Lead Special Education Teacher - Global Village Academy

Global Village Academy is an innovative charter school. Students learn core content through both English and language immersion in their choice of French, Spanish, Mandarin, or Russian (depending on the school). GVA is truly a "global village." Our immersion teachers come from all over the world, each bringing their unique culture and language into the classroom. United by a common core, students are challenged to become world class thinkers, capable of engaging ideas using multiple languages and cross-cultural perspectives, through internationally benchmarked curriculum spanning each language village.

Summary:

The general purpose of the Special Education Teacher is to provide support to the instructional process by serving as a teacher with specific responsibility for developing special education students' success in academics, interpersonal skills and activities of daily living; supervising students within the classroom and other assigned areas; developing lesson plans and delivering group an individual student instruction within established curriculum guidelines; collaborating with other teachers, other professional staff, and administrators in addressing instructional and/or classroom issues; and responding to a wide range of inquiries from students' parents or guardians regarding instructional program and student progress.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assess students' skills to determine their needs and to develop teaching plans
• Adapt lessons to meet the needs of students
• Develop Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for each student
• Plan, organize, and assign activities that are specific to each student's abilities
• Teach and mentor students as a class, in small groups, and one-on-one
• Implement IEPs, assess students' performance, and track their progress
• Update IEPs throughout the school year to reflect students' progress and goals
• Discuss student's progress with parents, teachers, counselors, and administrators
• Supervise and mentor teacher assistants who work with students with disabilities
• Prepare and help students transition from grade to grade and after graduation
• Support the school's mission and curriculum.
• Other duties as assigned by Principal.
• Reinforce school-wide rules and expectations in the classroom.
• Communicate effectively and maintain strong relationships with students, families, teachers and colleagues.
• Assist in the design and implementation of research-based curriculum.
• Maintain the school culture of high academic and behavioral expectations through continuous reflection.

Education:

• Must possess a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university.
• Must possess a CO Special Education Teacher License
• All core content teachers must be highly qualified in the applicable field or grade level.

Qualifications & Experience:

• One year of working with students in a school setting is strongly preferred.
• Must be able to demonstrate subject matter competency.
• Familiarity with IEP process
• Experienced classroom teacher with demonstrated, quantifiable and objective student performance gains that surpass state or local averages.
• Ability to work with a variety of learning abilities, including those with low skill level in a heterogeneously grouped classroom setting.
• Ability to prioritize and achieve federal, state, districts, and school deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to work well in a team, especially with parents and community members.
• Flexibility and initiative necessary to contribute to a start up organization.
• Analytical problem solver.
• Basic understanding of data analysis.
• Professional demeanor.

Qualities:

• Communication skills. Special education teachers discuss student's needs and performances with general education teachers, parents, and administrators. They also explain difficult concepts in terms that students with learning disabilities can understand.
• Critical-thinking skills. Special education teachers assess students' progress and use that information to adapt lessons to help them learn.
• Interpersonal skills. Special education teachers regularly work with general education teachers, school counselors, administrators, and parents to develop Individualized Education Programs. As a result, they need to be able to build positive working relationships.
• Patience. Working with students with special needs and different abilities can be difficult. Special education teachers should be patient with each student, as some may need the instruction given aloud, at a slower pace, or in writing.
• Resourcefulness. Special education teachers must develop different ways to present information in a manner that meets the needs of their students. They also help general education teachers adapt their lessons to the needs of students with disabilities.

Please note this description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Regular attendance is required for this position.

Global Village Academy shall not discriminate in its employment or hiring practices on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, creed, citizenship, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or any other characteristic prohibited by law. GVA is committed to cultural diversity among school personnel as a means of enriching the educational experience. GVA shall identify, solicit, and consider applicants for employment from a broad spectrum of qualified individuals who will contribute to that effort.

RELOCATION IS NOT PROVIDED FOR THIS POSITION.