Special Education Teacher/Learning Specialist: Half Time

Job Title:                    Teacher-Special Education

FTE:                              Half-Time – 20 hours per week
Date Prepared:         March 11, 2024
Implementation:       2026-27 School Year

Salary Scale:            Teacher $25,260- $39,286.50 min-mid annually at .50 FTE

Work Year:               184 Contact Days/Year (1 Jul – 30 Jun)

FLSA Status:               EXEMPT
Benefits Eligible:       Yes, if scheduled for 30 or more hours per week

             Reports To:                 Executive Director

Position Summary:

The Special Education Teacher is responsible for the education of students identified with an IEP in grades K-8^th grade students and creating an environment with high standards in learning, creativity, and personal growth in accordance with each student’s abilities, while carrying out the mission and vision of the school.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Specific duties include (other duties may be assigned):

• Support differentiated instruction for students according to student needs, selecting and implementing appropriate educational materials and strategies
• Plan, guide and deliver instruction according to state and school standards
• Knowledge of federal and state special education laws and regulations and commitment to learning and implementing Jeffco and Excel Academy procedures for the implementation of compliant special education services for students
• Monitor student learning progress to evaluate the effectiveness of the educational approaches being used and make modifications as needed
• Communicate goals, strategies, and results of educational programs implemented with teachers, parents, and students
• Facilitate IEP meetings and attend student problem-solving team meetings (MTSS)
• Demonstrate clear, accurate, professional, and respectful communication with parents, students, educational staff and community members
• Dedication to making a difference in the lives of all children and working with families in a partnership role
• Demonstrated ability to establish working rapport with students with a wide range of ability levels and needs; demonstrated commitment to serving social and emotional needs of all learners
• Manage the learning environment in small group instructional settings
• Understand, appreciate and be responsive to student diversity
• Participate in professional development for continuous learning
• Participate and help lead outdoor education overnight trips, if needed
• Participate in teacher leadership opportunities
• Attend weekly faculty meetings and team meetings

Experience:

• A minimum of two years as a special education teacher is highly desired

Education:  A bachelor’s degree is required. Master’s degree in special education preferred

Certificates, Licenses, & Registrations: CDE Teacher License with a Special Education endorsement (K-12 or 0-21)

Skills/Knowledge/Ability:

• Colorado Model Content Standards and Grade Level Expectations
• Experience using different formative and summative assessment protocols
• Understanding of best practices in education
• Ability to use proven research strategies in education.
• Demonstrated experience in modeling, providing guided practice, and checking for understanding in students.
• Ability to select a variety of activities and media to respond to the diversity of learning styles and needs of the students in the class.
• Uses a variety of instructional strategies (e.g. direct instruction, cooperative learning, small group instruction, individualized instruction, inquiry) to engage students.
• Understands subjects taught and shows how this knowledge is created, organized, linked to other disciplines, and applied to real world settings.
• Uses a repertoire of assessment strategies to determine what students have and will learn.
• Demonstrated experience in effectively solving challenging problems through a positive, collaborative approach.
• High fluency level in written and oral communication.
• Demonstrated initiative and skills in the following areas: relationship and community building, teachers as leaders, professional learning community model, effective communication, conflict resolution, creativity, problem solving, decision making and time management.

• Have excellent interpersonal, organizational, time management, follow-through, and oral and written communication skills
• Meet professional obligations through efficient work habits such as: meeting deadlines, honoring schedules, coordinating resources in and effective and timely manner, and demonstrating respect for others.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a team
• Be extremely flexible and able to work independently
• Accept responsibility and be self-motivated
• Is ethical and honest
• Be able to successfully analyze information, manage complexity, report results, enter data, and observe school and district policies as well as state and federal laws with attention to detail, confidentiality, and thoroughness
• Knowledgeable and comfortable working with technology and software programs, including MS Excel and Word
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality with regard to employees, students and parents
• Needs to be able to work effectively with school staff, District personnel, and vendors

Equipment: Computer (desktop/laptop/tablet) and communications technology equipment including software, office equipment (copy machine, fax, etc.), e-mail, and voice mail.

Decision Making: Work is assigned by Principal and by self. Requires strong judgement, quick decision making, analytical skills, and tact to determine urgency of a situation and appropriate action within school and district policies and procedures, oftentimes in absence of the supervisor. Decision making may require collaboration with administrators, staff, parents and/or students. Errors in decision making could lead to loss of confidence and/or impact the image of the school and/or district. Collaborates with Board of Directors, Principal and administrative staff in decision making.

Community Relations: Regular contact with families and school leaders to exchange information, advise, build partnerships, and advise in service to EA Mission, Vision, and Values. Requires tact and diplomacy to maintain relationships, resolve problems, negotiate matters, including those requiring a high degree of confidentiality.

Span of Control: No direct reports.

Complexity of Work: Requires analytical skills, independent thinking, considerable judgment, and the ability to forecast financial models with multiple variables. Must manage personnel and physical plant. Must have a strong understanding of School, District, and Charter culture and current political and economic climate.

The physical demands, work environment factors, and mental functions described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, talk or hear, and taste or smell. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Mental Functions: While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly is required to compare, analyze, communicate, evaluate, use interpersonal skills, compile, and negotiate. The employee frequently is required to copy, instruct, compute, and synthesize.

Work Environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Excel Academy is committed to equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons, without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, membership or non- membership in any organization, physical handicap, medical condition, or age, to the extent required by law. This applies to all employment practices, including hiring, promotions, training, disciplinary action, termination, and benefits.

Direct Report(s):       None; provides feedback to supervisor of paraprofessional(s)