Middle School Resource Teacher

Our district has a mid-year vacancy due to a military reassignment. While we will miss our team member - we are seeking candidates to fill this resource room special education position at our middle school (https://pio.steilacoom.k12.wa.us/). This position will be part of a team of four experienced special education teachers!

Interested? Learn More Here: https://www.steilacoom.k12.wa.us/Page/9334

Essential Responsibilities and Duties
Special education teachers are primarily responsible for supporting effective teaching and learning for students with disabilities based on IEP goals in an inclusionary environment. This description represents the key areas of responsibilities - specific other duties may be assigned.

Student Learning and Growth

• Creates a differentiated learning environment that supports individual learning, positive social interactions, and active engagement.
• Designs a structured environment with individualized schedules, work systems, and visual structures for materials in tasks and activities.
• Serves as IEP case managers and collaborates with families to create and implement individualized plan focusing on student strengths.
• Provides intervention appropriate to the age and learning needs of each individual student, selected through an evidence-based decision-making process.
• Gathers and interprets individual student data to evaluate progress toward IEP goals.
• Emphasizes classroom-based service delivery models and approaches.

Safe and Positive Learning Environment

• Communicates clear expectations and creates a learning environment with genuine care, respect, and belief in students' capabilities.
• Maintains an orderly and purposeful learning environment that facilitates student learning.
• Plans for students who exhibit unsafe stress responses.
• Assists students and families in finding ways to develop a positive sense of identity with their school environment, including involving families in school events.
• May assist students with common daily tasks, including personal care.

Consultation and Collaboration

• Collaborates with multiple paraeducators assigned to support and deliver services to students within the classroom.
• Consults and collaborates with other educators at IEP and 504 meetings, system intervention meetings, and school attendance conferences to support students.
• Provides inclusion support by supporting classroom teachers through co-planning, development of instructional materials, and collaborative assessment of student work.
• Supports building-level professional development for colleagues working with students with disabilities.
• Serves as an engaged member of school-based system intervention meetings to identify and scaffold support for students.

Minimum Qualifications and Skills

• Successful experience or demonstrated commitment toward working with culturally and racially diverse students, families and communities.
• Successful completion of a teacher certification program at an accredited college or university and valid Washington state certification with endorsements in Special Education.
• Knowledge of strength-focused instructional strategies for students that promotes autonomy, cooperation and student voice.
• Experience or skill in creating a caring classroom environment that is orderly, purposeful and facilitates student learning.
• Experience or skill in planning, preparing and delivering differentiated instruction that facilitates active learning.
• Experience supporting adult learners about best instructional strategies for students with disabilities, including recognition of the role anxiety may play in a student’s progress with services.
• Demonstrated skill or experience supporting and contributing to the success of students with disabilities, including supporting students who exhibit unsafe stress responses.
• Understanding of how injustice or racial inequity may impact students and families experience with school and special education.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with others.
• Experience or skill in leading, scheduling and supporting para-educators assigned to the classroom.
• Strong relationship building skills to work with other educators and partners to provide services.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, work effectively under pressure, and remain flexible.
• Ability to maintain records with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to meet and maintain punctuality and attendance expectations.

Desired Qualifications and Skills:

• Training or experience with Right Response or desire to be trained.
• Experience and training in identifying and responding to anxiety in children.
• Training or experience in pro-neurodiversity-focused approaches or a desire to be trained.
• Experience working with military-connected students and families.
• Bilingual skills.

Physical and Environmental Requirements:

The district is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities to access the physical and environmental requirements of this position.

This position typically requires: stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, finger dexterity, grasping, talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motions. This position may be exposed to prolonged exposure to visual display terminals as required. Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally works in outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals. It may be expected that the individual could be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials during the course of their duties. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but can be loud on occasion.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $67,338.00 - $126,919.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Salary : $67,338 - $126,919