Special Education Teacher(ICT)

Position(s): Special Education Teacher (ICT/Self-Contained)

Reports To: Principal

Compensation: Very competitive and commensurate with experience. Competitive benefits package and extensive professional development opportunities are also available.

Status: Full Time

Works Schedule: Monday – Friday, 7:45AM - 4:00PM

FLSA Status: Exempt

Join our Team!!

We are seeking a Special Education Teacher to work in an ICT setting. As an inclusion teacher, you must collaborate with the general education teacher in the class to plan and present lesson plans, create assessments and make sure the needs of all students in the classroom are being met. You will oversee the education and training of students with physical, emotional, mental, and learning disabilities. The inclusion teacher focus is on scaffolding activities and differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all students, not just the special education students. The Teacher will also evaluate and assess student progress against instructional objectives while following New York State mandated due-process procedures and functions as IEP Manager to assigned students.

The Special Education Teacher will collaborate with school support staff such as school counselors, occupational therapists, psychologists, and parents to help students develop and socialize.

About Merrick Academy

Merrick Academy is one of the first charter schools to open in New York City and the first to open (2000) in Queens. With a rich history and deep roots in the local community, Merrick Academy is an all-inclusive, independent Charter School with approximately 600 students in grades K-5 and a faculty and staff of 90. Queens’ first charter school, Merrick, has been educating children for over 20 years. Merrick Academy is a STEAM-based school cultivating critical thinking, problem-solving, and inquiry amongst all learners in an environment that provides extensive whole-child support based on ensuring equity and empowerment for all learners through effective and innovative approaches to teaching and learning fostered by a world-class faculty.

Essential Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Utilize the parallel teaching model as the main model for teaching and learning.
• Assess students’ skills and learning requirements.
• Design annual Individualized Educational Plans (I.E.P’s) for students to include: present levels of educational performance, special education needs, instructional goals and objectives, and the special education and related services required to meet those goals.
• Collaborate with parents and school staff to track students’ progress.
• Monitor students’ behavioral patterns and arrange appropriate interventions if needed.
• Attend team meetings and work cooperatively with support staff team members and others in developing instructional goals and strategies.
• Provide research-based specialized instruction to address the instructional goals and objectives contained within each student’s IEP.
• Assess student progress and determine the need for additional reinforcement or adjustments to instructional techniques.
• Create a positive learning experience with emphasis in individualized instruction using appropriate sources including technology devices.
• Attend and prepare special education evaluation and reevaluation meetings.
• Provide direction, supervision and evaluation of educational assistants as directed.
• Comply with School Board policies and all state/federal rules and regulations.
• Inform parents of students progress in the classroom.
• Complete all district and state reporting requirements.
• Engage in and support new initiatives, including the use of blended learning, project-based learning
• Supervise the health, safety, and welfare of students at all times. Bring all significant information relevant to health, safety and welfare to the immediate attention of the Principal.
• Utilize all avenues to incorporate past lessons, the performance standards, and staff development sessions to design and deliver outstanding lessons.
• Manage administration of the classroom, including marking daily attendance and lateness, checking notebooks, checking homework, making photocopies, displaying student work, completing meal tracking forms, helping to maintain a clean physical classroom environment, as well as any other administrative aspect of teaching.
• Organize classroom — including materials, and visual aids in an educationally appropriate way
• Record each student’s progress through both monitoring forms and marking books. Prepare progress reports (3 times per year) and report cards (4 times per year) and arrange and conduct Parent-Teacher Conferences (3 times per year).
• Interact with students in a firm, positive and constructive way always
• Engage in conversation and behavior that uplifts and guides children
• Recognize and encourage positive behavior

Non-Essential Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Perform additional duties as assigned
• Support positive connections among students and the larger community that improve the academic and social development of the student and contribute to achievement of educational goals.
• Establish and maintain student control and discipline in the classroom, school premises or during school activities.
• Employ and implement a classroom structure and consistency to encourage student responsibility, cooperation and mutual respect consistent with district policies and procedures.
• Collaborate and consult with educational professionals and community service providers (i.e., social services, public health, medical providers etc.) regarding the needs of students.
• Provide consultation to classroom teachers regarding classroom adaptations, instructional modifications, adaptive equipment, behavior modification plans and other similar instructional interventions to meet the needs of students with disabilities.

Qualifications & Behavioral Competencies

• Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s Degree preferred
• Active New York State Special Education Teaching Certification required
• Minimum of 2 years of special education teaching experience required
• Experience working with at-risk student population in some capacity preferred
• Working knowledge and comfort level with instructional technology
• Strong written, grammatical, presentation, and verbal communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills required to develop rubrics, examine data and metrics that will enhance student knowledge and promote performance of superior work products
• Proven ability to work collaboratively and flexibly with a diverse team of teachers and administrators
• Knowledge of childhood development and demonstrated experience with executing planned lessons to meet the differential needs of each child
• Open to feedback and committed to continuously improving

Americans with Disability Specifications

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

I acknowledge that:

I have read and understand the responsibilities and qualifications required to successfully perform this job. This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by an individual in this position. This description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed and it is not an exhaustive list of all knowledge, skills or abilities required. There may be additional duties as assigned and the employee must follow any job-related instructions and perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments.

This description excludes the marginal functions incident to the performance of this job’s fundamental duties. All essential job duties and responsibilities are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee will possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of Merrick Academy to provide educational and employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, alienage and citizen status, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, prior record of arrest or conviction (except as provided by law), sexual orientation, gender (sex), or any other protected class, and to maintain an environment free of discriminatory harassment, including sexual harassment, or retaliation as required by civil rights law.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $50,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Supplemental Pay:

• Bonus pay

COVID-19 considerations:
This Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy applies to all employees of Merrick Academy.

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Queens, NY: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Experience:

• Special education: 1 year (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Teaching Certification (Preferred)

Work Location: One location