TITLE: Special Education Teacher Leader
LOCATION: Central Office
The Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools (KCKPS) is a nationally recognized urban school district that serves approximately 23,000 students. With a Head Start program, three preschools, 29 elementary schools,7 middle schools, and 5 college and career academies/high schools, the district serves a wonderfully diverse mixture of students. A remarkable 62 different languages are spoken in the homes of our students. To serve those students, the district employs approximately 3,650 staff, including more than 1,600 teachers.
The vision of the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is to be one of the Top 10 School Districts in the Nation. Our goal is that "Each student will exit high school prepared for college and careers in a global society, and at every level, performance is on track and on time for success."
Job Goal: Provide direct support and training, through coaching and modeling to special education professional staff, helping them to develop ways to ensure that students make continuous improvements in state and national performance levels to allow them to compete with students across the nation and globally.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES:
- Research intervention and best practices in order to train, model and coach staff regarding specialized instruction for exceptional students
- Improve classroom practice using of data driven decisions, planning for learning and implementation, analyzing the impact, resulting in higher levels of student achievement.
- Plan, develop, facilitate, and oversee implementation of professional growth of teachers helping them to improve their specialized instructional practices as evidenced by increased student achievement on district formative and standardized measures.
- Consult and collaborate with general education teacher leaders to utilize effective and research-based culturally responsive coaching practices.
- Serve as instructional leader for special education services, providing general education with any needed support regarding specialized instruction.
- Train, model and coach special education professional staff in Standards Based Individual Education Planning processes, including implementation and required documentation.
- Use principles of adult learning and effective facilitation in the planning and implementation of professional development (in-service and classroom-embedded).
- Design and deliver standards-based professional development including, but not limited to, Building and District in-service, classroom-embedded, and Professional Learning Communities.
- Facilitate “learning focused conversations,” e.g.Wellman and Lipton.
- Coach teachers to use data to change classroom practice.
- Support teachers to become reflective thinkers using models such as gradual release model.
- Support implementation of and assessment of Guaranteed Viable Curriculum and required District instructional approaches.
- Serve as strategy expert, with thorough knowledge of Standards such as National, State, and District and specialized instruction.
- Demonstrate high levels of proficiency in leadership behaviors and professional deportment.
- Other duties as assigned by Director of Special Education.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master’s Degree in Education or related field (or plan of study on file and active progression to complete degree program)
- Maintains Kansas Teaching License in special education
- 3-5 years effective special education teaching experience (for example references, portfolio, evaluations)
- History of high performance as a master teacher/related services provider and/or case-manager of Individual Education Programs
- Demonstrated collaborative and consultation skills
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Demonstrated expertise in one or more content areas
- Demonstrated effective coaching practices
- Demonstrated ability to design and implement effective instruction resulting in student growth
COMMUNICATION / ORGANIZATION: Maintains communication with school personnel, and parents/guardians to enhance cooperative action which will meet the educational needs of students. Utilizes existing technology effectively in the performance of duties. Performs other related work as required.
REASONING ABILITY: Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read and analyze and interpret general professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, general curriculum and learning theories, correspondence, and protocols. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of administrators, staff, parents, students, and the general public.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here 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.While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, walk, stand and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. The employee must occasionally push items of 50 pounds such as pushing on a bike ore wheelchair, or moving/rearranging furniture. While performing the duties of the job the employee occasionally may visit a child’s home. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud and is a standard acceptable level for this environment. Is directly responsible for students’ safety, work output and well-being.
OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES: Ability to apply knowledge of current research and theory to instructional program; ability to plan and implement lessons based on division and school objectives and the needs and abilities of students. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, peers, parents and community; ability to speak clear and concisely in written or oral communication.
Applications and documents will be reviewed prior to the deadline posted for this position.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: 186 days, 189 day for new teachers
SALARY: KCKPS Negotiated Salary Schedule
FLSA STATUS: EXEMPT
REPORT TO: Director of Special Education or designee
Evaluation: Performance will be evaluated in accordance with the KCKPS Board of Education policy
The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. The individual currently holding this position performs additional duties and additional duties may be assigned.
Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KCKPS does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disability or any other factors that cannot be lawfully considered in its programs and activities as required by all applicable laws and regulations.
Signatures
This job description has been approved by all levels of management:
Manager _______________________________________________
HR ___________________________________________________
Employee signature below constitutes employee’s understanding of the requirements, essential functions and duties of the position.
Employee _____________________________ Date ____________
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