Role and Responsibilities
Reporting to the Special Education Director and Principal, the PSOE Special Education Teacher provides support services, direct instruction, and supervision for students, staff, and parents. Support services include case management, referral coordination, case conference attendance, assessment, diagnostics, and reporting. This work takes place at the school site, in other public buildings, and in private residences as delegated. Additional responsibilities include student rostering/scheduling, maintaining and coordinating individual student Education Plans, Section 504 Plans, etc. They will ensure operational and functional knowledge of site-based special education services, state and federal special education law, FERPA and FAPE law, parent relations, behavioral management, documenting and reporting requirements, and process-driven accountability.
Responsibilities
- Provides direct support service to individual students, small groups, and classrooms.
- Utilizes data-driven instruction and PSOE educational frameworks to ensure delivery of standard’s driven instruction to all students in the special education program.
- Completes assessments, referrals, and conferences with students, staff, and families.
- Oversees implementation of BIP’s, FBA’s, IEP’s and 504 programs.
- Utilizes oversight by Special Education Director, school psychologist, and other subcontracted professional staff/outside agencies as needed to identify and understand strategies for support and instruction.
- Completes home or offsite visits as delegated.
- Develops and maintains family communication programs and community partnerships.
- Serves as a member of other school based behavioral/outreach teams.
- Provide direct service (and oversees Special Education team scheduling) to students in all push-in and pullout programs.
- Completes reports and follow-up documentation as required by Federal, State, and local agencies.
- Completes any additional reporting as requested by the Special Education Director.
- Foster effective teamwork between the school culture team and administration, and between the administration and school staff.
- Keeps updated and documented evidence as case files for all past and current cases.
- Contributes to a strong school education team: serves on school committees; seeks participation and involvement with direction for both ongoing local operations as well as state and federal obligations.
- Act as a professional advisor to the Special Education Director on all aspects of school special education activities.
- Abide by all PSOE frameworks as approved by the executive director and as noted in the staff handbook.
- Maintain ongoing, consistent communication and team behavior team leadership as noted in the school’s frameworks.
- Assume all roles as delegated for a variety of school functions for the purpose of managing the team workload more efficiently.
- Actively engage as a volunteer to energize board members, committees, stakeholders, partnering organizations, and funders.
- Utilize effective systems as delegated to troubleshoot problems, track progress, and regularly evaluate workflow components, so as to measure progress in a way that can be effectively communicated to the team lead.
Program planning and management
- Assist with the K-8 special education instructional program integration, and implementation with the assistance and direction of the Special Education Director, Curriculum Director and Principal.
- Contribute to the organization's mission and reflect the priorities of the school.
- Be prepared to assist in the planning, implementation, execution and evaluation of special projects.
- Assist with high school placement and transition plans for middle school special education students.
Human resources planning and management
- Establish a positive, healthy and safe work environment in accordance with all appropriate legislation and regulations including FERPA, FAPE, Section 504, and Special Education.
- Be prepared to assist all staff with elements of special education orientation and organization.
Qualifications and Education Requirements
The Special Education Teacher will be thoroughly committed to the PSOE mission. All candidates should have prior successful full-time special education experience in a similar setting. Concrete demonstrable experience and other qualifications include:
- Bachelor’s degree (masters preferred) in the field of special education.
- Certification in restraints/Non-Violent Crisis Intervention preferred.
- Unwavering commitment to quality programs and production.
- Excellence in organizational management, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, and set and achieve strategic objectives.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills.
- Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to planning.
- Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people.
- Passion, idealism, integrity, grit, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed.
- Annual training and/or professional development is required for all PSOE employees. Job-specific training is identified and scheduled by the School Principal or direct supervisor in partnership with Paramount C-suite.
Preferred Skills
- Proficiency in technology.
- Knowledge of leadership and management principles as they relate to charter schools.
- Knowledge of current community challenges and opportunities relating to the mission of the organization.
Additional Notes
Working Conditions and Physical Requirements: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Must have the ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time; exhibit manual dexterity to dial a telephone, to enter data into a computer; to see and read a computer screen and printed material with or without vision aids; hear and understand speech at normal classroom levels, outdoors and on the telephone; speak in audible tones so that others may understand clearly in normal classrooms, outdoors and on the telephone; physical agility to lift up to 25 pounds to shoulder height and 50 pounds to waist height; and to bend, stoop, sit on the floor, climb stairs, walk and reach overhead.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Duties are normally performed in a school/classroom environment. Duties may be occasionally performed on field trips away from school. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. While the Special Education Teacher usually works in standard workplaces, he/she will frequently be required to complete physical tasks in in a wide variety of locations within the school campus.
The Special Education Teacher works a standard workweek, but additionally may work evenings, weekends, and any additional hours necessary to accommodate activities such as committees, home visitations, fundraisers, public meetings, and representing the organization at public events.
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. The Special Education Teacher will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other related duties as assigned by the Principal or appropriate administrator. Paramount Schools of Excellence reserves the right to update, revise or change this job description and related duties at any time.
