2024-25 Middle School Special Education Teacher

Pay Scale

$50,996 to $102,381 based on Education level and years of Certified experience

Schedule

M-F 7:43am to 3:30pm; Summer ESY is Optional and is paid in-addition to salary.

POSITION SUMMARY: The special education teacher implements program goals and provides educational instruction to students enrolled in the Davidson School as prescribed in the student's Individual Education Program (IEP) and in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) regulations.

Duties And Responsibilities

Contributes to the IEP, specifically in the areas of academic and behavior goals, objectives, and present levels for each assigned student in coordination with, but not limited to, the IEP team, as well as other designated school personnel by:adhering to established timelines,conducting academic/curricular based assessments, recording and reporting data, writing academic and behavioral goals and objectives, completing the Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) in line with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) guidelines and those of the Local Education Agency (LEA) to ensure that student IEPs are current and appropriate for the student's needsDevelops, delivers, and differentiates instructional/lesson plans and related activities in support of the students' IEPs by planning activities that are aligned with the school's curriculum and relevant state standards to ensure that students are being taught skills that are appropriate to their age, grade, and developmental levelDesigns and implements academic, behavioral, social, and communicative accommodations for the students for each scheduled task by preparing work materials, collaborating with clinical staff (Occupational Therapists (OT), Physical Therapists (PT), School Speech and Language Therapists (SLT)), engaging with students 1:1 or in small group, and instructing and practicing skills with students, to ensure students are being held to appropriate expectations for academic, behavioral, communicative, and social functioningAssists the students in developing age-appropriate work attitudes and work skills by teaching appropriate communication methods and social skills, exhibiting and encouraging effective work ethic, and instructing and practicing skills with assigned students to prepare students for outside of school experiencesContributes to any established school-wide behavior plans by completing behavioral documentation, requesting and participating in the Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) process, completing Behavior Incident Reports (BIR), and adhering to student's Positive Behavior Plans to ensure consistency of behavioral approach to all students in the schoolProvides oversight, direction, training, support, and work assignments, including but not limited to implementation of the IEP, to all staff assigned to the classroom by establishing and posting a schedule that identifies the daily responsibility of each classroom staff member and verbally reminding staff of assigned responsibilities as needed to ensure clarity in daily assignmentsModels and demonstrates effective problem-solving and maintains a proactive and professional approach to unexpected changes in the job role by demonstrating a professional and mature approach to all stakeholders to ensure effective and appropriate fulfillment of job responsibilities consistent with Elwyn corporate policy #103.Maintains confidentiality in all areas by protecting access to student and company information and records to maintain compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA), and any other applicable federal or commonwealth laws and company policyResponds to supervision, accepts constructive feedback, and welcomes suggestions to improve skills and techniques by engaging appropriately with school administration, working on identified areas for improvement, and demonstrating a mature and professional attitude when interacting with others to maintain a professional and effective work environmentEstablishes appropriate job-related goals through self-assessment and desire for self-improvement by regularly reviewing professional goals, establishing procedures to attain such goals, and revising goals as appropriate to grow professionally within the organizationDemonstrates knowledge to address daily situations involving children, parents, and classroom staff including but limited to staff reassignment, assistance with de-escalation of student behaviors coordination of classroom activities, and communication with parentsDemonstrates flexibility in addressing daily situations involving children, parents, and classroom staff including but limited to staff reassignment, assistance with de-escalation of student behaviors, coordination of classroom activities, and communication with parentsParticipates actively in program meetings, workshops, and in-service presentations by attending as scheduled, arriving on time, asking questions, and remaining attentive throughout the assignment to ensure that information being delivered is clearly understoodDemonstrates knowledge of child development, educationally relevant disabilities, and learning styles by differentiating assignments and tasks to the appropriate developmental level of the assigned students to ensure comprehensive and effective skill developmentSupports and maintains an active parent-teacher relationship by contacting parents on a weekly basis after surveying parents to determine their preferred contact method, and by reporting academic, behavioral, and social progress or concerns to parents via telephone or email to encourage active parental participation in the educational processEnsures that all students are supervised throughout the school day by assigning classroom staff to supervise student activities or ensuring that a student has the independent skill level for self-supervision, throughout the school day by ensuring the maintenance of visual, auditory, or physical proximity to students to ensure health, safety, and wellbeing of studentsMaintains student attendance records by documenting daily attendance in the program-approved student information system to ensure accurate reports and record keepingSupports student's healthy eating by documenting daily lunch choices in the program-approved system to ensure accuracy in meal provisionMaintains student records, including, but not limited to, transcripts, data charts, behavior programming, and assessments by recording data and information in assigned systems of record keeping, completing activities before or by established timelines, and completing quarterly progress reports to support a school-wide system of recordkeepingSupports all program-specific policies and procedures by reviewing provided policy and procedure manuals on an annual basis and adhering to policies and procedures to maintain an organized and effective system of workMaintains a safe campus environment by following all requested policies and procedures including, but not limited to, signing in and out in available program systems, informing campus security of any activities wherein students are outside of the school building perimeter, and securing all entry/exit doors as appropriate after use to provide the safest possible environment for students and staffDemonstrates professionalism in attendance by arriving at or before scheduled start times, remaining engaged in the job responsibilities throughout the scheduled workday outside of scheduled break times, and by adhering to the contractual end time to ensure fiscal and professional responsibilities in job performance consistent with Elwyn corporate policyPerforms cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and safe crisis management using agency-trained protocols by engaging in approved practices for CPR and crisis management to ensure the safest possible response to crisis situationsPerforms other duties as assigned

Education/Experience/Skills Requirements

Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Special Education certification; or eligibility for PDE emergency certification with Educational Obligation Special Education PK-12Demonstrated experience coordinating data collection and developing IEPs, including experience in the planning, writing and implementation of IEPs, progress monitoring, positive behavior supports, and the assessment process Experience communicating with families, formally and informally, including engaging families in their child's education program Experience with adaptive technology preferredDemonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a teamAbility to work in a fast-paced environment and manage and prioritize multiple, often competing, prioritiesDemonstrated strong attention to detail Demonstrated strong time management and organizational skillsDemonstrated excellent judgment with the ability to independently solve problems and make decisions with little or no need for direct supervisionDemonstrated ability to anticipate future needed changes or identify problem areas and take effective actionsExperience using/knowledge of electronic student record preferredMust have current, valid driver's license in state of residence, three (3) years driving experience in the United States, and acceptable driving recordAbility to perform CPR and Crisis Management using agency-trained protocolsMust possess excellent customer interaction, collaboration, presentation, and written and verbal communication skillsDemonstrated basic experience with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint; PowerSchool and IEPWriter experience preferred

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE: See Physical Demands Checklist below which represents the general physical demands and environment conditions to which the employee holding this position must meet, in addition to the duties and responsibilities listed above, to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Elwyn will engage otherwise qualified candidates for this position whose disabilities may require reasonable accommodations to enable an individual to perform the essential functions.

Elwyn reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as needed. This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive statement of duties and responsibilities of the job nor does it constitute a written or implied contract.

Elwyn is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Elwyn does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, ancestry, pregnancy status, medical condition, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, sexual orientation or identity, age, national origin, citizenship, handicap status, marital or family status, mental or physical disability, perceived disability, military or veteran status, political activities or affiliations, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law, ordinance, or regulation.

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