Teacher HS Special Education Teacher
Job Description
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION:
Urban Dove Team Charter School (UD Team) is a completely unique and innovative alternative sports-based high school for over-aged, under-credited youth that combines a rigorous academic curriculum with a hands-on, real-world vocational program, and an award-winning college and career readiness program that strives to give each graduate a high school diploma, a foundation for higher education, and the job skills needed to enter the world of work.
Energize. UD Team energizes at-risk students through a sports, health and fitness program that focuses on developing teamwork, healthy competition, and self-confidence for academic and life success.
Educate. UD Team educates over-aged, under-credited students through a 3-year mastery-based, personalized instructional program that leads to a high school diploma, a foundation for higher education, and the job skills needed to enter the world of work.
Empower. UD Team empowers disconnected youth through individualized academic support, internships, and counseling so that they are prepared to be active, healthy, informed world citizens.
Some highlights of our program include:
- Students are members of small, single-gender teams that practice together, play together, go to class together, and receive support services together
- Students spend significant portions of each day playing and participating in a sports, health and fitness curriculum
- Each team of students is accompanied and mentored by a Coach
- Staff are supported, mentored, and heard through a governance structure that values all constituents
- UD Team uses restorative practices in response to behavior infractions and focuses heavily on youth development and the social emotional education of our students
ABOUT THE POSITION:
UD Team teachers are results-driven educators with experience in, and commitment to, standards-based curriculum and the use of various data points to inform instructional decision-making. UD Team teachers are collaborative and self-motivated, risk-taking and self-reflective, and sensitive
to the academic and social-emotional needs of at-risk students. UD Team teachers are committed to students’ high achievement in the classroom and are willing to embark on a venture that demands extra hard work, flexibility, and leadership. UD Team teachers recognize that though our students come to us with an array of challenges, each is capable of succeeding in school and it is our job to provide them the means for that success.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Effectively differentiate instruction based on an array of student needs.
- Contribute to school-wide supports for all students by working closely with classroom teachers, coaches, and service providers in order for students to become increasingly successful.
- Keep track of the individual progress of students with disabilities.
- Provide ongoing support for the parents of students with disabilities, informing them of student progress and keeping the lines of communication open by participating in family chats and workshops throughout the school year.
- Develop IEPs, implement goals, facilitate IEP annual meetings, and comply with special education rules and regulations.
- Design and implement differentiated assessments that measure progress towards Common Core standards
- Design and facilitate the implementation of Behavior Intervention Plans.
- Participate in collaborative curriculum development, grade-level teacher teams, and school-wide functions
- Tutor individual students in our extended day block
- Review data and student progress regularly via an electronic learning management system
- Participate in a late summer 3-week staff orientation and professional development series of workshops
QUALIFICATIONS:
- New York State Certification
- Both novice and experienced teachers may apply
- Preferably knowledgeable in the use of SESIS
- Ability to create multi-tiered classroom structures and behavior plans to address multiple disabilities (ED, LD, OHI, etc)
- Demonstrated ability to “multi-task” and deliver high quality work
- Commitment to the UD Team mission and core values of Teamwork, Leadership, and Communication
- Commitment to the use of restorative practices and a strength-based, youth development approach to student issues
- Ability to function well as part of a team and work independently
- Must be team-oriented, with a strong work ethic, excellent communication skills, a passion for serving at-risk youth, and a sense of humor
