Special Education Resource Room Teacher - Connors Elementary School

Special Education Teacher

Lewiston Public Schools

Position Summary

The Special Education Teacher plans instruction and adapts the educational program so students with disabilities can benefit from their educational experiences. Working in the resource room and alongside general education staff, the teacher delivers specially designed instruction, monitors student progress, and manages IEP paperwork and communication with families.

Essential Requirement: Availability

The employee must be available and able to work five (5) days per week, Monday through Friday, according to the Lewiston Public Schools schedule. This is an essential function of the position, not a preference.

Students' IEP services are scheduled on a set frequency, and special education timelines are set by federal and state law. Regular, predictable attendance is therefore required, along with weekly special education meetings, IEP meetings, and scheduled professional development.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Other duties may be assigned.

Instruction

1. Build trust and confidence with students.
2. Plan curriculum, lessons, special education programs, and teaching methods.
3. Instruct individuals and groups in special education skill areas.
4. Modify curriculum and provide accommodations so students can access grade-level learning.
5. Keep the classroom physically organized and set up for effective instruction.
6. Encourage good citizenship.

Assessment and progress monitoring

1. Administer educational testing for evaluations and progress monitoring [such as academic achievement assessments].
2. Monitor student progress in and outside the resource room.
3. Evaluate student progress based on work output and observation, and set goals, objectives, and next steps.

IEPs, records, and compliance

1. Serve as case manager for assigned students, and develop and carry out IEPs in compliance with IDEA and the Maine Unified Special Education Regulations (MUSER).
2. Prepare report cards, educational records, IEP forms, classroom observation records, and other required documents.
3. Participate in weekly building special education meetings and in IEP meetings.

Communication and collaboration

1. Maintain regular contact with students' parents.
2. Work with general education teachers, related service providers, and ed techs to support students across settings.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Supervises students. Directs the daily work of ed techs assigned to the teacher's students or classroom.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily, including the 5-day-per-week availability requirement. The requirements below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education, certification, and experience

• Bachelor's degree in education
• Experience in special education preferred
• Valid Maine teaching certificate (282)
• Completed criminal history record check (fingerprinting), as required by Maine law
• Available and able to work 5 days per week per the Lewiston Public Schools schedule

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Knowledge of IDEA, Section 504, and the Maine Unified Special Education Regulations (MUSER).
• Ability to write measurable IEP goals and use assessment and progress data to plan instruction.
• Ability to modify curriculum and teach students with a wide range of learning needs.
• Strong organizational skills to manage a caseload, paperwork, and legal timelines.
• Ability to build trusting relationships and communicate clearly with students, families, and colleagues.
• Ability to stay calm and use sound judgment when students are dysregulated or in crisis.
• Ability to perform duties in line with all district requirements and School Committee policies.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $45,518.26 to $85,857.57 annually, with placement on the teacher salary schedule based on education and experience, plus a stipend of $5,000 for Special Education designation and an additional $2000 stipend for placement within Day Treatment, Rise or FLS programming. Full-time employees receive a robust benefits package:

• Health insurance, with up to 85% of the premium paid by the employer
• Dental, vision, and life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Flexible spending and dependent care accounts
• Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), plus 403(b) and 457 plans
• 15 paid sick days per year
• Tuition reimbursement and more

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

The physical demands below are essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform them.

• Frequently stand, walk, and sit, and regularly talk and hear.
• Bend, kneel, and sit at floor level or in student-sized chairs to work with students.
• Move quickly to respond to students' safety needs in the classroom and throughout the building.
• Occasionally lift and move up to [25] pounds, such as books, materials, and equipment.
• [Perform the district's approved de-escalation and behavior response methods, as trained and certified.]
• Use close and distance vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Work takes place in the resource room, general education classrooms, and other school settings. The noise level is usually moderate. The teacher is responsible for the safety and well-being of students and regularly manages multiple demands from students, families, and staff.

ADA Statement

The information in this job description is provided for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed in this position. Employees in this role may perform additional duties, and additional duties may be assigned.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Lewiston Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer. It provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, age, ancestry, national origin, genetic information, protected veteran status, whistleblower activity, previous assertion of a workers' compensation claim, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, including the Maine Human Rights Act.

This policy covers all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Federal Nondiscrimination Notice

Lewiston Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs, activities, or employment. It provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. This notice is provided in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975.