Secondary Special Education Teacher

Wayside Schools; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 48,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free Health Insurance, including major

Sustainability Fridays

Free Pre-K for Staff Children

Professional Development and Coaching

403(b) plan

Texas Retirement System Plan

Stipends for candidates who meet the Q

Job summary

Wayside Schools, a public charter network in South Austin, seeks aSecondary Special Education Teacher to support online instruction and inclusive classrooms. The role emphasizes planning, adapting lessons, and coordinating with families and staff to promote student growth.

The candidate will work with diverse learners, leveraging technology and evidence-based practices while maintaining records and participating in ongoing professional development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Valid Texas Teaching Certificate - Special Education required.
• Comfortable with technology and online learning platforms.

Responsibilities

• Provide instruction to individuals or groups using varied methods (presentation, discussion, activities).
• Plan lessons with learning objectives, assessments, and labs.
• Facilitate online learning, maintain discipline, and encourage participation.
• Maintain records of student progress, grades, and attendance.
• Communicate with parents and school staff to address social or developmental needs.
• Attend faculty meetings and support department activities; mentor colleagues as needed.
• Demonstrate professional ethics and protect confidentiality.

Skills

Teaching communication

Team collaboration

Time management

Online instruction

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Position:Secondary Special Education Teacher

Candidate is responsible for the online planning, organizing, and presenting activities contributing toeducational, social, and physical development of students to enhance their self-worth and equip them with the basic knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to function in society. Considerable judgment, tact, patience, sensitivity, and flexibility are required to deal with students from varied socioeconomic backgrounds and learning styles. This position requires creativity and adaptive thinking to match teaching objectives, learning strategies, and instructional plans with students’ abilities.

ABOUT WAYSIDE SCHOOLS: Wayside Schools is an open-enrollment, tuition-free Pre-K3-12 th grade public charter school network that provides over 2,200 scholars across its four South Austin campuses with a rigorous International Baccalaureate education. Since 2012, Wayside schools has striven to empower historically underserved scholars, providing them with the instructional experiences, academics skills, intellectual habits and social and emotional competencies needed to become graduates from four-year colleges and universities, providing them with the access and opportunities they need to narrate their own futures and positively impact and empower the families and communities to which they belong.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree (required)
• Valid Texas Teaching Certificate- Special Education (required)
• Comfortable with technology and online learning platforms

Skill Requirements:

• This position requires the ability to apply knowledge of current education and instructional theories, methodologies, techniques, and principles, knowledge of subject matter, and knowledge of state, local, and federal laws and regulations affecting the lives and education of students.
• Strong understanding of social and emotional needs, development and learning.
• Ability to establish and maintain a positive classroom culture which supports the learning of all students.
• Candidate must have the ability to communicate effectively using a variety of media, work with others as a team, organize and maintain records, manage time and resources effectively and efficiently, and evaluate performance and provide constructive feedback.

Performance Responsibilities:

• Provide instruction to a class, individual students, or groups of students using such methods as oral presentation, demonstration, discussion of homework assignments, answering questions, offering laboratory directions, and games.
• Plan lessons, including activities such as preparing learning objectives and goals, designing tests or exams, studying material, setting up labs, and preparing exams
• Facilitate learning in the online learning classroom (e.g., maintain discipline; encourage participation; consult with parents, school staff, and other care providers to identify and address social or developmental needs.)
• Maintain records and document student progress (e.g., record grades and absences, provide progress reports.)
• Perform all duties pertaining to area of expertise as required (e.g., early childhood, language, music, physical education, vocational training, safety, and career education.)
• Maintain contact with parents in regard to student performance through activities such as parent-teacher conferences, progress reports, letters, and special meetings.
• Maintain professional development through such activities as classes, conferences, seminars, workshops, and professional journals; provide technical guidance to less experienced teachers.
• Perform various administrative activities (e.g., attend faculty and staff meetings, order equipment and supplies, copy materials, create bulletin boards, take attendance, obtain permission slips, and coordinate department activities.)
• Prepare lesson materials, supplies, and equipment (e.g., copy materials, set up audio visual equipment, arrange lab materials.)
• Monitor student behavior (e.g., during class, during assemblies, extracurricular activity meetings or events, fire drills, or other online group activities.)
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Perform other duties assigned by supervisor.
• Demonstrate behavior that is professional, ethical and responsible.
• Articulate the district’s mission and goals to the community and solicit its’ support in realizing the school’s mission.

Physical Effort and Work Environment:

• Services are generally provided within a standard classroom environment.
• Some movement throughout the classroom is generally necessary to facilitate learning (e.g., standing, walking, stooping, bending, sitting, and/or kneeling).
• Light lifting of materials and other objects associated with a classroom environment is required (e.g., books, teaching aids, up to approximately 20 – 40 lbs.).
• Special Education Teachers may also be required to pick up students, restrain students as needed, and spend large quantities of time on the floor sitting, squatting, and/or kneeling.
• Field trips may be made.
• Candidate should be willing to contribute directly or indirectly to the development of children both inside and outside the online classroom, which may include working hours in addition to the regular school day.
• This position may involve rare exposure to blood or body fluids.
• Regular attendance is required for this position.

Personal Work Relationships:

• Candidate receives administrative supervision, universal coaching and participates in frequent evaluation and feedback observations throughout the academic year with a final summative evaluation
• It is expected that less experienced candidates will receive additional guidance on instructional matters and that those with more experience will serve as mentors, providing suggestions, guidance, and assistance as appropriate or necessary.
• It is expected that some candidates will be more involved in planning and coordinating departmental activities. Supervisor may provide detailed instruction regarding changes in policies, procedures, or laws or in reference to unusual circumstances or problems.
• Candidate has significant contact with students, parents, and other school staff to provide instruction, offer guidance, exchange information, and develop social skills of students.
• Candidate may also maintain contacts within the community to enrich the content of materials and utilize additional instructional methodologies (e.g., take field trips, invite guest speakers.)

• Free Health Insurance, including major medical, dental, vision, and life (Employee Only)
• Sustainability Fridays
• Free Pre-K for Staff Children
• Professional Development and Coaching
• 403(b) plan
• Texas Retirement System Plan
• Stipends for candidates who meet special program qualifications

Additional Information:

This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Wayside Schools has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice.

This position is exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., however, the Chief Academic Officer from time to time may work an extended schedule, including weekends and evenings according to demands of the role and tasks.

In accordance with applicable laws and Wayside Schools policies, no person shall be excluded from consideration for recruitment, selection, appointment, training, promotion, retention or any other personnel action, or be denied any benefits or participation in any educational programs or activities which it operates on the grounds of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age or veteran status (except where age, sex, or disability constitutes a bona fide occupational qualification necessary to proper and efficient administration).

All new employees must present proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States.

The foregoing statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required.