Description Our Special Education Teachers play a critical role in this process by prioritizing each students' development and growth through strong, supportive relationships and highly individualized academic and social emotional activities each day.
The Special Education Teacher works closely with all members of the dedicated, inter-disciplinary therapeutic team supporting the students and classroom. Teachers also collaborate with parents and guardians to ensure the greatest wrap around services, school -to-home communications, and understanding of the student. Collaboration with our partnering school districts is also essential.
Our partnering public districts, schools, and parents and guardians place their students with us when a child has been unable to achieve and maintain success in general academic settings and it is clear the child could benefit from our small classrooms, low staff to student ratio, individualized and intensively therapeutic environment. School personnel and leadership aim to builds strong relationships with students, parents, guardians, partnering schools and districts as we know these relationships are critical in providing the most support to our students and lead to the greatest success.
Academically, our curriculum is dynamic and competitive. Therapeutically, our program offers students specialized supports, unique resources, opportunities to reintegrate to their home schools, and transitional and vocational skill development. Culturally, our school offers students opportunities to explore their interests through learning and social activities. Our success is possible only through nurturing relationships and strengths-based supports that focus on the holistic educational experience for each of our K-12+ students with diverse social, emotional, and academic needs.
Responsibilities Special Education Teaching • Develops and implements individualized curriculum and therapeutic programming in accordance with each student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
• Provides classroom management that recognizes, and includes consideration of, the characteristics of and the methodology of the student population.
• Collaborates with team members to develop and execute an IEP-driven, multidisciplinary program for each student.
• Prepares and maintains a safe, healthy, academic, and behaviorally effective classroom environment appropriate to ongoing and changing classroom activities.
• Uses therapeutic and general education materials and methods and plans for their appropriate use.
• Tracks and records academic and behavior data to determine student progress.
• Completes a variety of tasks including, but not limited to, weekly lesson plans, weekly grade reports, IEP reports, surveys and assessments.
Student Safety • Must provide constant supervision to ensure the safety of students at all times.
• Effectively manage and intervene in disruptive student behavior, both verbal and physical; including use of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) prescribed methods to de-escalate critical situations.
Program Support • Maintains records and writes agency required behavioral reports in timely manner.
• Participates in qualitative professional development activities.
• Maintains ongoing communication relationship with all members of the interdisciplinary team to achieve a social and educational benefit for the student.
• Successfully completes training in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI); successfully complete all requirements to maintain certification in TCI.
Traits • Able to be flexible and shift gears quickly based on situations or changing priorities.
• Independent with sound professional judgment and the ability to establish and maintain boundaries.
• Demonstrated ability to remain calm in high-stress situations while maintaining an understanding and supportive demeanor.
• Strong desire to work with those students who have not been able to achieve success in the public/private educational system.
• Efficient and effective time management skills.
Requirements • Bachelor's Degree in Special Education from an accredited college or university.
• Must be certified by ISBE as a Special Education Teacher; LBS1/Type 10 certification
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office programs.
• Experience with the Chicago Public School electronic IEP systems is strongly desired.
• Able to successfully complete the physical and testing requirements Therapeutic Crisis Intervention training (Agency provided).
• Experience working with students with special education needs is preferred.
JCFS Chicago offers an array of benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Wellness, Paid sick and vacation time, Agency holidays, Pension, 403(b), Flexible Spending Plans, and Life Insurance JCFS Chicago is committed to serving the needs of the diverse Chicago metropolitan area. Accredited by COA, Charter member of CWLA, Licensed by DCFS JCFS Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran. JCFS Chicago provides a reasonable accommodation to those who need assistance in completing this application.
