Full-Time Special Education Teacher - Legacy Prep School

Our Belief in the Importance of Teachers

At Legacy Prep, you will have the support to grow, the freedom to innovate, and you will never stop learning. You will be part of a community of game-changing educators who are creating new generational legacies for historically underserved youth in Birmingham, Alabama. We believe teachers are the soul of a school. We believe they should be treated as the professionals that they are. Teachers have the hardest and most rewarding jobs in the world and we believe in the power teachers hold to give students the opportunities to shine.

Position Overview

The Special Education Teacher will lead supports for Special Education and English Language Learner (ELL) students to help them fulfill their potential for intellectual, emotional, physical and social growth. The Special Education Teacher will provide critical guidance to Lead Teachers to ensure that all staff are complying with and meeting the needs of Special Education and ELL students. Please note that we envision utilizing an inclusion model for Kindergarten and 1st grades and a combination of inclusion and small group pull-out model for grades 2nd through 4th.

Primary Roles and Responsibilities

Curriculum, Development, and Instruction

• Adapt and execute a rigorous, standards-aligned curriculum and assess students' progress
• Develop academically rigorous lessons, adapt unit plans, rubrics, and assessments
• Use data to inform instructional decisions
• Provide students with daily feedback on mastery performance in character and academics and plan for individual learning needs
• Demonstrate strong pedagogy
• The inclusion SPED teacher will co-teach alongside a general education teacher in an inclusionoom setting to support all students in theoom. The inclusion teacher will co-plan and deliver lessons that incorporate multiple learning modalities, adapt and modify instruction, and create strategies and meaningful interventions to support students' learning

Commitment to School andoom Culture

• Work collaboratively with your school team
• Create aoom environment that is conducive to learning and is developmentally appropriate to the maturity and interests of the students
• Help develop a school-wide culture that best fits the needs of our students, teachers, and families
• Attend and participate in all staff meetings and communicate openly with staff
• Develop positive rapport with students
• Create and foster a positive and calm learning environment
• Model and uphold the school's values, student management policies, and culture

Family Engagement and Empowerment

• Establish and maintain strong communication lines with all parents and share progress about both character and academics
• Be available for open houses, parent-teacher conferences and other events involving families and the community
• Make him/herself available to students, parents and other staff members
• Conduct home visits to build strong relationships with students and parents

Data, Feedback, and Constant Learning

• Pursue challenging professional goals each year
• Offer support and receive constructive feedback from colleagues in order to create a professional working atmosphere that is conducive to change and growth
• Participate in school-wide and individual professional development, including both over the summer and weekly during the academic year (held during school hours)
• Seek to constantly develop and improve teaching practices through ongoing feedback conversations with School Leaders and other school faculty within Legacy Prep
• Participate in coaching and professional growth opportunities to improve your instructional practice and support others to improve their craft

Additional Requirements

• Be accessible by phone for student emergencies beyond regular school hours 
• Coordinate and lead field lessons and expeditions both in and out of state to extend student learning
• Participate in daily duties (i.e. breakfast, lunch, dismissal) to support school operations
• Assist with both student and staff recruitment
• Maintain accurate records, grade book, and data tracking systems
• Commit to Professional Learning, Development, and Growth

• Actively engage in instructional coaching and professional development aimed at improving your practice

Employment Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year educational institution (master's degree preferred)

Experience

• Alabama teacher certification in special education (required)
• At least two years of special education teaching experience (highly preferred)
• Experience working in an educationally and/or economically disadvantaged community (highly preferred)
• Demonstrated success in raising the achievement levels of traditionally under-served students (highly preferred)

Skillset

• Candidates for this position must have a passion for special education and must be familiar with backwards planning in order to develop the curriculum and differentiation strategies in order to accommodate students with different levels of speaking, reading, listening, and writing skills
• Experience teaching via an innovative instructional model (preferred)
• A track record of success in theoom, with data that you can explain
• Execute our core instructional model, leading high-quality literacy, problem-solving, and social-emotional lessons from the Legacy Prep curriculum
• Gap-closing teaching experience with proven record of student growth
• Expertise and a passion for teaching at an elementary level and possess a strong desire to grow as a teacher 
• Utilize data to inform instruction, intervention, and acceleration (personalize the learning experience for all kids)

Mindset

• Value the importance of working in a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment
• Exhibit a growth mindset as an educator and lifelong learner
• Effectively collaborate with others
• A collaborative attitude toward teaching and learning
• Capability to effectively build, develop and maintain strong relationships with a variety of stakeholders (e.g., students, teachers, administration, clinical team, families, and outside agencies) 
• Ability to self-direct and prioritize among competing goals, exhibit flexibility, and drive results in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
• The ability to be flexible in a new school environment where things change all the time
• Adept at thinking strategically/analytically, translating plans into action, and exhibiting excellent judgment
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, and presentation skills with keen attention to detail; ability to invest stakeholders in student goals
• A solution-oriented mindset and ability to bring a new lens to challenging problems
• Be present and willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that all students are on track lives of choice and opportunity
• Be willing to work an extended school day and year
• Zest, grit, hope, curiosity, social and emotional intelligence, gratitude, self-control, and a sense of humor

**Note: Legacy Prep is not a part of the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) through the Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA). Legacy Prep offers a 401(k) with a 6% match by Legacy Prep.**