25-26 Special Education Teacher – Special Education Therapeutic Program (SEEK)

Special Education Teacher – Special Education Therapeutic Program (SEEK)

General Description:   The special education teacher in the Somerville Public Schools (SPS) maintains the safety, care, and wellbeing of the students that they are charged with. They have an understanding of child and youth development and provide opportunities for learning and social and emotional development following the standards, scope, and sequence of grade level and content areas. The special education teacher in SPS holds high expectations for every student and strives to know each student’s unique learning strengths and needs. The special education teacher uses differentiated instruction strategies to ensure equitable and meaningful access to the curriculum and learning for all students.

Responsibilities include: 

The special education teacher in a therapeutic classroom is responsible for the classroom and/or specific learning environment including planning, preparation, and organization of instructional materials for delivery of the curriculum in a multi-grade classroom.  A therapeutic classroom is a specialized educational setting designed to support students who have social, emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges that interfere with learning in a traditional classroom. These classrooms blend education with mental health support, creating a nurturing environment that promotes both academic and emotional growth. The special education teacher is responsible for providing a learning environment that is a structured, supportive environment designed to establish clear classroom norms, routines, and expectations to reduce anxiety and promote stability  The special education teacher collaborates with other educators (general education teachers, counselors, paraprofessionals, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) and communicates on an ongoing basis with all adults who share responsibility for their students’ learning. The teacher establishes a relationship with the parents and caregivers of their students and maintains two-way communication about progress in learning and social development.

1. Plans units and lessons and delivers instruction aligned to State standards and district
2. Creates classroom curriculum and learning opportunities that build and strengthen students social, emotional and behavioral regulation skills. 
3. Creates learning opportunities that provide for learning coping strategies, emotional regulation, and interpersonal skills.
4. Provides ongoing formative and summative assessments and analyzes assessment data in order to determine the learning needs of students.
5. Adapts curriculum and instruction at multiple grade levels to teach all students according to their varied learning strengths and needs.
6. Establishes and maintains culturally responsive and two-way communication with parents, guardians, and caregivers.
7. Collaborates with other educators for the delivery of specialized instruction and/or social and emotional support according to students’ needs.
8. Follows the guidance and direction of the School Principal and other school and district administrators to maintain a safe, welcoming, culturally affirming, and equitable learning
9. Participates in professional growth opportunities, reflects on current practices, and incorporates new methodologies into instructional planning and delivery.
10. Provides a therapeutically trauma informed responsive classroom that responds to students social/emotional and behavioral needs while maintaining a safe, respectful and supportive learning environment. 
11. Directs paraprofessional staff in implementation of student’s individual behavior intervention plans Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) and in collecting data regarding student progress behaviorally. 
12. Additional duties as assigned by the Principal/Supervisor and in accordance with the Somerville Education Union’s (SEU) Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Qualifications:

1. Appropriate Department of Elementary and Secondary Educator's license in the field or
2. subject for this position
3. DESE SEI endorsement Required
4. Bilingual Educator Preferred
5. Experience Teaching in Therapeutic Programming Preferred

Terms of Employment: 

Optional Work Schedules:

184 days (School Year Schedule) or 

209 days (School Year schedule 184 days and additional work days include 25 days outside of the regular school year which would include Special Education Summer School Programs.

Reports to:  School Principal and Director of Special Education

The Somerville Public School does not discriminate in its programs, facilities or employment of educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, age, religion, disability, pregnancy, home status, marital/civil union status, sex/gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, citizenship status, place of birth, national origin, ancestry, cultural identity, genetics or military status, and does not tolerate any form of retaliation, or bias-based intimidation, threat or harassment that demeans individuals' group or interferes with their ability to learn or work.