After School Arts for Learning Academy (ASALA) - Lead Special Educator

2024-2025 AFTER SCHOOL ARTS FOR LEARNING ACADEMY (ASALA) - LEAD SPECIAL EDUCATOR

About Arts for Learning Maryland

Arts for Learning Maryland (formerly Young Audiences of Maryland) is devoted to enriching the lives and education of Maryland's youth through educational and culturally diverse arts programs. Through Arts for Learning, professional teaching artists from all disciplines partner with educators, schools, and school districts to provide on average over 560,000 hours of learning in, through, and about the arts to more than 155,000 Maryland students annually.

Arts for Learning is a mission-driven organization that values community, innovation, and passion. The staff, board, and teaching artists have a shared commitment to advance equity in the field of education by working tirelessly to generate opportunities for students to imagine, create, and realize their full potential through the arts

About the After School Arts for Learning Academy (ASALA)

Baltimore City Schools' After School Arts for Learning Academy (ASALA) program, operated by Arts for Learning Maryland (A4L), offers students an opportunity to imagine, create, and express who they are through the arts. This is an action-packed, four-day-a-week, three-hour-per-day program that introduces students to a wide variety of art forms—from illustration and spoken word to percussion, drama, and dance—and gives students a chance to work alongside other students from across the city and be taught by professional artists. Daily literacy and math classes are co-planned by a teacher and professional teaching artist, allowing students to experience reading, writing, and math like never before…through the arts! Arts for Learning will host five program sites throughout the City. Each site will host up to 156 students, and teachers and artists will work with groups of up to 26 students.

Mission, Core Values, and Anti-racist Practices :

The mission of the After School Arts for Learning Academy (ASALA) is to provide students with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend time learning from the best teachers and teaching artists our state has to offer. Through a dynamic, creative, and supportive environment, students will explore math and literacy in a unique arts-integrated environment that allows them to develop socially and emotionally, expands their personal creative process, and introduces them to many different art forms taught by professional artists.

We...

believe unwaveringly that ALL students can achieve high standards in and through the arts;provide opportunities for students to develop powerfully articulate voices through art forms and honor their creative processes along the way;create safe, brave, inclusive learning environments for students to grow, make mistakes, and contribute to the community;collaborate and reflect by learning from and with each other at every step of the process, cultivating positive relationships between all ages;encourage the development of critical thinking, problem solving, inquiry, imagination, and creativity, and provide multiple ways for students to demonstrate knowledge and mastery;learn about, honor, and leverage the cultural knowledge, experiences, and frames of reference of our students and community to make learning more relevant and effective;ensure that our students are known, loved, supported, celebrated, and valued;create inclusive environments where all students' unique gifts and talents are discovered and cultivated, and where students' identities (racial, cultural, social, gender, etc.) are reflected all around them and matter through acknowledgement and affirmation;examine biases and understand the concepts of institutional and structural racism and its impact on policies and practices, especially related to the administration of public education;have a passion for students : an ability to build meaningful relationships and a desire to “go above and beyond” to create homeplaces where Black joy is cultivated and thrives and;commit to seeing families as partners in education and communicating with them regularly.

Job Description :

The ASALA Lead Special Educator is a part-time, non-exempt position that will report to the IEP Chair and Site Director. The ASALA Lead Special Educator is key to ensuring rigorous and meaningful learning in both literacy and math at ASALA sites. Lead Special Educators will provide push-in and pull-out support and services to students with IEPs and are responsible for both providing reasonable accommodations and carrying out IEP goals for specific students. In addition to serving specific students with IEPs, Lead Special Educators are expected to support all students with special needs regardless of IEP status and are required to provide coaching, support, and strategies to teachers, teaching artists, and paraeducators in meeting the needs of all students. Additionally, Lead Special Educators will manage the team of paraeducators at their site to ensure that they are in the best position to meet the needs of our students.

Responsibilities Include : Lead Special Educators will serve as the special education lead at a site and will provide push-in and pull-out support and services to students with IEPs.Provide direct instructional services to students with disabilities based on their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or other identified special needs.Develop, adapt, modify, and individualize educational materials, resources, techniques, methods, and strategies to meet the needs of students with disabilities within the ASALA framework.Maintain appropriate records and documents the prescriptive progress of special education children in both the special and regular education programs based on established instructional objectives.Work with parents of special education children to ensure ongoing communication and instructional support systems.Coordinate instructional activities and collaborate with other professional staff–both school and non school-based–as required to maximize learning opportunities.Assign work to and oversee paraeducators in the buildings.Support or participate in school-wide student activities and social events.Monitor student behavior in non-instructional areas as assigned or required and intervene to control and modify disruptive behavior, reporting to administrators as appropriate.Demonstrate the use of both traditional and innovative instructional methodologies in working with various sub-groups within the populations of students with disabilities.Lead Special Educators are responsible for creating a positive culture and climate within their classroom and are responsible for handling any issues (including disciplinary issues) within the parameters of site procedures.Build relationships with students, staff, and parents, and create a positive, supportive community within the classroom and site.Attend all professional development and planning meetings as instructed by the Site Director.Complete or oversee the completion of all required paperwork as assigned by the Site Director and IEP Chair, including student attendance records, student pre- and post- surveys or assessments, student observation rubrics, student progress reports, etc.Engage parents, guardians, and families effectively, including responding to family inquiries in a timely manner, and contacting parents / guardians to provide progress updates, share challenges or address disciplinary concerns.Assist with the preparation and planning of the final student culminating showcase.Collaborate with and provide support for various partnerships and external stakeholders.Collect photos and samples of student work and assist site admin with the creation of the ASALA yearbook.Submit verbal and written reports as required.Administer student program evaluations when needed.

Qualifications :

Special education certification. Teachers with special education certifications are also encouraged to apply as general classroom teachers.A passion for students : an ability to build meaningful relationships, and a desire to “go above and beyond” to ensure each student's success.A strong interest (with experience preferred) in arts integration and co-teaching.A strong desire to fully integrate into a non-traditional learning environment where flexibility is strongly valued and where new and innovative ideas are not only cultivated but expected from all staff.Willingness to use either the school office landline or their personal cell phone (number blocking is acceptable) to contact parents as needed.Knowledge of federal laws protecting the educational services for students with disabilities.Ability to select instructional planning, management, and evaluation procedures that relate to student needs and the demands of the instructional environment.Ability to apply knowledge of current research and theory to instructional programs.Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with students, peers, and parents.An ability to attend and engage in all required training and program dates.An ability to create inclusive environments where all students' unique gifts and talents are discovered and cultivated, and where students' identities (racial, cultural, social, gender, etc.) are acknowledged, affirmed, and reflected around them.An ability to examine biases and an understanding of the concepts of institutional and structural racism and its impact on policies and practices, especially related to the administration of public education.A commitment to seeing families as partners in education and communicating with them regularly.

Required Dates, Times, and Working Hours :

To be considered for employment, staff must be able to commit to attending all training and program days listed below.

Program Dates and Details (subject to change based on site) :

The program will operate Monday-Thursday from 2 : 30-6 : 45 PM (program times could alter depending on site).Lead Special Educators hours are Monday-Thursday from 2 : 30-6 : 45 PM (times subject to change based on site but 3.5 hours per day is the requirement) and arrive 15 minutes prior to the program start time. One 30-minute staff meeting per week.2 hours of planning time per week.

Time Off :

Grant- and special-funded staff, hired for short-term assignments, internships, and as temporary project-based staff, are not eligible to accrue paid time off, however Sick and Safe leave is available to these employees. Sick and Safe Leave is accrued at a rate of one hour for every thirty hours worked and begins accruing on day one of employment. Employees may use the leave in increments of 1 hour or greater. Employees will be paid at their current regular rate for each accrued Sick and Safe Leave hour used.

Employees who have questions about Sick and Safe Leave, including (i) their eligibility for Sick and Safe Leave; (ii) when Sick and Safe Leave may be used; and (iii) the amount of available Sick and Safe Leave should promptly contact the People Operations Department (pops@artsforlearningmd.org)

Compensation :

The After School Arts for Learning Academy (ASALA) Lead Special Educator position is a part-time non-exempt, temporary position and is not eligible for employee benefits.This position is paid an hourly rate of 53.18 / hr. To Apply :

For consideration, please apply on our website, https : / / artsforlearningmd.org / . Please do not send applications that include headshots or photos of yourself. No phone calls or recruiters, please. All employees will be subject to a federal and state background check in accordance with state and federal law.

Arts for Learning Maryland is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to cultivating a diverse workforce and equitable workplace. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, national origin, veteran status, and disability. All qualified applications will be given equal opportunity.

PI261497019