comprehensive list, and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time, as necessitated by business demands.

School Culture

• Embrace and advance the mission and vision of Brookside Charter School to maximize students' opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed.
• Embody and demonstrate maturity, integrity, professionalism, self-improvement, motivation, and excellence.
• Take all necessary and reasonable precautions to provide a safe environment for students.
• Assist the administration in implementing all policies and rules governing student life and conduct in a fair and just manner.
• Build and maintain relationships with teachers, administrators, and students' families with an eye toward working cooperatively to help students meet academic and other goals.

Curriculum and Instruction

• Performs a variety of assessments and observations to determine the areas in which the student may need extra or modified educational services. Assessment areas may include academic performance, behavior, social development, or physical health.
• Identifies the students' needs and develops related lesson and teaching plans.
• Develops an integrated plan for the education of each child by collaborating with classroom teachers, parents, psychologists, social workers, and other medical and school staff.
• Responsible for writing IEPs, and goals and pulling students for the required number of minutes per day.
• Develops individualized education programs (IEPs) for each student, setting learning goals and adopting modifications as necessary; ensures each student's activities and lessons are planned and organized according to his/her abilities.
• Develops and teaches lessons that provide engaging learning opportunities for small groups and individual students while meeting required specifications of IEPs and 504 plans.
• Implements IEPs, provides ongoing or follow-up assessments, and continually tracks progress and makes modifications as necessary.
• Responsible for working with classroom teachers, and SPED director to make sure the needs of students on an IEP are met.
• Ensures programs comply with Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); ensures each applicable student is provided with Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that is properly modified for his/her individual needs.
• Develops, completes, and maintains all paperwork mandated by local, state, and federal guidelines, laws, and regulations.
• Maintains knowledge of special education teaching methods, research, and best practices through professional development and study.
• Establishes and enforces classroom management structure and rules that ensure the academic engagement and the physical and mental safety of all students.
• Celebrates the achievements and successes of students.
• Be available to students and parents for education-related purposes outside the instructional day when required or requested to do so under reasonable terms, such as participation with graduation, Back-to-school carnival, parent conferences, and school events.
• Utilize instructional strategies leading to student engagement in problem-solving and critical thinking.
• Incorporate cooperative, small group and independent learning into lessons.
• Manage time, space, transitions and activities.
• Use assessment data to improve student learning.
• Clearly communicate student progress and maintain records.

Legal & Compliance

As a condition of your employment, you agree that you will not, during or after your employment, directly or indirectly disclose, use, copy, or permit the use of any Brookside Confidential Information except as necessary to perform your job duties for the benefit of Brookside. "Brookside Confidential Information" includes all non-public information relating to Brookside, its affiliates, and their respective personnel, students, vendors, and partners, including without limitation: personnel lists, compensation practices, and other personnel information; student names, academic records and information; vendor and partner information (including contracts with any of the foregoing); financial data; communications to/from and filings made with any governmental agency; business plans and strategies; proprietary methods; technical data; marketing information; and any other information that a reasonable person would understand to be confidential or proprietary. You further agree to protect such information using reasonable care and to return (or permanently delete, as applicable) all Brookside Confidential Information upon termination of your employment. The foregoing will not be deemed to limit disclosures where required or protected by applicable law. You acknowledge that student information in particular is also protected under federal law, specifically, the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA"). As an employee, you will be required to comply with FERPA. For more information on complying with FERPA, refer to your Brookside Employee Handbook.

Minimum Qualifications

*All requirements listed below are required unless otherwise designated as "preferred."

Education and Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in Special Education is preferred.
• Missouri Teaching Certificate or eligible for certification.

Experience

• Thorough understanding of policies, laws, and guidelines related to special education including IDEA, IEPs, and 504.
• Experience teaching in an urban school environment is preferred.
• Experience teaching historically underserved populations (or historically marginalized populations) with a record of positive academic improvement is preferred.

Skills and Traits

• Proficiency in Google Workspace, Microsoft Office and/or equivalent software.
• Candidate will be a passionate advocate for Brookside Charter's mission and students.
• Candidate will have a deep internal passion for ensuring that students meet and exceed academic standards regardless of socioeconomic status, race, previous academic performance, or other challenges.
• Candidate must be passionate about working towards educational equity and providing an excellent education for all students.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to kneel, sit, stand, crawl, push, and pull to assist and teach children throughout the day.
• This position may require sitting, standing, and walking for intermittent periods, as well as moderate dexterity in operating standard office equipment (e.g., computer, printer, copier).
• This position requires normal visual acuity and field of vision, hearing, and speaking.

Compensation and Benefits

We're committed to providing best-in-class benefits to our teachers and staff. Elements of Brookside Charter School's benefits package include competitive pay, subsidized health insurance, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, and paid time off.

Commitment to Diversity/Equal Opportunity Employment Policy

Brookside Charter School is an equal opportunity employer, and it is our policy to recruit, hire, and promote for all jobs on the basis of merit, qualifications, skills, and competence. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, marital status, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected status. Brookside Charter School will fully comply with all employment-related and other laws. All employment decisions will be made solely on the basis of the individual's qualifications as related to the requirements of the position being filled.