Special Education Teacher - Gifted

Title

Special Education Teacher - Gifted

TBD

The Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools (KCKPS) is a nationally recognized urban school district serving approximately 22,000 students. With more than 4,000 employees, including over 1,800 teachers, KCKPS operates 28 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, and 5 college and career academies/high schools. The district’s student population is approximately 56% Hispanic, 24% African American, 9% White, and 6% Asian.

To provide students with the ability to obtain knowledge, information, skills, and a sense of self‑worth and dignity that will help them be successful as they transition from school to the community.

• Understand, plan, and implement evidence‑based strategies to assess gifted and talented students.
• Differentiate instruction, content, and assignments for gifted and talented students, including higher order critical and creative‑thinking skills.
• Recognize the learning differences and cognitive/affective characteristics of gifted and talented students, including those from diverse backgrounds, and identify related learning and social‑emotional needs.
• Work effectively with general education teachers in co‑taught or collaborative settings.
• Communicate with students, parents, general education teachers, and administrators through conferences and other means to discuss student progress and interpret the gifted program.
• Collaborate with other district teachers of the gifted in planning project‑based learning activities.
• Serve as a resource person in gifted education for all district personnel.
• Maintain professional competence through district‑provided professional development and self‑selected activities, demonstrating a commitment to professional growth.
• Assign tasks that are intellectually challenging to students.
• Monitor student progress and prepare Individual Education Plans for students on the caseload.

• Meet the employment qualifications set forth by the Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education and the Kansas State Department of Education.
• Hold or be eligible for Kansas certification appropriate for the position.
• Show tolerance and understanding of students with special needs.
• Demonstrate initiative, creativity, self‑motivation, and good judgment.
• Demonstrate adaptability and flexibility.
• Respect confidentiality.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, professional judgment, and oral and written communication.
• Be efficient and organized in “paper management.”

• Maintain communication with teachers, other school personnel, and parents/guardians to enhance cooperative action meeting students’ educational needs.
• Provide health services, information, and counseling in an effective and positive manner to enhance the health and wellness of the school community.
• Complete accident/incident reports for students/staff.
• Compile data for statistical purposes.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding educational records.

• Maintain a daily log of school/staff visits and documentation.
• Maintain the daily environment of the health office facility and supplies.
• Utilize existing technology effectively in the performance of duties.
• Perform other related work as required.

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations; ability to write reports, general curriculum and learning theories, correspondence, and protocols; ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of administrators, staff, parents, students, and the general public.

The physical demands include regularly sitting, walking, standing, speaking, and hearing; occasionally lifting or moving up to 50 pounds; occasionally pushing 50‑pound items such as a bike or wheelchair; occasionally visiting a child’s home. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, and…