Job Title: Special Education Teacher
Reports to: Campus Administrator/Special Education Director
Wage/Hour Status: Exempt

District: Heritage Academy

Campus: Del Rio, Texas

School Year: 2023-2024

Position Summary:

Provide special education students with appropriate learning activities and experiences that will enable them to fulfill their potential for intellectual, emotional, physical and social growth. Develop student ability level instructional materials through modified curriculum and prepared lesson plans.  Conduct work in self-contained, team, departmental or itinerant capacity as necessary.

Qualifications:

Education/Certification

• Bachelor’s degree from accredited university or a probationary certificate with enrollment in an approved Alternative Certification Program.
• Valid Texas teaching certificate with required endorsements or required training for subject and level assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

• Complete knowledge of special needs of students in assigned area.
• Complete knowledge of Admission, Review and Dismissal (ARD) Committee process and Individual Education Plan (IEP) goal setting process and implementation.
• Working knowledge of curriculum and instruction.
• Maintain control in stressful situations.
• Some lifting may be required.
• May be required to restrain students to control behavior.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Work in conjunction with students, parents and other members of staff to develop IEP's through the ARD Committee process or each student assigned.
• Design, write and use instructional, therapeutic or skill development program for assigned students and ensure written plan is available for review.
• Ensure comprehension of learning styles and student needs are met through creation implementation of appropriate instructional and learning strategies, activities, materials and equipment.
• Collaborate with classroom teacher on student IEP to ensure all modifications are met and help special education students in regular class with appropriate.
• Participate in ARD Committee meetings on an ongoing basis.
• Design instructional activities by using data from student learning styles assessment.
• Ensure IEP guidelines are met when presenting subject matter.
• Use an assortment of media and techniques to meet the needs and capabilities of each student assigned.
• Produce and oversee the teacher aide and volunteer assignments.

Growth and Development

• Produce formal and informal testing to evaluate student success.
• Oversee or ensure personal care, medial care and feeding of students as stated in IEP.
• Manage and care for all extracurricular duties as assigned; Sponsor outside activities approved by charter principal.
• Serve as an example for students, support mission of charter.

Classroom Management

• Prepare classroom to enhance learning and aide in the physical, social and emotional development of the students.
• Control student behavior and implement discipline plan. This includes handling crisis situations and physically restraining students as necessary according to IEP.
• Collaborate with the classroom teachers regarding student behavior management programs according to IEP.
• Collaborate with charters and outside resource people regarding education, social, medical and personal needs of the student.
• Ensure necessary and reasonable measures are taken to protect students, equipment, materials and facilities.
• Provide input on books, equipment and material selection.

Communication

• Ensure good communication rapport with parents, students, principals and teachers through conferences.
• Create and maintain a professional relationship with colleagues, students, parents and community members.
• Present information accurately through clear communication skills.

Additional:

• Enrich job skills through professional development activities.
• Keep up to date and abide by federal, state and charter policies for special education teachers.
• Gather, manage files, all reports, records an other documents required.
• Be active in faculty meetings and assist in staff committees as required.