Special Education Teacher

Aspire Living & Learning; Stamford (CT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking organization dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the lives of individuals with autism and disabilities. As a Special Education Teacher, you will play a crucial role in a state-approved special education school, utilizing evidence-based practices to foster student success. You will be part of a collaborative team that values a culture of belonging and care, providing personalized instruction and support to a diverse group of students. With a commitment to professional growth and a comprehensive benefits package, this position offers the chance to make a real difference while enjoying a healthy work/life balance. If you are passionate about education and eager to contribute to a positive community, we invite you to apply.

Benefits

8 weeks of PTO annually

Comprehensive Health, Dental, & Vision Insurance

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

Health Saving Account (HSA) options

403(b) Retirement Plan with Employer Match

Generous Paid Time Off

Professional Growth Opportunities

Employer-Paid Life & Disability Insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Telehealth Services

Qualifications

• CT certification in special education required, with some experience in special education.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential for this role.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of up to 10 students, implementing academic and behavior programming.
• Oversee student IEPs and collaborate with team members for effective programming.

Skills

Applied Behavior Analysis

Precision Teaching

Direct Instruction

Interpersonal Skills

Organizational Skills

Communication Skills

Empathy

Basic Computer Skills

Education

CT certification in special education

DSAP or Long-Term Substitute Eligible

Tools

Therap

Job description

Feel good about where you work and what you do!

We are Aspire Living & Learning, a non-profit human services agency making a meaningful difference in the lives of adults and children with autism and other disabilities.

Aspire Living & Learning is currently seeking an enthusiastic Special Education Teacher to join our existing team of highly dedicated and successful professionals.

Compensation:

• Starting at $65,000 or DSAP or long-term substitute eligible candidates
• Starting at $70,000 for CT Special Education certified candidates

Employees at Aspire enjoy working with a collaborative and dedicated team that values a culture of belonging and care. We take pride in offering a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees, including:

• 8-weeks of PTO annually, including personal time, mental health days, and school vacations
• Comprehensive Health, Dental, & Vision Insurance - Choose from multiple medical plans, with vision coverage included at no extra cost.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Saving Account (HSA) options - Use pre-tax dollars for medical and dependent care expenses.
• Lifestyle Spending Accounts with JOON - Monthly funds for wellness, fitness, commuting, childcare, pet care, and more.
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with Employer Match - A 100% match on contributions up to 2% of your salary.
• Generous Paid Time Off - Paid sick, personal, and vacation days, plus holidays.
• Professional Growth Opportunities - Access to training, leadership and management courses, mentorship, and career advancement.
• Employer-Paid Life & Disability Insurance, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Telehealth Services and more!

This program is a state-approved Kindergarten through 12th grade special education school for students referred for both academic and social/behavioral needs. With our philosophy based in the science of Applied Behavior Analysis, we use evidence-based instruction and data-based decision-making to design, analyze, and modify all interventions in order to maximize student success. Direct Instruction and Precision Teaching serve as the primary instructional methods. In addition, school-wide behavior support systems are used while critical social and behavior skills are explicitly and directly taught. Students receive one-on-one and small group instruction in skills that are then practiced and reinforced throughout the school day. The philosophy of this program is very simple: Every student can learn given appropriate instruction in the right environment. Our program provides just that! As a Special Education Teacher, you will be responsible for managing a caseload of up to 10 students within a classroom, including implementation of academic and behavior programming and overseeing the implementation of each student’s IEP. You will also provide direct supervision and delegate responsibilities to assigned Instructional Assistants and one-on-one ABA Therapists, while working collaboratively with the BCBA and other team members to develop and implement student programming.

Our ideal candidate:

• CT certification in special education, DSAP or Long-Term Substitute Eligible
• Familiarity with Applied Behavior Analysis/Precision Teaching/Direct Instruction
• Some experience working with students with challenging behaviors
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.
• Knowledge of appropriate referral procedures.
• The ability to remain composed and adhere to best practices, even when under duress.
• Valid driver’s license required, with at least 3 years of driving experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Basic computer skills, experience using Therap a plus!
• Empathy, enthusiasm, and a passion and dedication for helping others.

Our school staff enjoy working with a fun team of dedicated professionals to support children with a variety of needs. We believe in a healthy work/life balance, and our reputation for providing high-quality, ethical services is one of our biggest assets.

If you want to join us in making a difference and positively impact the lives of others while charting your own path of development, then we at the Aspire team would love to hear from you.

Aspire Living & Learning believes it must play an active role in creating a community of employees that is diverse, inclusive, and equitable. Our work benefits greatly from the contributions of people of color, people from working-class backgrounds, women, LGBTQ people, and individuals with disabilities. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.