Job Description

STRIVE Prep Secondary Special Education Teacher Leaders will create exceptional outcomes and opportunities for students via a hybrid role that includes Special Educator instructional and case management responsibilities, as well as Campus Special Education leadership and Special Education Instructional Coaching.

STRIVE Prep is a Denver-based community of public charter schools that challenges every student to strive for college and thrive throughout life by helping them to discover and develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to succeed in college and beyond.

Our inclusive and transformative community seeks a Special Education Teacher Leader for the 2019-20 school year.

We seek dedicated educators that live STRIVE Prep’s  core values every day:

• Con Ganas: The work we do is challenging, but every challenge is seen as an opportunity and we rarely give up.

• The High Road: We do the right thing and we treat one another with respect and dignity.

• Joy Factor: We work to create a joyful and optimistic work environment that values levity and laughter.

• Accountable Action: We hold clear, high expectations for our work, and we are appropriately held accountable to those expectations by ourselves and others.

• Growth Mindset: We continue to develop professionally and operate with a growth mindset in order to create the best school possible for our students and families.

• Lean In: We communicate with one another professionally, appropriately, honestly, and transparently, both in person and in writing.

• We Serve:  Every day is an opportunity to partner with and learn from our students and families, whom we serve with grace and humility.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Case Management:

• Create, review and implement Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for a partial caseload, including scholars with emotional or behavioral needs.

• Effectively progress monitor student achievement and gather evidence in order to deliver individualized instruction and supports that are aligned to students’ goals.

• Establish systems and routines in order to create a safe, purposeful, and welcoming classroom environment.

• Analyze student assessment data and use it to determine next steps.

• Communicate regularly and often with families to both solicit their input and share student social and academic progress.

Culture:

• Lead a student advisory at the beginning and end of each school day, and serve as the main point of contact and advocate for students in an advisory of approximately 15 students.
• Establish systems and routines in order to create a safe, purposeful, and welcoming classroom environment focused on learning..
• Communicate regularly and often with families to both solicit their input and share student social and academic progress.
• Provide supervision of students during before and after school activities (arrival, dismissal, breakfast, lunch, and break).
• Participate in family and community events, including twice annual parent conferences and at least one student enrollment event or activity.
• Own the success and achievement of all scholars in the school.

Leadership and Coaching:

• Build and manage a campus team of Special Educators that work together, collaborate, and problem-solve challenges.
• Create and implement systems and structures that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and cohesion of your team.
• Coach and evaluate Special Education teachers on their instructional and case management processes.
• Ensure compliance with IDEA by attending IEP meetings quarterly, consulting on cases as needed, reviewing completed IEPs, monitoring discipline data, and consulting with STRIVE’s Central Special Education Support and DPS Support Partner as needed.
• Provide more intensive guidance and support to new Special Education teachers and onboard any mid-year hires.
• Collaborate and communicate consistently with Central Support, school  administrators, teachers, and district providers to ensure students with IEPs receive meaningful and legally required programming.
• Participate in the Campus Instructional Leadership Team to act as  thevoice of the Special Education department and  continuously drive the Special Education vision at the campus level.
• Work with Special Education team and Central Support to assess gaps and needs and then deliver whole-school and Special Education-specific professional development needs to address those gaps.
• Take on case management of any mid-year transfers and any Initial IEPs that are required throughout the year.
• Participate in STRIVE Prep’s Special Education Department Chair Boot Camp and Summer Training Institute as well as professional development throughout the school year.

  

Requirements:

• Bachelor of Arts or Sciences degree
• At least 3 years of Special Education teaching experience
• Write exceptional Individualized Education Plans (required) and has efficiently and effectively utilized the Enrich IEP writing platform for case management purposes (preferred)
• Achieve Qualified Teacher status within six weeks of starting through one of the following channels outlined by the Colorado Department of Education:

• • • • A valid Colorado Teacher License with Special Education endorsement OR
      • Transfer a Special Education license from another state OR
      • Enroll in an alternative licensure program to obtain a Special Education license.
        • • Read more about the available pathways to becoming a Qualified Special Education Teacher.

In addition, we strongly prefer the following:

• • • • • • At least 1 year of instructional coaching experience
          • Understand, appreciate and can pull from experience teaching in an urban setting
          • Speaks Spanish and/or has experience working with English Learners
          • Demonstrated success working with middle school students of color

What We Offer Our Network Staff:

• • • • • • Competitive compensation package.
          • Annual performance-based raises.
          • Participation in the Colorado PERA retirement program, including a PERA 401k contribution option.
          • Funding of 100 percent of individual medical benefits and a wide range of insurance plans.
          • Approximately three weeks of summer vacation, approximately four weeks of school holidays and vacations, and eight days of paid time off annually.

Join This Movement:

STRIVE Prep educators inspire and encourage our students to think critically, communicate clearly, and collaborate openly, both in and outside of the classroom. By bringing together challenging academics with celebration and joy, we fuel a sense of curiosity, creativity and lifelong possibility in our students and our teachers. No matter where you join us in your career, we welcome our teachers to help make STRIVE Prep a place where everyone in our community can STRIVE and THRIVE.

Equity and Inclusion

STRIVE Prep works to make a college preparatory education for all students in our community the norm, rather than the exception.  We must challenge ourselves as educators on what it means to serve all students, families and each other through a lens of Dignity for All, all the time. To us, Dignity for All means honoring and respecting the rich diversity of who we are and the unique gifts and talents that each of us bring. To achieve this we are committed to building and sustaining a diverse team by maintaining hiring and recruiting processes that are free from bias and seek to provide each candidate with a unique and equitable opportunity for employment.

How to Apply

Apply here, this job is open until filled.

Bureaus: Colorado. Job Categories: Full-Time. Job Types: Teacher. Salaries: 60,000 - 80,000.