Summary
Description
Date of Availability: 2024-2025 School year
Date Closing: Open until filled
Location: Coon Rapids (Newer School Building)
Job Title: Special Education Teacher (any disability area), 1.0 FTE, 9-12
Reports To: Executive Director | Principal
Department: High School (Grades 9-12 ages 14-21)
What Makes Us Special:
Are you a passionate educator ready to make a real impact? At Paladin Career and Technical High School, we are dedicated to empowering students through innovative, personalized, and trauma-responsive education. Here's what makes us special and why you should consider joining our team:
- Innovative and Personalized Learning: Embrace a culture of innovation with project-based learning tailored to meet each student's unique strengths and needs.
- Commitment to Equity and Inclusion: Join a diverse and racially conscious staff dedicated to creating an environment where all voices are heard and valued.
- Teacher-Powered Schools: Experience autonomy and ownership in a teacher-powered model where educators shape school policies and curriculum.
- Experiential Learning Opportunities: Engage students in hands-on learning through our flexible Fifth Day Experience program on Fridays, connecting them with nature and real-world experiences.
- Collaborative and Supportive Environment: Be part of a team that values open communication, collaboration, and continuous professional growth.
- Innovative Leadership: Work with a forward-thinking leadership team committed to adapting and evolving to meet the needs of our students and community.
Join us at Paladin Career and Technical High School, where we are dedicated to empowering students, embracing diversity, and fostering a supportive, innovative educational community.
About Paladin:
Paladin is a forward-thinking, tuition-free public charter high school catering to grades 9-12+. We're renowned for our unique educational approach that combines personalized, interest-driven education with seminar-based, project-based, and experiential learning. This empowers students to steer their academic journey, immerse in subjects they're passionate about, and benefit from hands-on experiences. Our "relationships-first" philosophy and teacher-powered environment foster a transformative learning experience. Seek to join our team to see what we mean when we say, “Paladin is a better high school experience.”
As a teacher-powered school, our educators are allowed to develop curriculum that activates their greatest strengths while meeting student needs. The freedom to design innovative learning experiences that engage students wholly is a liberating and inspiring change-of-pace from traditional education systems.
Position Objective:
Coordinate and facilitate a positive, successful, and hopeful community culture within the learning community to increase students’ potential for academic success in high school and beyond. Every student has the right to an equitable education, opportunities for advancement, and to belong in their communities.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Education Team Responsibilities
- Implement comprehensive language arts curricula that are relevant to students according to the school’s program objectives.
- Plan, organize, and teach or co-teach interdisciplinary seminars that are purposeful and engaging.
- Collaborate daily with educators to ensure student progress, engagement, and growth; attend weekly meetings to problem-solve and learn from colleagues.
- Evaluate, track, monitor, and report on student progress towards graduation (life skills, social, behavioral, attendance, and academic).
- Coordinate goal setting with students and graduation planning for students on your Success team. A Success team involves working with a group of assigned students to you in an advisory model on interdisciplinary projects.
- Advocate for each student in your success team in all areas of school-related services.
- Serve as the primary communication/advocate with each of your students and his/her/their stakeholders and school related services (IEP meetings, conferences, social agencies, etc.).
- Facilitate experiential learning opportunities both inside and outside of the school building.
- Assist students in developing 21st-century skills, such as effective communication, identifying obstacles, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and relationship building.
- Maintain confidentiality of all information regarding students.
- Create a flexible, supportive, and student-centered learning community.
- Be a part of a team driving. Drive students to and from school in a school-issued van.
Other
- High level of patience and ability to calmly and clearly redirect and guide high school age students
- Demonstrate superior judgment in all aspects of work.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, while also being a strong team player.
- Familiarity and comfort with electronic forms of communication, including ready access and responsiveness to e-mail correspondence
- Other Duties As Assigned by Executive Director
Qualifications
- Education
- Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university.
- Licensure
- Current Minnesota 9-12 Teacher's License issued by PELSB.
- If needed, we will assist applicants for Tier I or II based on experience and qualifications.
- Professional verification of successful classroom teacher performance and/or student teaching experience. Teaching experience in diverse cultural settings is valued.
Experience in the following areas is preferred, but not required. Training will be provided:
- Must possess and display excellent human relations skills when dealing with staff, students, and the school community.
- Ability to get along with other people, work cooperatively in team situations, and have patience in dealing with parents and students.
- Ability to work with physically, behaviorally, and/or emotionally impaired students.
- Ability to maintain composure under stressful conditions.
- Ability to communicate effectively and concisely both orally and in writing.
- Ability to be flexible, has strong organization skills, and is punctual.
- Ability to understand and follow data privacy rules and regulations related to students.
- Ability to read and comprehend instructions, correspondence, and memos, including the use of email, Internet navigation and Google Workspace.
- Passion for diversity and equity
- Culturally and socially aware of social injustices that impact our students
- Previous work with disenfranchised high school-aged youth
- Experience in a multicultural environment
- Knowledge of of restorative practices
- Knowledge of the circle process
- Knowledge of trauma-informed care
- Knowledge of risk factors facing youth
- Knowledge of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
- Physical Requirements:
- Regularly required to walk throughout a building and may occasionally be required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds with assistance or push up to 90 pounds, and may be required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
Commitment to Equity: Studies have shown that women and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. We would encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of our qualifications described.
Job Term:
Full Time, 10 Month
Work Schedule: 8 hours per day (7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), Monday through Friday
Salary and Benefits:
Salary is dependent on education and years of experience in the field. Paladin offers a salary and benefits package that is competitive with surrounding school districts in the area including employee health, dental, life, short-term, and long-term disability insurance. Dependent coverage is available at group rate costs. As a public school, Teachers Retirement Association (TRA) or Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) is included within the benefits package.
A reimbursement program for post-secondary education and training is available for qualifying employees.
For Additional Information About Paladin:
- REL/TPT Learning for a lifetime Documentary
- Website: www.pcths.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/PaladinCTHS
- Instagram: instagram.com/paladincths/
Interested applicants should apply by completing the following:
Complete the online Paladin Employment Application
Submit the following information via email, fax, or attached to the form above:
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Reference List (minimum of three contacts)
- Transcripts (or proof of licensure)
- Reference Letters (optional)
- Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Attn: Brandon Wait, Executive Director
Email: employment@pcths.org
Fax: 763-786-4798
Phone: 763-786-4799
Mail:
Paladin Career & Technical High School
10220 Goldenrod St NW
Coon Rapids, MN 55448
Equity Vision: Paladin Career & Technical High School is committed to ensuring an equitable and respectful educational experience for every student, family, and staff member, regardless of race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability, home or first language, religion, national origin, age, or physical appearance. Paladin Career & Technical High School seeks individuals who embody this commitment.
