Project SEARCH Instructor

Project SEARCH Instructor

Bessemer City School System

Title: Project SEARCH Instructor

Reports to: Director of Special Education

Job Goal:

Qualifications: Professional Educator License issued by the Alabama State Board of Education

Work Knowledge:

• Knowledge of a variety of student disabilities or circumstances that may impact performance in various work settings.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Excellent organizational skills
• Ability to self-direct and to make decisions in the absence of a supervisor.
• Computer skills including word processing, databases, and PowerPoint.
• Independent work ethic for self-management skills.
• Utilizes sound judgement and decision-making skills.
• Work as a productive team member with families, affiliate schools, and agency personnel.
• Ability and willingness to tolerate light to moderate activity to include extended periods of standing or walking depending on demands of each site.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Participate in trans-disciplinary meetings, multidisciplinary staffing, annual EP meetings, parent conferences, and faculty meetings.
• Implement student IEPs utilizing teaching methods, materials, and adaptations appropriate to meet individual student needs.
• Instruct students on employability skills such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, grooming, budgeting, and self-advocating, and correlate instructional content with training and student career objectives.
• Collaborate with team members to develop and modify goals & objectives on student EPs. Ensure that goals/ objectives on student IEPs. Ensure that goals/objectives are outcome-based, longitudinal, measurable, and aligned with Alabama State Learning Standards when appropriate.
• Monitor and record daily attendance at work sites, teach students to inform departments of absences/tardiness independently.
• Demonstrate a consistent method of assessing student growth using clear criteria congruent with student goals. Collect and summarize performance data on an ongoing basis.
• Coordinate travel training (when appropriate) through public transportation or teach students to access private transportation independently.
• Develop work portfolios for each student to include credentialing of skills attained, letters of recommendation from internship sites. etc.
• Develop linkage among other agencies to ensure a effective transition from school to work or from current placement to successful community employment.
• Coordinate internal job placement opportunities within the host business and resulting accommodations and necessary job support for students.
• Develop a job development training plan with students and appropriate support personnel.
• Attend appropriate project SEARCH team meetings.
• Plan and implement monthly progress meetings for each student participant with appropriate parties.
• Schedule, plan, and implement monthly written communication with parents and other parties.
• Schedule, plan, and implement Open House to publicize the program and recruit potential students.
• Coordinate with job coaches for student internship sites and competitive placements.
• Communicate regularly with business liaison and job coaches for student progress and issues.
• Knowledgeable of Project SEARCH model fidelity.
• Reports program needs to host business liaison,
• Keeps adequate supplies available to function effectively.
• Adheres to and promotes safety standards (i.e.., fire, tornado, accident reports, etc.) and acts on the legal responsibilities concerning the safety and welfare of the students.
• Keep files up to date with all appropriate forms and information. Follows guidelines in file organization, consumer input, confidentiality, etc.
• Participate in professional growth activities such as conferences, in-services, etc.

Shared Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist with public relations activities to promote the Project SEARCH program/ assist with and attend any open houses to market the program.
• Identify internship sites within the host site; work with the business liaison to perform specific job analysis task analysis to provide various work experience to build marketable, competitive skills leading to employment.
• Assist with the selection and interview process of identifying appropriate students with disabilities for Project SEARCH program (ages 18-21, last year of high school).
• Conduct intake meetings to assess student's general needs and employment goals, career interests, and personal job preferences to match and determine appropriate department internship placement and individual learning styles.
• Attend job orientation with the student and clarify information with the student as necessary.
• Learn the internship duties and make appropriate accommodations, adaptations, or modifications (label cabinets, simplify written instructions, etc...) necessary to the thriving independently completion of the job on behalf of the student at work sites.
• Provides individualized job coaching through systemic instruction to the student.
• Teach the essential tasks/duties/core skills of the internship job.
• Develop work portfolios for each student on skills attained, assist students in securing letters of recommendation from internship site.
• Communicate with all Project SEARCH staff regarding any issues that may affect students participating in the program.
• Work as a team with other Project SEARCH staff.
• Attend host site orientation, be familiar with and adhere to and promote the standards of the host business and the safety standards and procedures, be a positive role model to students in following these standards.
• Be knowledgeable of the Model Fidelity used to implement Project SEARCH; use this as a guide to provide services to the students participating in the program.
• Participate in Monthly Steering Committee related to Project SEARCH.
• Maintain an appropriate and professional demeanor towards co-workers, visitors, students, supervisors, and all others you have contact with while working with the Project SEARCH program.

Terms of Employment: The Project SEARCH Instructor will work by the school calendar.

Evaluation: Performance evaluation will be conducted according to the local school system policy on professional staff.