Early Childhood Special Education Teacher – Johnson Elementary School – Year – Charlottesville City Schools – Charlottesville, VA

Early Childhood Special Education Teacher

2020-21 School Year

Responsible for teaching a 4 year old Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) class with enrolled special education students. Provides instruction and special education services to children who are at risk, culturally diverse and with or without disabilities. The job requires creating a positive learning environment in a classroom setting where students will develop language, motor, pre-academic, personal-social and adaptive skills. Home visits and family engagement are an essential component of effective early childhood practice. ECSE teachers collaborate with preschool teachers in order to adjust, modify, and differentiate curriculum, provide inclusive opportunities and use effective research-based methods of instruction to suit each individual student’s specialized needs.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• The minimum performance expectations include, but are not limited to, the following actions:Teach students content to meet the standards outlined in Virginia’s Foundations for Early Learning, using research-based curriculum, strategies and materials correlated with other approved learning activities and adjusted to suit each student’s needs;

• Assist children with developmental delays, multiple disabilities, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, intellectual disabilities, emotional disabilities, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments, orthopedic impairments, visual impairments, autism, combined deafness and blindness, traumatic brain injury and other health impairments;

• Function as Case Manager to Special Education Students in order to write, schedule and facilitate IEP meetings, implement Individualized Education Plans, evaluate student growth, maintain appropriate records, and prepare progress reports

• Ensure appropriate accommodations are available in class and when a student needs to access the environment, curriculum and assessments;

• Develop lesson plans and instructional materials and provide individualized intensive and small group instruction;

• Provide culturally responsive instruction to students who are linguistically diverse;

• Establish a caring, loving, and warm yet structured atmosphere that is safe and supportive

• Establish and maintain standards of pupil behavior needed to achieve a functional learning atmosphere in the classroom and develop an individualized behavioral plan when needed;

• Assist in the Charlottesville Tiered System of Supports to appropriately intervene and identify children with special needs including administration of standardized assessments;

• Model professional standards when dealing with students, parents, peers, and community;

• Utilize strong oral and written communication skills with students, parents, and staff;

• Utilize effective problem solving, organizational, multi-tasking, and time management skills;

• Organize and supervise the work of paraprofessionals;

• Maintain and uphold school and county policies and procedures;

• Assure confidentiality of all students’ information;

• Understand and adhere to all laws, Special Education policies and procedures and District policies, and procedures;

• Maintain professional competence through staff development education activities provided by the school district and self-selected professional growth activities;

• Attend and participate in faculty, department, and Preschool Team meetings;

• Assist in the selection of books, equipment, and other instructional materials;

• Establish and maintain cooperative professional relations with others;

• Perform related duties as assigned by the administration in accordance with the school/system policies and practices.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge and use of materials and resources in accordance with the adopted curriculum and consistent with the physical limitations of the location provided. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with pupils, parents, school staff, district staff, and patrons.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Must hold or be eligible for a Virginia teaching certificate with an endorsement in Early Childhood Special Education and Early Childhood (Early/Primary Education PK-3; Elementary Education PK-6; Early Childhood for 3s and 4s add-on endorsement).

PHYSICAL CONDITIONS AND NATURE OF WORK CONTACTS:

Duties performed typically in school settings to include: classroom; gym, cafeteria; auditorium; and recreational areas. Regularly required to speak and/or hear. Frequently required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, and stoop, kneel, or crouch. Occasionally required to use hands to handle or feel and must occasionally climb or balance. Must also frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision and depth perception. Must be able to respond to the unique educational needs of students with disabilities in a stressful setting. Job may emphasize intervention with and management of aggressive and self-abusive students, angry students, emotional students, students with infectious diseases, and students who have been personally abused. Daily personal and close contact with children to provide classroom management and learning environment support is required. Regular contact with other staff members and parents is required. Occasional contact with medical professionals may be required. Frequent contact with parents by phone and in person is necessary.

EVALUATION:

Performance will be evaluated on the ability and effectiveness in carrying out the above responsibilities.