Returner Lead Special Educator | SALA (Summer Arts for Learning Academy)

SUMMER ARTS FOR LEARNING ACADEMY (SALA)

LEAD SPECIAL EDUCATOR

Reports to: Site Director Summer Arts for Learning Academy

About the Summer Arts for Learning Academy:

Baltimore City Schools Summer Arts for Learning Academy (SALA) operated by Arts for Learning Maryland offers students an opportunity to imagine create and express who they are through the arts. This is an action-packed full-day five-week program (Monday - Thursday) that introduces students to a wide variety of art forms from illustration and spoken word to percussion drama and dance which gives students a chance to work alongside students from across the city and be taught by professional Artists. Students work is celebrated through a student showcase on the final day of the program. Arts for Learning Maryland will host ten Academy sites throughout the city locations TBD.

Mission and Core Values:

The mission of Arts for Learning Marylands Summer Arts for Learning Academy (SALA) is to provide students with an opportunity to spend summer learning from the best Teachers and Teaching Artists our state has to offer. Through a dynamic creative and supportive environment students will explore math and literacy in a unique arts-integrated environment that allows them to develop socially and emotionally expands their personal creative process introduces them to different art forms taught by professional Artists and allows them to experience math and literacy content from a different lens.

We...

• believe unwaveringly that ALL students can achieve high standards in and through the arts.
• provide opportunities for students to develop powerfully articulate voices through art forms and honor their creative processes along the way.
• create safe brave learning environments for students to grow make mistakes and contribute to the community.
• collaborate and reflect by learning from and with each other at every step of the process cultivating positive relationships between all ages.
• encourage the development of critical thinking problem solving inquiry imagination and creativity and provide multiple ways for students to demonstrate knowledge and mastery.
• learn about honor and leverage the cultural knowledge experiences and frames of reference of our students and community to make learning more relevant and effective.
• ensure that our students are known loved supported celebrated and valued.

SALA Lead Special Educator

Job Description:

The SALA Lead Special Educator is key to ensuring rigorous and meaningful learning in both literacy and math at SALA sites is possible for all students. Lead Special Educators will provide push in and pull out support and services to students with IEPs and 504 Plans and are responsible for both providing reasonable accommodations and carrying out IEP goals for specific addition to serving specific students with IEPs Lead Special Educators are expected to support all students with special needs regardless of IEP status and are required to provide coaching support and strategies to Teachers Teaching Artists Paraeducators and One-to-Ones in meeting the needs of all students.

Additionally Lead Special Educators will manage the team of Gen. Ed. and ESOL Paraeducators as well as one-to-ones at their site to ensure that they are in the best position to meet the needs of all students.

Lead Special Educators Must Have:

• A special education certification. Teachers with special education certifications are also encouraged to apply as general Classroom Teachers.
• Experience managing supervising and mentoring staff.
• Experience creating schedules and other logistical resources to ensure all students needs are met.
• A passion for students: an ability to build meaningful relationships and a desire to go above and beyond to ensure each students success.
• A strong interest (with experience preferred) in arts integration and co-teaching.
• A strong desire to fully integrate into a non-traditional learning environment where flexibility is strongly valued and where new and innovative ideas are not only cultivated but expected from all staff.
• Willingness to use either the school office landline or their personal cell phone (number blocking is acceptable) to contact parents as needed.
• Knowledge of federal laws protecting the educational services for students with disabilities.
• Ability to select instructional planning management and evaluation procedures that relate to student needs and the demands of the instructional environment as dictated by their IEPs.
• Ability to apply knowledge of current research and theory to instructional programs.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with students peers and parents.
• An ability to attend and engage in all required training and program dates.
• An ability to create inclusive environments where all students unique gifts and talents are discovered and cultivated and where students identities (racial cultural social gender etc.) are acknowledged affirmed and reflected around them.
• An ability to examine biases and an understanding of the concepts of institutional and structural racism and its impact on policies and practices especially related to the administration of public education.
• A commitment to seeing families as partners in education and communicating with them regularly.

Please note staff working in SALA will need to be able to stand walk and be active throughout the entire duration of the program day. They will need to be able to keep up with and supervise students within and outside the classroom for example during Fitness and Fun time and field trips. Staff will also need to be able to lift up to 20lbs on occasion when setting up and breaking down classroom and/or preparing for performances and other events. Bending kneeling and climbing stairs are also frequently needed during SALA.

Job Responsibilities:

As a member of the Site Admin Team:

• Check instructional resources (e.g. math manipulatives books dictionaries etc) in the first two weeks--those that are not being used in a classroom should be taken to the office and repurposed.
• Ensure all Artists/Teachers submit written weekly instructional outlines for all classes.
• Ensure arts integration/co-teaching planning occurs and keep records of time spent.
• Support the Site Admin team in carrying out the site operations.
• Supports or participates in school-wide student activities and/or family and community events.
• Supports the structured team-building recess (Fitness & Fun) block twice per week.
• Submit verbal and written reports as required.
• Administer student program evaluations when needed.
• Create a positive culture and climate within the building by centering the programs mission and core values and addressing any issues within the parameters of site procedures and expectations.
• Build relationships with students staff and families and create a positive supportive community within the classroom and site.
• Support the completion of all required paperwork as assigned by the Site Director/Instructional Coach including student attendance records student pre and post surveys or assessments student observation rubrics student progress reports etc.
• Adhere to all health and safety policies as required by BCPSS CDC World Health Organization (WHO) and Arts for Learning Maryland.
• Assist with site logistics (transitions cafeteria duties tidiness of site among others)
• All other duties as assigned.

Specifically as the Lead Special Educator:

• Serve as the Special Education Lead at a site and provide push in and pull out support and services to students with IEPs and 504 plans.
• Provide direct instructional services to students with disabilities based on their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or other identified special needs.
• In partnership with instructional staff develop adapt modify and individualize educational materials resources techniques methods and strategies to meet the needs of students with different abilities within the SALA framework.
• Maintain appropriate records and document the prescriptive progress of special education children based on established instructional objectives. Ensure that said documents are sent to the SALA HQ Director by the end of the program.
• Work with parents of special education children to ensure ongoing communication and instructional support systems.
• Coordinate instructional activities and collaborate with other professional staff both school and non-school-based as required to maximize learning opportunities.
• Assign work to and oversee Gen. Ed. Paraeducators and One-to-Ones in the buildings. Work with the ESOL Director and the ESOL teacher on site to assign work to ESOL Paraeducators.
• Monitor student behavior in non-instructional areas as assigned or required and intervene to control and modify disruptive behavior reporting to administrators as appropriate.
• Demonstrate the use of both traditional and innovative instructional methodologies in working with various sub-groups within the populations of students with disabilities.
• Lead Special Educators are responsible for creating a positive culture and climate within their classroom and are responsible for handling any issues (including disciplinary issues) within the parameters of site procedures.
• Build relationships with students staff and parents and create a positive supportive community within the classroom and site.
• Attend all professional development and planning meetings as instructed by the SALA Admin Team and the Site Director.
• Engage parents guardians and families effectively including responding to family inquiries in a timely manner and contacting parents/guardians to provide progress updates share challenges or address disciplinary concerns.
• Assist with the preparation and planning of the final student culminating showcase.
• Collaborate with and provide support for various partnerships and external stakeholders.

Required Dates Times and Working Hours:

SALA Lead Special Educators must be able to commit to attending program and training days including PD week shortly before program launch and spring PD dates that will occur March-June. Specific dates and deadlines will be provided in a timely manner and all training is paid.

SALA Program Dates: For all Baltimore sites the program will run Monday through Thursday for a 5 week period of time. Program hours for students are 8:30 am (Breakfast) to 3:00 pm.

• Lead Special Educators time commitment: 7 hours a day (8.30am - 3.30pm)
• Weekly Meetings and Planning Time: One 30-minute staff meeting per week (days/times TBD by Site Directors); one weekly check-in with the staff they support (day/time TBD by Lead SpEd); Planning time (vertical and co-planning): 2 hours a week (more information on this during Spring PD). These meetings are required and paid.

Compensation:

• The SALA Lead Special Educator position is a temporary non-exempt position and is not eligible for employee benefits. This position is eligible for time-off in the form of Sick & Safe leave.
• Lead Special Educators will be paid an hourly rate of $50
• ALL positions will be paid at the hourly rate of $25.00 for all professional development sessions and training.
  
  

Time Off:

Grant and special-funded staff hired for short-term assignments internships and as temporary project-based staff are not eligible to accrue PTO however Sick and Safe leave is available to these employees. Sick and Safe Leave is accrued at a rate of one hour for every thirty hours worked and begins accruing on day one of employment. Employees may use the leave in increments of 1 hour or greater. Employees will be paid at their current regular rate for each accrued Sick and Safe Leave hour used.

Employees who have questions about Sick and Safe Leave including (i) their eligibility for Sick and Safe Leave; (ii) when Sick and Safe Leave may be used; and (iii) the amount of available Sick and Safe Leave should promptly contact the People Operations Department ()

To Apply:

For consideration apply online at for Learning Maryland (formerly Young Audiences of Maryland) is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to cultivating a diverse workforce and equitable workplace. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds regardless of race ethnicity gender sexual orientation gender identity and expression age national origin veteran status and disability. All qualified applications will be given equal opportunity.

Required Experience:

IC