Elementary Special Education Teacher - Rock Creek (School Year 2025-2026)

The Ankeny Community School District (CSD) is renowned for its excellence across academics, athletics, the arts, and various activities. Situated in central Iowa, just 6 miles from Des Moines, Ankeny CSD caters to over 12,800 students from preschool through 12th grade, making it the 7th largest district in the state. With a strong reputation for its commitment to student success and a competitive salary and benefits package, Ankeny CSD is a standout choice for both educators and families seeking a high-quality educational environment.

JDE: 4.09

Special Education Teacher

Purpose Statement

The position of  Special Education Teacher was established for the purpose of providing support to the instructional process by serving as a teacher with specific responsibility for developing special education students' success in academics, interpersonal skills and activities of daily living; supervising students within the classroom and other assigned areas; developing lesson plans and delivering group and individual student instruction within established curriculum guidelines: collaborating with other teachers, other professional staff, and administrators in addressing instructional and/or classroom issues; and responding to a wide range of inquiries from students’ parents or guardians regarding instructional program and student progress. 

Job Title:  Special Education Classroom Teacher 

Salary: See Teacher Salary Schedule  

Benefit Summary: C

Reports To:  Building Principal

Wage/Hour Status: Exempt

Required Qualifications:

• Iowa State Teacher License
• Bachelor’s degree in position related area
• Position related experience is preferred

Essential Functions 

Instructional Support

• Accommodates and/or modifies course content, in collaboration with general education teachers, for the purpose of providing students with specially designed instruction that addresses individualized learning plans.
• Delivers specially designed instruction for the purpose of improving student success in academic, interpersonal, and daily living skills through a defined course of study.  
• Demonstrates methods required to perform classroom and/or subject specific assignments for the purpose of providing an effective program that addresses individual student requirements. 
• Supports classroom teachers for the purpose of assisting them in the implementation of established curriculum and/or individual student plans. 

Assessment and Progress Monitoring

• Administers developmental testing programs, subject specific assessments, etc. for the purpose of assessing student competency levels and/or developing individual learning plans. 
• Assesses student progress towards objectives, expectations, and/or goals (e.g. behavioral, motor development and communication skills, academic needs, vocational abilities, etc.) for the purpose of providing feedback to students, parents, and administration. 
• Prepares a variety of written materials (e.g. adaptive materials, grades, attendance, anecdotal records, IEPS, behavior logs, etc.) for the purpose of documenting student progress and meeting mandated requirements. 

Behavior and Student Support

• Manages student behavior for the purpose of providing a safe and optimal learning environment.
• Counsels students for the purpose of improving performance, health status, problem solving techniques, and a variety of personal issues. 
• Monitors students in a variety of educational environments (e.g. classroom, playground, field trips, nap times, etc.) for the purpose of providing a safe and positive learning environment. 

Communication and Collaboration

• Advises parents and/or legal guardians of student progress for the purpose of communicating expectations, student's achievements, and developing methods for improvement and/or reinforcing classroom goals in the home environment. 
• Collaborates with instructional staff, other school personnel, parents, and a variety of community resources for the purpose of improving the overall quality of student outcomes and achieving established classroom objectives in support of the school improvement plan. 
• Responds to inquiries from a variety of sources (e.g. other teachers, parents, administrators, etc.) for the purpose of resolving issues, providing information and/or direction. 
• Participates in a variety of meetings, including lEPs, and 504 meetings for the purpose of conveying and/or gathering information required to perform functions. 

Student Health and Safety

• Administers, if nurse is not available, first aid and assistance to medically fragile children (e.g. tube feeding, toileting, diapering, etc.) for the purpose of providing appropriate care for children as assigned. 
• Reports incidents (e.g. fights, suspected child abuse, suspected substance abuse, etc.) for the purpose of maintaining personal safety of students, providing a positive learning environment and adhering to state and federal laws and school board policies.

Other Functions 

• Responds to emergency situations for the purpose of resolving immediate safety concerns and/or directing to appropriate personnel for resolution. 
• Directs paraprofessionals, student teachers, and/or volunteers for the purpose of providing an effective classroom program and addressing the needs of individual students. 
• Performs other related duties, as assigned, for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of the work unit. 

Working Environment 

Mental Demands/Physical Demands/Environmental Factors

The usual and customary methods of performing the position functions require the following physical demands:  significant lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, climbing, reaching, driving, standing and walking. Working conditions may include extreme temperatures and humidity.  Hazards may include exposure to communicable diseases. This position requires one to maintain emotional control under stress. 

Terms of Employment 

Work year established by the Superintendent; Salary according to schedule adopted annually.

Clearances

Criminal Justice Fingerprint/Background Clearance.

Evaluation 

Job performance will be evaluated annually, as per district policies and procedures.

The foregoing statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required.

Approved by:     Justin Mohr                                      Date: February 20th, 2025

Ankeny Community School District is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.  It is the policy of the District to provide equal employment opportunities and not to illegally discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, age or marital status in its employment and personnel practices.  The job categories where the representative groups are underrepresented.