Teacher Special Education Ecse

TEACHER EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION (ECSE)

DEPARTMENT: Special Education

BARGAINING UNIT: Grand Rapids Education Association (GREA)

WAGE: Compensation is determined by a structured salary schedule. The starting salary is based on the candidates degree level and verified years of licensed or certificated experience.

DIRECT SUPERVISOR: Special Education Supervisor

GRPS MISSION
Our mission is to ensure that all scholars are educated self-directed and productive members of society.

JOB SUMMARY

The Early Childhood Special Education Teacher is responsible for ensuring kindergarten readiness for scholars by working as an instructional team leader to create world-class learning experiences that are aligned to the curriculum are rich with engaging activities and support to meet ALL preschoolers academic and social emotional learning needs.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelors degree in education early childhood education special education or child development and one or more of the following:
• Endorsements in both special education and early childhood education.
• A major or minor in early childhood education or child growth and development and a valid Michigan teaching certificate with a special education endorsement with full approval from the Department of Education (MDE).
• An endorsement in early childhood general and special education (ZS endorsement).
• Valid CPR and First Aid certification or be willing to acquire.

* Full approval as a teacher of preprimary impaired children is full approval as an early childhood special education teacher if the teacher possesses a valid Michigan teaching certificate.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with preschool-aged children (often with disabilities or developmental delays).
• Knowledge/experience of special education processes (writing IEPs/IFSPs assessment data collection differentiated instruction evidence-based practices).

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrate ability to build relationships with scholars parents staff and community in a professional contractual and courteous manner.
• Experience working with children and teaching them in developmentally appropriate ways aligned with NAEYC and Michigan Early Childhood Standards of High Quality
• Consistently demonstrate dependable attendance and punctuality.
• Consistently demonstrates strong communication (verbal and written) and exceptional organizational skills.
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to maintaining confidentiality and handling sensitive information with discretion.
• Demonstrated understanding of current research as to how children learn and the ability to motivate scholar to perform at their best.
• Demonstrated ability to work in an economically culturally and racially diverse environment.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in the English language both orally and in writing
• Demonstrated ability to differentiate instruction by using a variety of styles and inspire mixed culture and ability classes by creating challenging and engaging learning opportunities for all scholars.
• Demonstrated ability to participate as a member of the team.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a diverse and demanding workload.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Essential functions under the Americans with Disabilities Act may include any of the following duties knowledge and skills. This list is illustrative only and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by employees in this position. Regular on time and in person attendance is an essential function of this job. Other essential functions may include but are not limited to the following:

• Work as an instructional team leader to create world-class learning experiences that are aligned to the curriculum are rich with engaging activities and support to meet ALL preschoolers academic and social emotional learning needs.
• Work cooperatively and collaboratively with building staff to ensure that Early Childhood programs and services are integrated in the assigned building (inclusion focused).
• Create an environment that assures learning using Positive Behavioral Supports.
• Work cooperatively and collaboratively with other Early Childhood staff to ensure that Early Childhood instructional model is carried out uniformly throughout classroom.
• Recognize unique developmental needs and differences of scholars of preschool age.
• Ability to develop collect and analyze instructional data for the purpose of advancing scholar learning.
• Maintain thorough accurate and timely records in accordance with Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE) Child Licensing and Great Start Readiness Program Implementation and Grand Rapids Public Schools
• Demonstrate leadership skills by partnering with assigned paraprofessional creating an instructional team to achieve classroom curriculum development and delivery while supporting every childs academic and social emotional growth.
• Participate in collaborative planning with peers Communities of Practice meetings and Early Childhood MTSS team as needed.
• Provide educational opportunities monthly for parents of Early Childhood scholars to engage in with their child.
• Accept and accomplish other duties as assigned from the Special Education Department and/or the Early Childhood Department
• Display physical social mental and emotional soundness to execute the duties of job.
• Serve as a role model for staff and scholars and within school community.
• Interact with co-workers administration scholars parents and the community in positive supportive and cooperative ways.
• Encourage team spirit and contribute as a team member in the decision-making processes of the school as facilitated by administration.
• Attend staff meetings and serve on committees as required.
• Contribute to extra-curricular activities such as clubs and academic competitions and school programs as appropriate.
• Always maintain and promote school district goals and objectives.
• Comply with state federal and District laws rules regulations policies procedures practices and the contract.
• Consistently demonstrate dependable attendance and punctuality.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Parent and community engagement

• Make and maintain regular positive contact with parents.
• Establish and maintain effective written and oral communication and rapport with scholars parents colleagues and leadership.
• Participate in parent meetings including IEPs and Parent/Teacher Conferences.
• Contribute to the development of a positive attitude between the school and the wider community through cooperative relations publications community functions etc.

ADA REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands work environment factors and mental functions described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job the employee is required to stand walk sit use hands to finger handle or feel reach with hands and arms climb or balance stoop kneel crouch or crawl talk and hear (in a quiet or noisy environment). The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision distance vision and ability to adjust/focus.

• Obtain a physical that ensures ability to perform duties of an Early Childhood/Preschool teacher (licensing requirement).
• Can work on the floor with scholars and move quickly should the need arise for safety reasons.
• Accompany children outdoors daily in a variety of seasonal weather.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Work is performed indoors although there will be required outdoor activities. The employee is directly responsible for the safety well-being and work output of scholars.

MENTAL FUNCTIONS

While performing the duties of this job the employee is required to compare analyze communicate both orally and in writing copy coordinate instruct compute synthesize evaluate use interpersonal skills compile and negotiate.

NON-DISCRIMINATION/ACCOMMODATION ASSISTANCE

The Grand Rapids Public Schools will not discriminate against any person based on race sex sexual orientation gender gender identity and expression height weight color religion national origin age marital status pregnancy disability veteran or military status.

Assistance with the application process may be requested through the Human Resources Department at or .

DISCLAIMER
To perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were written out in this job description.

Required Experience:

IC