Special Education Teacher

Are you ready to make a real difference?

If you're passionate about supporting students with special needs and want to be part of a school that values heart, collaboration, and innovation just as much as experience—The Phoenix Center might be your perfect match.

We're currently hiring Special Education Teachers who are energized by purpose, driven by community, and ready to help students thrive both in and beyond the classroom.

As featured on News12, USA Today, and in Autism Parenting Magazine, The Phoenix Center is a nationally recognized, New Jersey-based private, not-for-profit school serving students ages 5–21 with autism, multiple disabilities, and intellectual challenges. We offer customized, hands-on programs that integrate education and therapy and are rooted in compassion, creativity, and care.

What sets us apart?

• A vibrant, award-winning culture grounded in the FISH! Philosophy—where staff are encouraged to be present, choose their attitude, make someone’s day, and play.

• A deeply supportive environment where leadership believes in team-based problem solving, professional growth, and ensuring that teachers are never left to “figure it out” alone.

• A school community where 42% of our staff have stayed for 5+ years—a powerful testament to the connection, care, and culture we’ve built together.

As a Special Education Teacher, you’ll work as part of a multidisciplinary team—including behaviorists, social workers, therapists, and paraprofessionals—to create individualized, developmentally appropriate lesson plans aligned with each student's IEP and the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS). You'll play a key role in helping our students develop life-centered skills that prepare them for success far beyond the classroom.

Whether you bring years of experience or are new to the field and full of heart—you’ll find purpose, partnership, and possibility here.

Visit our website or download our brochure to learn more about our programs, culture, and the life-changing work we do every day: thephoenixcenternj.org

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Educational planning and implementing lessons based on student IEP's. Lessons should be developmentally appropriate, age-appropriate and must align with NJSLS (New Jersey Student Learning Standards).

• Meeting and communicating with parents to report on educational progress at least two times a year. Daily email communication with families is also required. 

• Managing a team of paraprofessionals, which includes overseeing their daily classroom interactions, providing leadership as well as fostering a mutually respectful and engaging educational environment.  

• Meet with child study teams during the course of the year to help determine the child's IEP, and to report on student achievement.

• Meeting with related service providers so that they may appropriately reinforce in class those goals and activities designed by these specialists.

• Attend unit and Professional Learning Community Meetings (PLC).

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from accredited college or university with special education emphasis.

• NJDOE Certification as Teacher of Students with Disabilities or Teacher of the Handicapped and K-5/K-6 Elementary or Middle School Certificate.

• Experience with individuals with autism and multiple disabilities is a plus.

Benefits Overview

We provide extraordinary ongoing support and guidance from a supervisor, curriculum specialist, mentor, and BCBA perspective. You are never left to ‘’figure it out’’ on your own.

We offer health insurance from day one, a tuition reimbursement waiting period of only 6 months, enhanced FSA and dependent care FSA enrollment, and a $1000 signing bonus!

HEALTH INSURANCE

• Medical/Prescription coverage with Horizon OMNIA (in network only)

• Dental coverage with Delta Dental

• Vision coverage with EyeMed

• Health insurance may be waived with proof of existing coverage. Waiver rebate of $3,500 per year.

• Employer Paid Life and long term disability coverage

   

  • EAP (Employee Assistance Plan)

  • Life Services Toolkit

  • Travel Assistance

• Flexible Spending Accounts for unreimbursed medical expenses and dependent care expenses.

PAID TIME OFF

• Sick days earned @1 per month (maximum of 11 per year). Rollover if not used.

• Personal days @ 3 per year (prorated based on hire date).

• One floating day per year.

RETIREMENT PLAN

• 403(b) plan managed by Empower Retirement

• Employees can contribute immediately(pre-tax or Roth)

• TPC contribution once per year after meeting plan qualifications

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT

• Eligible after 6 months of employment for a total of six college credits per year

The Phoenix Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer