Special Education Teacher for Life Skills Classroom

Southbridge Public Schools serve approximately 2,000 students across six schools—and we are in the midst of an exciting and measurable transformation. With support from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, we’re seeing real gains in student achievement and school culture. Twice recognized as a Gold-Level PBIS District, we’re proud of the academic growth our students are demonstrating and the positive momentum building across K–12. This progress is fueled by passionate educators, high-quality curriculum, targeted professional development, and an unwavering commitment to our students.

Many of our learners face significant challenges, but our educators don’t see limits—they see potential. We are a team that believes in the power of high expectations, strong relationships, and consistent support to drive student success. As we continue to accelerate our progress, we’re seeking educators who are committed, reflective, and ready to collaborate in a learning-focused, student-centered environment.

If you’re ready to make a meaningful difference and grow as part of a dedicated team, consider building your career with Southbridge Public Schools.

POSITION: Special Education Teacher for Life Skills Classroom

REPORTS TO: Building Principal and/or Special Education Supervisor

JOB DESCRIPTION: The Special Education Life Skills teacher provides instruction within a public school setting to students in grades 9-12 with significant cognitive and/or pervasive developmental disabilities. The needs of these students require a functional curriculum focused on the acquisition of daily living and vocational skills leading to a successful transition to adult life within the community.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develops short and long-range plans consistent with curriculum goals, learners’ diversity, and learning theory.
• Demonstrates working knowledge of current legislation, regulations, policies, and ethical issues related to the provision of educational services, including least restrictive environment, due process, assessment, discipline, transition, supplemental services and supports, specialized health care and assistive technology, to individuals with all types of disabilities across the age range.
• Understands issues in definition and identification procedures for individuals with disabilities, including those individuals from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds.
• Understands characteristics of individuals with disabilities across the age range, including levels of severity, multiple disabilities and their influence on development, behavior and learning; with knowledge about the impact of language disorders, processing deficits, intellectual abilities, behavioral/emotional/social disorders, and physical (including sensory) disabilities on learning and behavior.
• Understands the Common Core Standards and prepares effective instructional strategies and resources for teaching the scope and sequence in the academic, social, and vocational curricular domains in the general curriculum.
• Plans effective instructional strategies for adapting or modifying general curriculum to meet the needs of individual students, and strategies to implement and prioritize longitudinal, outcome-based curriculum, including social, language, academic, vocational skills, and life skill domains (i.e. domestic, recreation/leisure, vocational, and community).
• Utilizes specialized materials, equipment, and assistive technology for individuals with disabilities and understands the use of adaptive equipment for students with disabilities to plan and prepare for the integration of assistive and instructional technology to meet a student’s individual needs.
• Prepares and utilizes assessment methodologies to adapt for individual students as appropriate, including physical adaptations to meet a student's individual needs.
• Maintains and inventories curriculum and assistive/adaptive technology.
• Plans and prepares for IEP and parent meetings.
• Understands basic classroom management theories and methods; with strategies for individual behavior management, crisis prevention, intervention, de-escalation techniques, and the balance between classroom management with academic teaching strategies.
• Implements strategies for assessing learning environments and conducting functional behavioral assessments within the environment.
• Understands the characteristics of environments, including materials, equipment, and spatial arrangements that facilitate development, learning and interaction among students.
• Creates a classroom culture, which is a cognitively busy place, characterized by a shared belief in the importance of learning; establishes high expectations and personal achievement.
• Understands the aspects of schedule, routines, and transitions that promote development and learning.
• Demonstrates ways in which technology can assist with creating and managing the learning environment, incorporating the verbal and visual redirection and classroom expectations.
• Management of paraprofessional educators.
• Consults with teachers and therapists to plan for student's needs and required adaptations, modifications, and use of assistive/adaptive technology.

QUALIFICATIONS-REQUIRED:

1. Education:  Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution;
2. Hold a valid Massachusetts Teaching License in Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities, PreK-12 OR Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities, All Levels.
3. Hold a valid Massachusetts SEI Endorsement OR Grade-level appropriate ESL License;
4. Meet all state and federal guidelines in order to be fully licensed and Highly Qualified;
5. Current authorization to work in the United States - Candidates must have such authorization by their first day of employment.

QUALIFICATIONS-PREFERRED:

• The applicant should have knowledge and/or experience with students with moderate to severe needs.

Note: The Receiver may review and adjust the salary of an individual employee in order to attract or retain a highly qualified employee or when he otherwise determines such an adjustment is in the best interest of the district.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Southbridge Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, gender identity, disability, religion, age, or sexual orientation.