Special Education Teacher

Special Education Teacher

Pleasantville Public Schools, Pleasantville, New Jersey, is seeking a Special Education Teacher. The ideal candidate will hold a New Jersey instructional certificate and other appropriate subject area and Special Education endorsement(s) in accordance with the requirements of N.J.S.A. 18A:27.1 et seq., and N.J.A.C. Title 6 Chapter 11. The teacher should have excellent experience in teaching and working with children. They should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of child growth and development, effective instructional strategies, classroom management, learning assessment and diagnosis, and research related to learning. The teacher should exhibit positive interpersonal skills to relate well with students, staff, administration, parents, and the community. They should be able to maintain a positive learning environment and have strong interpersonal and communication skills. Current residency in New Jersey, approved residency waiver or candidate agrees to obtain residency within one year of employment is required. The candidate should demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively and concisely in English, both orally and in writing, using proper grammar and vocabulary. They should have excellent integrity and demonstrate good moral character and initiative. The teacher should be able to use electronic equipment for work processing, data management, information retrieval, visual presentations, and telecommunications. They should provide proof of U.S. citizenship or legal resident alien status by completing Federal Form I-9 in compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. The candidate should provide evidence that a criminal record history check has been conducted and clearance has been given by the Department of Education. They should provide a sworn statement that the individual has not been convicted of a crime or a disorderly person's offense in accordance with 18A:6-7.1. The teacher should provide evidence that health is adequate to fulfill the job functions and responsibilities with reasonable accommodation pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 12101 and in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6:3-4A.4. They should pass the state required Mantoux Intradermal Tuberculin Test as required by N.J.A.C. 6:3-4A.4. The teacher should meet such alternates to the above qualifications, as the Superintendent may deem appropriate, acceptable and legal.

The job goal is to assume professional responsibility for providing learning experiences and supervision of assigned students in a supportive and positive classroom climate that develops in each child the skills, attitudes, and knowledge to meet and exceed the State Core Curriculum Content Standards, following the approved curricula and directives of the school. Teachers will strive to meet the highly effective criteria for the preparation of lesson plans, the use of data to drive instruction, the delivering of quality instruction, addressing the needs of diverse learners through differentiation, classroom environment, leadership, and professionalism. Achieving academic excellence requires that the teacher work collaboratively with other members of the school staff and with parents of each child.

The performance responsibilities include establishing high standards and expectations for all students for academic performance and responsibility for behavior, displaying the highest ethical and professional behavior and standards when working with students, parents, school personnel, and other agencies associated with the school, providing instruction to classified pupils in accordance with each pupil's individualized education program, working cooperatively with regular education teaching staff to coordinate instructional activities and to monitor the progress of each pupil and providing support instruction in the regular classroom or resource center as assigned, providing home instruction to confined special education pupils as assigned, developing lesson plans and instructional materials and providing individualized and small group instruction to meet the needs of each pupil, consulting with members of the child study team regarding each pupil's educational program, academic program and personal growth, meeting at least once annually with the case manager, parents and other professional staff to review and revise the individualized education program and placement of each assigned pupil, planning and implementing sequential learning experiences, based on the use of data, for students in the content area for which the teacher is certified, using a variety of instructional strategies that are consistent with the district and school's philosophy, mission statement, instructional goals, school level objectives, and the Core Curriculum Content Standards, engaging the learners in highly effective, differentiated learning experiences for the range of skill levels and developmental needs found in the classroom, managing, when appropriate, multiple instructional activities simultaneously, incorporating each of the Core Content Standards into instruction, when appropriate, to reinforce the district's responsibility to ensure that all students meet and exceed all of the standards, providing and effectively organizing a variety of materials, equipment, media, and community resources to support the instructional program, maintaining a classroom environment that supports learning and encourages student growth, organizing and supervising approved field trips to enhance classroom learning, monitoring the pacing of instruction and budget class time efficiently by providing clear directions, outlining expectations, and effectively bringing to closure instructional experiences, submitting highly effective lesson plans that are reflective of quality instruction, in the approved format to the Principal or Supervisor as required and requested, using effective presentation skills when employing direct instruction, including appropriate vocabulary and examples, clear and legible visuals, and articulate and audible speech, using excellent written and oral English skills when communicating with students, parents, and colleagues, providing a nurturing, supportive, and positive classroom climate that encourages student responsibility, using positive motivation, clear classroom routines, challenging instructional strategies, and effective classroom management techniques, disciplining students in a fair and consistent manner, using school approved procedures, seeking assistance of the parents and the Principal when needed, establishing a professional rapport with students that earns their respect, communicating regularly with parents, seeking their support and advice, so as to create a cooperative relationship to support the child in the school, assessing and diagnosing the learning, social, and emotional needs and styles of students, using a variety of assessment techniques and data, planning and adjusting the learning experiences accordingly, requesting advice and assistance from specialists when appropriate, assisting with the preparation, monitoring, and following of Individualized Education Plans for selected students assigned to the class, employing a variety of methods for students to demonstrate learning and accomplishments, evaluating and grading homework, assignments, and tests in a timely fashion, providing feedback to the student on performance, maintaining records and providing evidence of growth and progress to parents and to students, assuming responsibility for all students within the school, beyond those specifically assigned, supervising in a fair and constructive manner to ensure the safety and well-being of all students, assisting with extracurricular activities, supporting the total program of the school, instructing, advising, coaching, and supervising extracurricular activities, including interscholastic and intramural sports, academic competition, and fine art programs, as defined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, attending student events to demonstrate genuine interest in the life of the students, ensuring the safety and health of all students, notifying the administration of any unsafe conditions, following established procedures, creating a stimulating, attractive, organized, functional, healthy, and safe classroom, with proper attention to the visual, acoustic, and thermal environments, completing in a timely fashion all records and reports as required by law and regulation or requested by the Principal, maintaining accurate attendance records, accounting for all funds collected from students, working cooperatively with adults assigned to the classroom (e.g., paraprofessionals, student teachers, parents, and volunteers), establishing clear expectations for roles and responsibilities, serving as a role model for students, dressing and grooming professionally, demonstrating the importance and relevance of learning, accepting responsibility, and demonstrating pride in the honorable profession of teaching, maintaining positive, cooperative, and mutually supportive relationships with the administration, instructional staff, students, parents, and representatives of resource agencies within the community, attending required staff meetings and serving, as appropriate, on staff committees, participating in curriculum and program development, and in the selection of materials and equipment to support instruction, notifying immediately appropriate personnel of evidence of substance abuse, child abuse, child neglect, severe medical or social conditions, potential suicide or individuals appearing to be under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or anabolic steroids, continuing to grow professionally through collaboration with colleagues and professional growth experiences, summarizing, interpreting, and disseminating current developments in learning, instructional strategies and classroom management through reading of professional journals, participation in professional development, and involvement in professional organizations, completing the required 100 clock hours of State-approved continuing professional development every five years in accordance with State and district procedures, as specified in the Professional Improvement Plan (N.J.A.C. 6:11-13), recommending to the Principal the supplies and equipment needed to support instruction and assist with ordering, following established procedures, maintaining in safe working condition and safely operating electronic and other equipment needed to carry out job functions and responsibilities, protecting the confidentiality of records and information gained as part of exercising professional duties and using discretion in sharing such information within legal confines, performing any duties that are within the scope of employment and certifications, as assigned by the Principal and assigned supervisor, and not otherwise prohibited by law or regulation, adhering to New Jersey school law, State Board of Education rules and regulations, Board of Education policies and regulations, school regulations and procedures, and contractual obligations.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential responsibilities and functions of the job and are not meant to be all inclusive. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential responsibilities and functions of the job. Unless reasonable accommodations can be made, while performing this job the staff member shall: use strength to lift items needed to perform the functions of the job, sit, stand and walk for required periods of time, speak and hear, use close vision, color vision, peripheral vision and depth perception along with the ability to