Special Education (AIMS) Teacher - Amherst Regional Middle School

Sylvania; Amherst (MA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Amherst-Pelham Regional School District invites applications for a full-time Special Education Teacher for the Academic Individualized Mainstream Support (AIMS) Program at Amherst Regional Middle School, serving sixth-grade students at Chestnut Street Academy. The role emphasizes a neurodiversity-affirming lens, collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, and data-driven progress monitoring.

Responsibilities include direct instruction in social skills, self-regulation, and executive

Qualifications

• Experience working with students with mild-to-moderate or intensive special needs, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and atypical learning profiles.
• Neurodiversity-affirming approach that centers students' strengths, autonomy, dignity, communication preferences, and self-advocacy.
• Knowledge of research-based instructional and behavioral methodologies, including Applied Behavior Analysis.
• Experience developing and implementing positive behavioral supports and intervention plans.
• Experience providing individual and small-group instruction in social skills, self-regulation, and executive functioning.
• Strong commitment to inclusive practices that support students academically, socially, and emotionally.
• Strong case management, organizational, time-management, and home-school communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities, work independently, meet required timelines, and adapt within a fast-paced school environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build effective, collaborative relationships with students, families, educators, paraeducators, service providers, administrators, educational team leaders, and outside agencies.
• Strong de-escalation skills.
• Training in, or willingness to be trained in, a Massachusetts-approved physical restraint prevention and intervention program.
• Experience working with a diverse student population within a multicultural school community.

Responsibilities

• Provide individualized and small-group instruction to students at Amherst Regional Middle School and a cohort of sixth-grade students at Chestnut Street Academy.
• Provide instruction based on students' academic, social-emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning needs.
• Modify and adapt curriculum, instruction, and assessments in accordance with students' IEPs.
• Develop, implement, and monitor social-emotional and positive behavioral supports.
• Serve as a case manager and complete all aspects of the IEP process, including development, implementation, progress monitoring, and documentation.
• Maintain consistent and effective communication with students, families, educators, service providers, and educational team leaders.
• Collaborate with general education teachers, related service providers, administrators, outside agencies, and other members of multidisciplinary teams.
• Support students in general education classrooms and co-teach with general education teachers, as directed by the building administration.
• Provide supplemental or alternative instruction in core academic areas based on students' individual needs.
• Teach students to understand their learning profiles, develop self-advocacy skills, and build upon their individual strengths and interests.
• Support students in developing independence and navigating social and behavioral expectations across structured and unstructured school environments.
• Design systems to collect and analyze student data and use the results to develop and monitor appropriate interventions.
• Supervise and collaborate with paraeducators, including providing guidance, feedback, and formal or informal evaluations.
• Create and maintain a structured, supportive learning environment that addresses students' sensory, social, emotional, behavioral, and academic needs.
• Participate as an active member of the school's professional learning community and multidisciplinary teams.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the building administration.

Skills

Case management

Collaboration

Communication

De-escalation

Behavioral supports

Social skills instruction

Executive functioning

Autism awareness

Neurodiversity-affirming

Education

Massachusetts DESE licensure (Moderate Disabilities, Grades 5-8, or Severe Disabilities)

Tools

Applied Behavior Analysis

Job description

The Amherst-Pelham Regional School District is seeking a highly qualified, full-time Special Education Teacher for the Academic Individualized Mainstream Support (AIMS) Program at Amherst Regional Middle School. This position will also serve a cohort of sixth-grade students attending Chestnut Street Academy, which is located within the Middle School. The ideal candidate will bring a neurodiversity-affirming lens to their work, recognizing and building upon each student's unique strengths, interests, communication style, and learning profile.

The AIMS Program provides specialized programming and services within a highly inclusive environment for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other similarly presenting neurological or learning profiles. The Special Education Teacher provides direct instruction in social skills, self-regulation, executive functioning, and academic content while supporting students' successful participation in general education settings.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide individualized and small-group instruction to students at Amherst Regional Middle School and a cohort of sixth-grade students at Chestnut Street Academy.
• Provide instruction based on students' academic, social-emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning needs.
• Modify and adapt curriculum, instruction, and assessments in accordance with students' IEPs.
• Develop, implement, and monitor social-emotional and positive behavioral supports.
• Serve as a case manager and complete all aspects of the IEP process, including development, implementation, progress monitoring, and documentation.
• Maintain consistent and effective communication with students, families, educators, service providers, and educational team leaders.
• Collaborate with general education teachers, related service providers, administrators, outside agencies, and other members of multidisciplinary teams.
• Support students in general education classrooms and co-teach with general education teachers, as directed by the building administration.
• Provide supplemental or alternative instruction in core academic areas based on students' individual needs.
• Teach students to understand their learning profiles, develop self-advocacy skills, and build upon their individual strengths and interests.
• Support students in developing independence and navigating social and behavioral expectations across structured and unstructured school environments.
• Design systems to collect and analyze student data and use the results to develop and monitor appropriate interventions.
• Supervise and collaborate with paraeducators, including providing guidance, feedback, and formal or informal evaluations.
• Create and maintain a structured, supportive learning environment that addresses students' sensory, social, emotional, behavioral, and academic needs.
• Participate as an active member of the school's professional learning community and multidisciplinary teams.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the building administration.

Qualifications:

• Experience working with students with mild-to-moderate or intensive special needs, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and atypical learning profiles.
• A neurodiversity-affirming approach that respects neurological differences and centers students' strengths, autonomy, dignity, communication preferences, and self-advocacy.
• Knowledge of research-based instructional and behavioral methodologies, including Applied Behavior Analysis.
• Experience developing and implementing positive behavioral supports and intervention plans.
• Experience providing individual and small-group instruction in social skills, self-regulation, and executive functioning.
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusive practices that support students academically, socially, and emotionally.
• Strong case management, organizational, time-management, and home-school communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities, work independently, meet required timelines, and adapt within a fast-paced school environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build effective, collaborative relationships with students, families, educators, paraeducators, service providers, administrators, educational team leaders, and outside agencies.
• Strong de-escalation skills.
• Training in, or willingness to be trained in, a Massachusetts-approved physical restraint prevention and intervention program.
• Experience working with a diverse student population within a multicultural school community.

Licensure:

All candidates must hold or be eligible for an appropriate Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education license in Moderate Disabilities, Grades 5-8, or Severe Disabilities, All Levels.

Bilingual candidates who speak Spanish and English are strongly encouraged to apply.