Special Education Teacher - Elementary - Resource Room .50 FTE

Position:            Special Education Teacher - Resource Room (.5 FTE or 1/2 Time)

Location:            Paris Ridge Elementary School

Reports To:        Building Principal

Certification:      Elementary Certification - Must be endorsed in one area of special education

Compensation:  Per Bargaining Unit Agreement

Start Date:         As Available

Summary of Position:

Teachers are responsible for creating a positive learning climate with a focus on student growth and achievement.  They employ a variety of instructional techniques and strategies to meet the different learning styles and interests of students.

Essential Functions:

(The following list is illustrative only and is not a comprehensive list of all functions and duties performed by employees in this position.  Regular attendance is an essential function of this job.)

• Plan, prepare, and deliver instructional activities that facilitate active learning experiences for students
• Ensure students are engaged in the learning process
• Create a safe and supportive learning environment for all students
• Plan and implement district curriculum
• Modify curriculum and accommodate student needs, as necessary, to ensure student success in general and special education settings
• Use formative and summative district assessments
• Develop and provide individualized instruction based on students’ IEP goals and transition-related needs
• Model effective strategies to other staff to help individual students maintain satisfactory classwork, social interaction, and behavior; monitor implementation to ensure fidelity
• Help facilitate a building Peer to Peer program; manage classroom peer supports
• Implement Explicit Instructional Strategies
• Work as a team with related service providers to ensure strong pedagogical practices
• Complete Functional Behavioral Assessments and Implement Positive Behavioral Support Plans
• Communicate clear learning targets, goals, and scales to students and parents
• Adapt instruction to meet the needs of all students
• Sequence content at an appropriate pace
• Use an appropriate level of questioning to promote understanding
• Relate lesson content to prior learning and individual student goals
• Appropriately recognize and reinforce individual student effort
• Monitor students’ academic, social, behavioral, and transition progress to ensure the implementation of instructional best practices
• Determine specific learning problems, skill deficiencies, or social adjustment difficulties of students and initiate remediation programs in these areas.
• Evaluates student progress based on observation, formative assessments, and summative assessments
• Determines goals, objectives, and starting points for instruction
• Complete special education paperwork following district, ISD, state, and federal guidelines
• Demonstrate effective case management including coordination with parents, teaching staff, and service providers
• Establish strong classroom routines, procedures, and structure
• Develop strong working relationships with paraeducators that ensure consistency among staff and student interactions
• Implement strong engagement strategies
• Develop and implement strategies to address both expected and unexpected behaviors
• Develop and implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports 
• Demonstrate effective organization skills; have all materials, equipment, etc., ready for immediate use
• Carry out smooth and effective transitions (e.g., from one activity to another, as students enter and leave the room)

Other Duties:

• Effectively communicate with parents regularly via phone or email
• Participate and parent meetings, IEPs, and Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Attend staff, committee, grade-level, department meetings, and others as assigned by the principal
• Collaboratively work with colleagues and as part of a team
• Promote the vision and mission of Caledonia Community Schools positively at all times
• Duties as assigned by the building principal or director

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, talk, hear (in a quiet or noisy environment). The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust/focus.

Work Environment:

The noise level in the work environment is usually loud to moderate. Work is performed indoors although there will be required outdoor activities. The employee is directly responsible for the safety, well-being, and work output of students.

Non-Discrimination

Caledonia Community Schools does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, (including sexual orientation and transgender identity), disability, age, religion, height, weight, marital or family status, military status, ancestry, genetic information, or any other legally protected category, (collectively, "Protected Classes"), in its programs and activities, including employment opportunities