Adelante’s Special Education teacher is passionate about supporting the students who are at-risk for academic underperformance due to emotional and/or physical challenges so that they can succeed in the school’s rigorous academic program. The Special Education Teacher holds primary responsibility for providing academic, emotional, and physical services for students who require additional support to thrive within the school’s core academic program.
Compliance
- Identifies students with IEPs and 504 Plans and retrieves relevant records from previous placements and/or district offices before the start of the school year (e.g. data from Home Questionnaire, CAP scan, IEP Acknowledgement, and Compliance forms)
- Maintains current, comprehensive, and organized IEP, 504, ELL, and at-risk files in the special education space (e.g. Student Support Plans, referrals, anecdotal notes, evaluation reports, progress reports (coded IEP page 6), progress monitoring data, attendance, and Related Service Authorization forms)
- Maintains current and accurate IEP, 504, ELL, and at-risk data in an Excel workbook and PowerSchool (e.g. rosters, lists, and spreadsheets)
- Provides applicable general education teachers and related service providers copies of the IEPs or 504s and educates colleagues about students’ instructional, behavioral, and therapeutic needs before the start of the school year
- Tracks all suspension records to identify patterns of behavior completes Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs), and monitors students’ response to Behavior Intervention Plans; ensures that BIPs are created for students with IEPs who have received 7 or more days of out of school suspension
- Completes local and state reports for the Director of Operations to submit in a timely manner
- Documents access to IEP, 504, ELL, and at-risk files (e.g. Confidential Student File Access Log)
- Integrates feedback from internal and external trainers/coaches to maximize student learning
Related Services
- Works with Principal to contract with high quality, certified, and mission-aligned therapists (e.g., works with IPS to obtain a list of providers, identifies and interviews them, and seeks the maximum amount of reimbursement)
- Creates and maintains the related service schedule to minimize student’s time spent outside the general education classroom (e.g., maintains principal and provider non-negotiable times)
- Orients providers to the school (e.g., gives a tour of the building, therapy room, and students’ classes; describes the school culture, routines, and language; and explains expectations of staff and students)
- Gives to service providers school information (e.g., Annual Calendar, Student Handbook, Related Service Provider Procedures, and alerts about schedule updates, such as field trips, snow days, standardized tests, etc.)
- Maintains therapy attendance and IEP progress reports, which are given to families at report card meetings (e.g., coded IEP, narrative updates, and parent letters)
- Meets regularly to discuss students’ needs, consult about potential referrals, and arrange staff presentations to promote the transfer of skill remediation from the therapeutic setting to the general education classroom (e.g., meeting notes and task lists)
Collaboration
- Able to internalize a high-quality curriculum and provide rigorous instruction to students in varied classroom settings (i.e. small group, large group, co-teaching, pull out, etc.) to meet the individualized needs of all students.
- Organizes, facilitates, and documents all student support systems to create and maintain high-quality individual student support interventions (e.g., Student Support Office, Student Study Team, and Special Education Program meeting agendas, notes, and tasks)
- Collaborates, consults, and shares strategies with curriculum specialists, general education staff, and related services providers regarding administrative and instructional best practices (e.g. Student Support Office, Student Study Team, Clinical Support Network, e-mails, professional development workshops, and staff meetings)
- Proposes, prepares, and delivers school-based in-services when appropriate to increase colleagues’ knowledge of student profiles and intervention methods
- Meets with families of students with IEPs, students who have been referred for services at any point, or students that might require additional supports, to describe the student’s progress and services the school offers (e.g., notes from family chats and welcome visits, progress report and report card night, and information meetings)
- Prepares for and participates in all students’ IEP meetings
- Identifies, contacts, and maintains relationships with high quality outside providers to provide families with economical and comprehensive evaluation services (e.g., physicians, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, education evaluators, therapists, professionals, clinics, and hospitals)
Benefits:
Adelante Schools offers competitive salaries commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package. Aside from extensive professional development, all our staff members are equipped with a laptop computer, email, and all necessary supplies.
Adelante Schools believes in the importance of being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization that enables our students and staff to thrive. We are committed to building a talented team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students. At the same time, we work to ensure an inclusive community through creating a space for important dialogue about issues of race and identity for our staff and students. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability.
