Teacher Special Educator, Rindge Avenue Upper School

Position: Special Education Teacher

Rindge Avenue Upper School / OSS

Rindge Avenue Upper School Community:

Rindge Avenue Upper School is a dynamic middle school energized by our collaboratively created school

improvement plan. Our vision is rooted in the district goals for all Upper Schools: academic excellence and social justice for all students. We are also deeply committed to becoming a more culturally responsive learning institution and work to maintain an equity lens on all we do. We believe we can achieve our goals by grounding our school in our deeply shared core values created together by staff students and families: Reflect Aim high seek Unity and have Compassion. Having these values at our center empowers us to learn take risks and grow together in a safe and nurturing environment. Students teachers and families share responsibility for creating an inclusive community. We stay true to our values by reflecting regularly and repairing the community when needed. Everyone has access to an excellent education and everyone is equally valued respected and accepted for who they are.

The Office of Student Services:

The Office of Student Services (OSS) is responsible for providing a variety of supports and services to students in Cambridge Public Schools (CPS). Our programs are dedicated to ensuring equitable access and success for students with disabilities and students who have advanced learning needs.

The Opportunity:

The Special Educator is responsible for providing specially designed instruction to students with disabilities in both general education and separate settings. The Special Educator will work collaboratively with general education special education and related services staff to ensure that students with disabilities have positive educational outcomes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

• Provide direct special education services to students with disabilities
• Provide explicit instruction and/or support in reading/literacy math written language and social-emotional behavior
• Progress monitor student mastery of IEP goals and objectives using various assessments and data collection tools
• Develop Individualized Education Programs for students based on various types of data specific to the students present levels of functioning and performance
• Provide instruction to students using systematic structured and multisensory approaches to learning
• Collaborate with general education special education related services and staff
• Administer formal and informal assessments and analyze data to inform decisions regarding IEP goals/objectives learning approaches/content and support
• Accommodate and modify for student learning and support the general education teacher with the implementation of appropriate accommodations in the general education setting
• Any related duties as outlined by the Assistant Superintendent Special Education Director and/or Coordinator of the Office of Student Services
• Ensure implementation of the students Individualized Education Plan
• Ensure effective collaboration with families community supports/services related service staff and general education teachers
• Ensure effective instruction and support for students with disabilities
• Other duties as assigned

Your Skill Set:

As the incoming Special Educator you will possess many though perhaps not all of the following characteristics and qualifications:

• Broad knowledge and experience of programs and services specific to students areas of eligibility (i.e. autism academic behavior learning etc.)
• Broad knowledge of state eligibility requirements
• Above-average skills in collaboration
• Excellent skills in oral and written communication
• Demonstrated ability in collaborating and supporting parents and families
• Demonstrated ability to problem solve
• Demonstrated understanding of inclusive educational practices including various co-teaching approaches
• General knowledge of various formal and informal assessments to monitor student progress and skills
• General knowledge of state and federal special education guidelines and requirements
• Bachelors degree from an accredited college/university in Special Education required Masters preferred concentration in learning disabilities preferred
• Massachusetts Certification of students with mild/moderate special needs PreK-8 or 5-12 required
• Experience teaching or student teaching in an urban school setting
• Specialized training/certification in a foundational reading program such as Orton-Gillingham or Wilson Reading

How to Join Our Team:

Apply online at . Please upload a resume and thoughtful cover letter outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity.

At the Cambridge Public Schools we are committed to cultivating an environment where diverse perspectives and backgrounds are embraced acknowledging that a team reflecting diversity of race color ancestry national origin religion age gender marital/domestic partner status sexual orientation gender identity disability status and veteran status allows us to serve our communities better. To that end we welcome and encourage applicants to bring their authentic selves when considering employment opportunities within our school district.

Required Experience:

IC