Special Education Teacher TransCenter for Youth

SALARY:
Based on experience salary schedule, plus benefits

LOCATION:

3628 W Pierce St, Milwaukee, WI 53215

REPORTS TO:

Collaborative Leaders Escuela Verde Vision and Mission

Escuela Verde, part of the Trans Center for Youth network of schools, cultivates a community that is participatory, just, sustainable and peaceful. We live our vision through:

• Graduating high school students prepared to live happy, healthy, meaningful lives;
• Collaborating with the community to create a strong sense of place and skills to flourish without harm;
• Providing staff who model our vision and embrace education as liberation;
• Engaging youth by adhering to an ecopedagogical praxis;
• Developing biliteracy and honoring linguistic and cultural identities by engaging in translanguaging practices; and
• Offering immersion opportunities for those interested in transformative education.

Under the direction of the Director of Special Education, the Special Education Advisor develops and provides specialized instruction to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities;
Evaluates and assesses student progress against instructional objectives; follows state mandated due process procedures and functions as IEP Manager to assigned students. Special education teachers will also work collaboratively to co-plan and implement general education curriculum with general education advisors. As a member of a Teacher Powered School, Special Education Advisors hold some collaborative leadership duties and are a part of the decision-making of the school.

Grounded in constructivism, Advisors are primarily generalists who support and advise 9th-12th grade students to not only meet their academic goals, but also to provide opportunities for students to actively engage in community-based opportunities and experiences in preparation for life after graduation. While the primary role of an Advisor is to act as a coach, mentor, facilitator, or guide for independent project-based student learning, this position also includes leading workshops and coaching staff as the expert in the subject area hired for.

• Current WI Cross-Categorical Special Education License (801) Licensure
  issued by Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction
• Bilingual in Spanish strongly preferred
• Belief in constructivist pedagogy

• View of students as capable learners
• Understanding of Project Based Learning
• Ability to create a classroom environment that is inclusive, multicultural, and equitable
• Democratic mindset that puts all school members (advisor, students, and parents) on equal terms
• Belief in restorative practices as a method for problem-solving
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities, as leadership may deem necessary from time to time.

• Provide appropriate learning experiences for students with exceptionalities in a variety of educational settings.
  • Establish rapport and hold high expectations for dignified interactions with students, parents, staff and the community.
  • Use restorative practices to keep the school environment conducive for learning; uphold student safety and dignity.
  • Co-plan and co-teach lessons in high school math, reading, writing and social skills, utilizing collaborative planning methods with regular education staff.

• Plan and lead all-school activities and specialty weeks throughout the year
• Attend community nights, parent nights, presentation nights and specialty nights throughout the year
  • Plan, design, and implement 2 SPED-specific Family Nights for families with children with IEPs.

• Collaboration with Staff
  • Contribute to a culture that promotes learning and growth
  • Actively participate in staff meetings & decision making
  • Adhere and be an active participant in our discipline process including having direct involvement with student issues, being part of restorative practices processes as well as discipline committee meetings, contacting parents, and properly documenting discipline issues
  • Communicate proactively and promptly with staff, make adequate preparations for time off
  • Commit to using restorative practices with other staff members
  • Maintain openness to giving and receiving feedback from the professional learning community
  • Attend overnight strategic planning week in February
• Personal Growth
  • Create and follow a professional PD plan, which includes Educator Effectiveness goals
  • Plan, design, and implement 4 professional development sessions (SPED-specific) training per year.
  • Attend at least one conference/professional development opportunity per year
  • Conduct, compile and analyze action research related to student learning and engagement
  • Maintain overall healthy lifestyle (body and mind) in an effort to model a healthy lifestyle for students and to be an effective community member
• Ground decision making and…