What are the responsibilities and job description for the 24-25 - Doyle - Orientation and Mobility Specialist Teacher - 1.0 FTE (40 hpw) position at mmsd?
MMSD is seeking highly motivated and energetic teacher applicants for openings for the 2024-2025 school year. The Madison Metropolitan School District actively seeks and encourages women and candidates of color to apply.
Becoming a Model School District
The Madison Metropolitan School District is committed to being anti-racist, culturally responsive, and inclusive. We have a simple but bold vision — to ensure that every school is a thriving school, fostering the growth of every student so they graduate from high school ready for college, career and community.
Our strategy is captured in our strategic framework, and centers on three major goals: that all children achieve academically, that our schools are places where children and adults thrive, and that our Black youth excel at school. To achieve this vision, we seek to retain staff in all positions, who are committed to being anti-racist, culturally responsive, and inclusive. Staff who will actively contribute to our ongoing commitment to making MMSD a thriving, welcoming environment for all students, families and staff.
We firmly believe and are here to create a work environment that is challenging and rewarding, while supporting you in your career path. We aim to foster, cultivate, and retain a skilled workforce that supports and mirrors the diversity of our student population.
We know this vision doesn't come to life without dynamic leaders in every school. For more information on our teacher screening and selection process, please visit our TEACH Madison webpage.
About Our District
The Madison Metropolitan School District is the second largest school district in Wisconsin. The district serves a beautifully diverse population of more than 27,000 students. More than half are students of color. Almost half come from low income households. Nearly one third are English Language Learners, and more than 100 languages are represented in our schools. Madison schools are committed to making this district a place where every child thrives.
Purpose of Position:
Orientation & Mobility Specialists (O&M Specialist) are an integral part of a team of educators, family, and others that supports students who experience a range of vision loss. The primary role of the O&M Specialist is teaching specialized skills to students who are visually impaired, with or without other disabilities, that facilitate their access to and travel within educational and community environments.
Supervisory Responsibilities: None
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Assess functional independent travel skills and abilities of students who are or are suspected of having a vision impairment, following the professional guidelines of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Provide written reports to and participate collaboratively in Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and/or Section 504 meetings to establish eligibility, determine disability-related needs, develop IEP goals, and establish the need for special education and related services, accommodations and/or modifications.
Provide orientation and mobility instruction and consult services as described in the IEP or 504 Plan of students assigned to caseload.
Work as a team with regular and special educators to ensure that Supplemental Aids & Services and Program Modifications are provided to students.
Train SEA’s and other staff to support students’ orientation & mobility needs in educational environments.
Procure materials and equipment needed to meet individual student needs for orientation & mobility within the environments necessary for the student to access instruction.
Progress monitor students’ development toward IEP goal attainment and, in collaboration with other team members, adjust services as needed to ensure progress toward goals.
Support students, families and staff to effectively use Assistive Technology and adapted instructional technology. Monitor the use of and working condition of AT and troubleshoot and correct challenges.
Collaborate with classroom teachers and other educators to optimize orientation and mobility for students with VI in the educational setting.
Facilitate practices that promote inclusion across school environments and design instruction to develop student independence toward college and career readiness.
Support students and families to locate outside resources that provide services to people who have vision impairments as needed across the age span of preschool through post-secondary.
Build classroom and school culture through the reinforcement of social emotional learning skills, behavioral expectations and practice of pro-active engagement strategies with all students.
Promote the continual improvement of the Vision Department’s capacity to serve students and families by engaging in professional activities that enhance personal professional development.
Complete all necessary documentation and paperwork, including (but not limited to) IEP’s, Evaluation Reports, Quarterly Progress Updates and 504 Plans.
Employees with disabilities must meet qualification standards that are job-related and consistent with business necessity and must be able to perform the “essential functions” of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation
