Summary
Description
Special Education Teacher Job Description
Qualifications: It is the Teacher’s responsibility to maintain appropriate licensure with the Board of Teaching or appropriate registrations associated with their profession.
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Be a self-starter and be resourceful
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Be an owner of Avalon; actively participate in and support collaborative decisions
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Apply a dedicated work ethic, willing to help and take on additional duties as needed
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Support mission of the school: Avalon School seeks to establish a just world by nurturing an equitable school community for students that inspires active learning, social justice, engaged citizenship, and hope for the future.
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Write and follow a professional development plan
Content Responsibilities
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Hold meetings for initial and annual IEP planning
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Hold meetings for initial and three-year evaluation planning
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Do testing for the evaluations as determined by the planning meeting
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Plan and implement learning program as determined by the IEP
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Develop a behavior plan and assist students and teachers with implementation of plan
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Work with transition areas of IEP’s to help seniors develop a post-secondary plan
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Create and monitor content modifications, working with regular education teachers and seminar instructors
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Order and maintain teaching materials
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Attend workshops to stay abreast of changes in special education services
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Follow COVID-19 health and safety guidelines. Follow MDE due process guidelines for COVID-19 distance learning model as appropriate.
Responsibility with Students
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Provide direct and indirect service to students as outlined in their annual IEP and/or contingent learning plan
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Meet with students on your caseload frequently both in and out of classes to assess progress & facilitate daily reciprocal communication during distance learning with students.
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Aid students in creating academic and non-academic short and long-term goals
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Work with students to develop project and time management skills necessary to be successful at Avalon
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Work with students to develop self-control and self-advocacy
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Maintain the school as a respectful learning community and an environment that cultivates learning
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Advise students about classes, projects, and school/state requirements
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Encourage appropriate behavior, communication and conflict resolution
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Meet due process deadlines for each student’s annual IEP and three-year reevaluation
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Support Service week/days
Responsibility with Parents
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Provide consultation to parents/guardians
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Send quarterly progress reports to parents/guardians
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Communicate with parents and families regularly and as indicated by the IEP team. Document such communication
Responsibility with Community
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Develop and maintain positive relationships with special education and non-special education students
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Help find community contacts
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Attend open houses when appropriate for prospective students, assist with recruiting efforts
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Attend Avalon events and support Avalon sponsored groups and/or activities
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Help prepare school spaces for open houses, etc.; help keep the school clean each day
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Present yourself in a professional manner, speaking positively of Avalon, especially in the community
Administrative/SpEd Team Responsibilities
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Maintain and keep due process files up to date
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Prepare special education reporting data for state and financial reimbursement purposes
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Supervise and coordinate services provided to special education students by working with the school’s social worker, psychologist, and educational assistants
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Train, provide orientation for, supervise, and mentor educational assistants
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Establish daily schedule for educational assistants
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Provide consultation to staff
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Communicate with staff, students, and parents/guardians as to progress being made. Attend parent conferences whenever possible
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Create, enforce, and revise school policy
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Attend and participate in weekly school meetings, including Learning Program and all staff meetings; facilitate and take notes on a rotating basis. Attend other school meetings on an as-needed basis
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Be a member of at least one administrative committee; duties run twelve months long
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Support other advisors
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Be present each scheduled day for the entirety of your work day (time designated in letter of agreement) and report missed days on the staff absences calendar
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Supervise lunch in the cafe with other staff members
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Communicate workload to colleagues in order to balance administrative, teaching, and case-management roles
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Provide in-service to staff on an as-needed basis
Ethics:
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Maintain confidentiality of all information regarding students
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Report suspected child abuse according to the law, policies, and procedures (mandated reporter)
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Provide accurate information about a student only to those who have the right to know (e.g. team members)