Special Education Teacher

General Description

To manage a special education classroom including student instruction and assessment, data collection and analysis, staff training, and overall organizational behavior management. 

Essential Core Responsibilities

Instruction 80%

• Presents Instruction to students based on assessment data and IEP/IIP/VAAP/SOLs across the instructional day
• Assesses progress to inform the IEP and curricular goals
• Collects and analyzes student and staff data to inform programmatic and training needs
• Arranges the learning environment to maximize progress, independence, and safety
• Creates and uses functional, socially significant, and developmentally appropriate materials
• Conducts preference, educational, adaptive and other necessary assessments in preparation for instructional programming, IEP/IIP meetings, and classroom meetings

Organizational Behavior Management 10%

• Provides staff training using the TPRA/AILC Observations and individual/group meetings
• Writes IEP/IIP goals, performance descriptions, etc. based on assessment and student learning data
• Reports progress towards IEP/IIP/VAAP/SOL goals and objectives according to designated schedule
• Assesses skills and reports performance/progress for required student assessments (SOL,VAAP, etc.)
• Maintains students’ daily home/school communication books  
• Addresses parent and/or local educational agency concerns and brings them to the attention of the Program Supervisor and/or other administrator
• Follows protocols regarding supply requests and other administrative needs
• Maintains daily schedule of students to learning areas
• Ensures the planning of daily activities, including individual and group instructional sessions

Classroom Management 10%

• Expectations are clear, well communicated, and relate to the goals and objectives of the program
• Staff receive frequent, constructive feedback and reinforcement for successful completion of job duties
• Conduct regular classroom meetings, communicating any issues to Program Supervisor or other administrator
• Assures staff have the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to accomplish goals
• Provides parents and county educational personnel observational opportunities 
• Assures performance issues are addressed and documented as they occur according to Faison policies and procedures
• Conducts performance reviews for all staff under their supervision
• Safety issues are reviewed and communicated to assure a safe and healthy workplace
• Utilizes the progressive disciplinary model, addressing all concerns with staff members under their supervision in a timely manner
• Administers medication, following appropriate training, when needed
• Responds to crisis and medical emergency situations as necessary, following appropriate training

Experience Requirements

• Experience with and the ability to work with children with autism and their families
• Supervisory experience and excellent interpersonal skills 
• Knowledge of special education and applied behavior analysis curriculum and assessments
• Previous experience with teaching children with autism
• Teaching skills, analytic skills and experience managing classrooms for students categorized as: pre-listeners, listeners, speakers, speaker-listeners, reader-writers, self-managers and self-editors
• Specific knowledge and experience related to the teaching position applied for (see categories listed above).  

Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in related subject area required
• Master’s degree in special education or related field preferred
• Certification in Applied Behavior Analysis preferred 
• Hold or be eligible for special education teacher licensure in Virginia; once obtained, must maintain appropriate license to remain in position
• Maintains all necessary licensures and completes ongoing professional development training as assigned by supervisors

Essential Physical Requirements

• Lift 50 pounds (and keep back straight while doing so)
• Bend at all joints fluently
• Move in and out of and maintain a kneeling position for up to five minutes
• Reach in all directions
• Grasp using both hands  
• Move quickly in both confined and open spaces to avoid safety issues
• Run in order to retrieve an individual who is moving quickly away from staff 
• Maintain balance while lowering to a half squat position