Special Education Teacher (Elementary-ABA)

JOB CLASSIFICATION TITLE:
Special Education Teacher (Elementary-ABA)
DEPARTMENT:
Special Education
INCUMBENT NAME:
BARGAINING UNIT CLASSIFICATION:
Waterbury Teachers’ Association CEA-NEA
REPORTS TO:
Building Principal or District Level Administrator
FLSA DESIGNATION:
Exempt

1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
2. ABA knowledge and experience

1. Employment in this class is conditional upon possession of a valid Connecticut State Board of Education teaching certificate/endorsement(s) appropriate to the teaching assignment.
2. Comprehensive Special Education, K-12 – 165 endorsement.
3. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess a current Motor Vehicle Class D Operator License.

1. Teachers in this job class must complete all State CEU requirements for re-certification.

• Considerable knowledge of current best practices, laws, including due process and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and interventions regarding the education of special needs students;
• Considerable knowledge of specific disabilities and familiarity with common children’s mental health disorders, as well as specific strategies/interventions to use in the classroom;
• Knowledge of child development;
• Knowledge of educational philosophy, teaching methods and approaches, and currently researched best practices and strategies;
• Knowledge of educational testing;
• Knowledge of learning theory, and students’ learning styles and needs, both academic and affective;
• Knowledge of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Scientific Research Based Interventions (SRBI);
• Skill in accommodations and adaptations for visual impairments, including reading and writing Braille, using low-vision devices, and utilizing assistive technology for vision impairments is required for some positions;
• Skill in classroom and behavior management;
• Skill in interpersonal relations, especially regarding working as a member of a team;
• Skill in interpersonal relationships, and the ability to work with students and staff in stressful situations;
• Skill in organization, and in verbal and written communications;
• Skill in signing, cued speech, and auditory-verbal areas is required for some positions;
• Skill in the five real-life transition areas is required for some positions;
• Skill in transitional service planning and remedial instruction;
• Skill in utilizing computer technology for educational purposes, including word processing;
• Skill in working with students having a wide range of disabilities;
• Ability to apply the principles of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Scientific Research Based Intervention (SRBI);
• Ability to be flexible regarding meeting the changing needs of students, as well as the varying modifications to District and State mandates;
• Ability to create a structured and efficient working environment for students;
• Ability to develop and update curriculum, lesson plans and associated materials necessary to meet the unique needs of the special education students;
• Ability to develop relevant assessment tools, and integrate the results of the assessments into instructional units;
• Ability to teach a variety of students, with varying disabilities, a variety of classes;
• Ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

1. May provide work direction to paraprofessionals and clericals as assigned.

• Attends various meetings, such as staff, building, parent, team and case management;
• Communicates and provides consultation with team members, parents and guardians, and other outside agencies, regarding students, their interventions, medications, and programmatic needs;
• Develops data collection and data management systems; entering data into proprietary and other computer databases; analyzing data, identifying student needs, and recommending quarterly classes based upon individual student needs;
• Develops or utilizes assessment tools and progress reports, including the Illinois Interactive report cards;
• Develops positive and trusting relationships with students; counseling students and reviewing transition activities with students; and providing job coaching for students regarding their community job placement activities;
• Develops, adapts and implements curriculum and lesson plans and aligns curriculum with academic standards;
• Ensures that teams are utilizing concepts of least restrictive environment and best practices with students;
• On occasion, deals with student transportation issues such as transporting students in school vehicles, and serving as a contact regarding student problems on the school bus;
• Participates in staff development activities;
• Provides direct instruction using a variety of techniques including individualized instruction, lectures, team teaching, hands-on formats and other instructional strategies;
• Provides for the management of student behavior, including implementing disciplinary procedures. Assists with the development of individualized intervention plans; writing and implementing conditional procedures; and modeling specific strategies for other instructional staff;
• Provides for the safety of students including extreme weather, transportation, and unknown personnel; supervising students in building and on school grounds in areas other than the classroom, such as playgrounds, and as students board and disembark from school buses;
• Works with Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) teams in the development of Individualized Education Plans (IEP); providing for IEP management and reevaluation; assisting with goal writing in accordance with regulations and procedures; and setting up and participating in IEP conferences;
• May order supplies and materials related to curriculum and instruction;
• May provide in-service training to other staff;
• May serve as a case manager with regard to transition planning and plans at the Middle School and High School levels;
• May work with hearing impaired students on an itinerant basis;
• Performs other related duties as required.