Early Childhood Special Education Teacher

Steamboat Springs School District is seeking a Early Childhood Special Education Teacher.  Qualified candidates must have a current Colorado Early Childhood Teaching License with Special Education license 0-21 (ECSE certification)

JOB GOAL:  
Coordinate all related Special Education services, Child Find services and CPP services for the Preschool facility.  Qualified candidates will be able to develop and implement a curriculum including lesson plans appropriate to the needs of typical, At-Risk, and Special Education students from 3 to 5 years who are enrolled in the CPP and district preschool, and meet with appropriate personnel on curriculum delivery. Coordinate overall classroom operations, including the scheduling of therapist groups, the daily routine, field trips and the class rosters. Implement the Special Education procedures for assessment, staffings, placement, documentation, and development of the Individual Educational Program (IEP); encourage parent involvement in the development of IEPs and provide information and resources to families as appropriate and perform other duties as assigned.

WORK YEAR: 185 Days/Year -Full time or .5 FTE considered. 

SALARY INFORMATION:

Placement is based on a maximum of 10 years of experience, verified full time teaching (not substitute) experience and education. $55,000.00 - $83,751.00 (PhD)
See salary schedule here

ESSENTIAL JOB ELEMENTS:

1. Provides direct services

• Demonstrates high expectations and a belief that all children can and will learn.
• Teaches approved district curriculum and/or life skills curriculum to meet individual education plan (IEP) goals.
• Collaborates to develop accommodations and modifications of curriculum, instruction, and environment increasing the probability of improvement in student performance, through individual student assessment and small group instruction.
• Uses appropriate, multiple measures of student achievement and performance to assess student progress in meeting individual education plan (IEP) goals.
• Teaches assigned modified classes.
• Promotes and maintains student behavior expectations conducive to learning and maximizing learning time.
• Adapts instruction to meet the learning needs of all students thus increasing the probability of advancing their achievement.

2. Provides assessment, staffing and reporting.

• Evaluates, helps determine eligibility, and provides appropriate services to students with disabilities.
• Maintains required and needed student special education records in an accurate, thorough, confidential and timely manner.
• Applies skills in observation, diagnosis, and data collection.
• Analyzes behaviors and applies a variety of interventions that facilitate positive behavioral changes.
• Identifies physical and emotional factors in the environment that impact student learning.
• Actively participates in staffings and helps develop student IEPs.
• Provides parents with written information regarding their child's progress toward meeting IEP goals on a schedule similar to that of their regular education peers.

3. Participates and collaborates.

• Collaborates with building and district leadership and SSP staff members to develop a special education program that provides the least restrictive environment for students with disabilities through a full spectrum of educational services and that enables students to obtain reasonable educational benefit.
• Communicate the needs of students with disabilities and collaboratively problem-solves with parents, teachers, administrators, and others.
• Trains, schedules, monitors, and evaluates available paraprofessionals and other available human resources.
• Collaborates and consults with general education teachers to develop accommodations and modifications of curriculum, instruction, and adjustments in environment increasing the probability of improvement in student performance.
• Assists in scheduling students into appropriate classes and/or programs.

4. Designs coherent instruction

• Designs instruction that is aligned to SSSD Curriculum Frameworks.
• Provides opportunities for students to develop declarative, procedural and conceptual understandings through varied instructional activities.
• Designs instruction so that authentic application and cross-curricular integration is evident.

5. Reflects on teaching and potential adjustments for future instruction.

• Accurately determines the extent to which instructional activities achieved learning goals and enduring understandings.
• Cites specific evidence to support this judgment.
• Analyzes the relationship between the instructional activities and individual students' level of success.
• Provides specific suggestions with rationale on how the lesson can be improved for whole class and individual students.

6. Provides instruction that is clear and accurate.

• Provides instruction that is clear and accurate and supports the development of procedural and/or declarative as well as conceptual understanding.
• Shares learning goals and/or essential questions with students.
• Paces lessons appropriately for grade level and content area and is adjusted for particular class and individual students' needs.

7. Provides instruction that includes multiple teaching strategies.

• Provides instruction utilizing multiple teaching strategies, aligned to SSSD Curriculum Frameworks.
• Uses differentiated teaching strategies are for particular class, content area and individual students.

8. Establishes an environment of learning as evidenced by students explaining their thinking.

• Establishes an environment where students are expected to explain their thinking in regards to procedural and declarative understanding as well as conceptual understanding and engage in discourse in ways that help them learn.

9. Provides feedback during instruction.

• Provides feedback on strengths and needs that is timely, accurate, specific, constructive and substantive.
• Makes provisions for whole class and individual students to use feedback in their learning.

10. Establishes and maintains effective classroom management for learning.

• Establishes and maintains a classroom environment in which students are engaged in learning opportunities and are supporting other students' opportunities to learn.

11. Assesses and provides feedback to students regarding their learning.

• Uses formative and summative assessments based on clear criteria tied to SSSD Curriculum Frameworks.
• Designs assessments to include evaluation of procedural and/or declarative as well as conceptual understanding and opportunities for students to explain their thinking.
• Designs assessments to provide opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding in varying ways.
• Provides feedback that is timely, accurate and specific in referencing strengths and weaknesses.
• Makes provisions for students to use feedback in their learning.

12. Adjusts ongoing instruction based on assessment data.

• Uses formative and summative assessments based on clear criteria tied to SSSD Curriculum Frameworks.
• Shares criteria with students at an appropriate time prior to assessment.
• Designs assessments to include evaluation of procedural and/or declarative as well as conceptual understanding and opportunities for students to explain their thinking.
• Designs assessments to provide opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding in varying ways.
• Provides feedback that is timely, accurate and specific in referencing strengths and weaknesses.
• Makes provisions for students to use feedback in their learning.

13. Exhibits Professional Citizenship

• Actively contributes to and supports school and/or district goals and priorities.
• Supports and cooperates with colleagues.
• Assumes leadership roles.

14. Demonstrates Professional Growth.

• Actively seeks out opportunities for professional development and growth.
• Shares and applies learning.
• Assumes leadership roles.

15. Other Preschool ECSE teacher duties:

• Implement appropriate curriculum including lesson plans
• Coordinate classroom operations, and activities for students on caseloads
• Assist with Colorado Preschool Program requirements
• Conduct and assist with Child Find activities including but not limited to: identification, screenings, evaluation and program implementation

 16. Other

• Complies with district and school policies and procedures
• Work with Principal, Preschool Director and CDHHS licensing to meet requirements for preschool license
• Ensures the accuracy, completeness, confidentiality, and security of all student information.
• Ability to maintain individual student records and class files.
• Ability to compile statistics for research and reports.
• Ability to discipline students in keeping with school and district procedures.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree from accredited institution.
• Valid/current Colorado teaching license/certificate with Early Childhood Special Education Endorsement "ECSE" required or able to secure by hire date
• Preschool Director qualifications strongly preferred
• Special Ed restraint process and CPI training current or willing to complete upon hire
• Previous early childhood teaching experience
• Possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills for interacting with administrators, teachers, students and families, and community members.
• Ability to conduct studies, prepare reports and make oral presentations.
• Computer knowledge and skills required in computer-related subjects, and computer literacy for other content areas.
• Some Spanish language knowledge and skill helpful

*This job description states general employment conditions and responsibilities for Special Education paraprofessionals and in no way changes or amends the District's policies, practices, or procedures regarding curriculum, educational methodology or practice, or policies regarding the education of exceptional children.Decision Making:  An example of a typical decision made by an individual in this position is to interpret policies/procedures and best practice.  An incorrect decision made by this position could impact the district legally causing financial condition of district to be effected. Errors made in decision-making could potentially result in substantial cost to the District or damage the credibility of the District.

Language Skills:  Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general professional journals, technical procedures and governmental regulations.  Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedural manuals.  Ability to effectively present information and respond professionally to questions from groups of parents, community members, commissions, colleagues and Board of Education.

Mathematical Skills:  ability to calculate figures and amounts such as interest, discounts, commissions, proportions, percentage, circumference, and volume.  Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra, and geometry

Reasoning Ability:  Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.  Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form, and deal with several abstract concrete variables. Ability to analyze and use data to supervise the delivery of instruction and the school improvement process.

Technology Skills:  Proficient use of technology which includes: basic operations and concepts, word processing, spread sheets, internet usage, critical evaluation of information, data analysis, email, integration of technology.

Other Skills And Abilities:  Ability to apply knowledge of current research and theory in education.  Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff and community.  Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both in oral and written form.  Ability to copy, coordinate, instruct, evaluate and negotiate.  Ability to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and Board of Education policies. Ability to discipline students consistent with district procedures.  Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Physical Demands:  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk, or hear.  The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms.  The employee must lift items weighing 50 pounds from floor level to an elevation of four feet. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:  The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The noise level in this environment is quiet to loud depending on the activity in the particular part of the day.

This information contained in this job description is for compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position.
 

EOE. All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a CBI/FBI background check.