Special Education Teacher; RISE Program Grade 3-5), Witchcraft Heights Elementary School, Salem

Special Education Teacher (RISE Program Grade 3-5), Witchcraft Heights Elementary School, Salem Public Schools, Salem, MA [SY ] About Salem Public Schools, where belonging leads to opportunity.

Salem is a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history. Salem Public Schools is an urban public school district enrolling nearly 4,000 students in 10 schools. Our vision is to ensure that all students will be locally engaged, globally connected, and fully prepared to thrive in a diverse and changing world. We hold dear our core values of belonging, equity, and opportunity in everything we do.

We seek individuals who are passionate about urban education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement for all students, regardless of ability, economic status, gender/gender identity, language, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other backgrounds. We invite you to learn more about our strategic plan and core priorities on our website at https://salemk
12.org/.

As a collaborative member of the Special Education team in Salem, this person is responsible for teaching, evaluating, and implementing programming for students in the general education setting who have a primary disability of Autism Spectrum Disorder. The successful candidate must have a working knowledge of effective instructional practices, understand how to implement ABA and behavior techniques and interventions in the inclusive setting, and be able to work collaboratively with special education staff, general education teachers, therapists and consultants.

The candidate must manage a fluid caseload and maintain flexibility with scheduling. The Special Education Teacher job includes consistent parent communication, paraprofessional supervision, transition planning, and additional professional obligations related to student and programming needs, as determined by the District and site.

• Plan curriculum and provide specialized instruction that allows all students to successfully engage in developmentally appropriate and standards-based instruction
• Work collaboratively across school settings, including co-teaching and common planning with therapists and support staff
• Use innovative approaches and instructional strategies, including the effective use of technologies, and ABA techniques to increase student access, learning, independence, and confidence to learn
• Modify/adapt materials and instructional lessons to meet the specific needs of students with disabilities across the school day, as identified in the IEPs
• Analyze a variety of data to drive instruction and improve student access and performance
• Develop IEPs with SMART goals and logical accommodations using formal and informal data
• Report on student progress with IEP goals at scheduled intervals throughout the school year
• Maintain consistent communication with students, staff, families and outside agencies
• Collaborate with school personnel, parents, and various community agencies for the purpose of improving the quality of student outcomes and implementing effective Individual Education Programs (IEPs), 688 Referrals and Transition Plans for students
• Evaluate students’ abilities in basic academics and social development
• Provide instruction that targets self-care, including personal hygiene, cooking and other ADL skills
• Help manage students’ social behavior and academic habits of learning.
• Proctor MCAS and/or assist with MCAS ALT development and procedures
• Other duties as assigned by the building principal, special education administrator and/or Executive Director of Pupil Personnel Services.

We are looking for candidates who have diverse backgrounds and experiences, are inspired by our mission and are highly motivated to change children’s lives through education. You’ll be right at home here if you are a reflective practitioner who values collaboration with colleagues and pushes yourself, your work and the people around you to the next level. We expect our SPS employees to:

• Hold a deep commitment to students and families and value diversity - The SPS community is vibrant, diverse in background, ethnicity, language, and…