Special Education Teacher – Cognitively Impaired, Self Contained

MEMSPA; Warren (MI); Hybrid; USD 47,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

Fitzgerald Public Schools is seeking a Special Education Teacher – Cognitive Impairment, self-contained, at Westview Elementary School for the 2026-2027 school year. The district offers competitive salary and benefits and supports professional growth.

The role requires Michigan certification with cognitive impairment endorsement, strong collaboration, data-driven decision making, and effective classroom management to support diverse learners.

Qualifications

• Valid Michigan Teaching Certificate with Endorsement in SA – Cognitive Impairment.
• Ability to manage time, self-directed.
• High level of confidentiality and professionalism.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Patience to work with diverse populations and language barriers.
• Experience with data driven decision making.
• Familiar with the Common Core standards.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate on course planning, skill assessment and instruction.
• Implement the Common Core essential elements.
• Participate in professional development and apply best practices.
• Collaborate effectively with colleagues.
• Create a classroom environment conducive to learning.
• Develop and administer assessments to gauge student competency.
• Assess progress and provide feedback to students, parents and administration.
• Instruct students to improve academics through a defined course of study.
• Manage student behavior to maintain a safe learning environment.
• Maintain accurate records as required by law and policy.
• Accommodate learning disabilities and involve district specialists as needed.
• Participate in co-teaching with a special education teacher.
• Encourage students to set and maintain classroom standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned by administration.

Skills

Teaching certificate

Endorsement in Cognitive Impairment

Time management

Confidentiality

Verbal and written communication

Patience with diverse population

Data-driven decision making

Familiar with Common Core standards

Education

Michigan teaching certificate

Job description

Special Education Teacher – Cognitively Impaired, Self Contained

Deadline: January 9, 2027
District/Organization: Fitzgerald Public Schools
Position/Type: Teacher, full time
Salary: $46,760 – $94,451

NOTICE OF OPENING: Special Education Teacher – Cognitive Impairment self-contained
LOCATION: Westview Elementary School
WORK YEAR: 2026-2027 School Year
SALARY: Per FEA Contract
Who we are:At Fitzgerald Public Schools, our mission is to inspire, empower and prepare today’s learner to become tomorrow’s leader. Our vision is to educate our future leaders to beFocused,Progressive andSuccessful. Our strategic plan includes: providing a guaranteed and viable curriculum; a multi-tiered system of supports; considerations for the whole school, whole child and whole community; engaging all families; data-based decision making; communication and collective responsibility.

From our humble beginnings in 1920, Fitzgerald Public Schools is a community of 2,200 students with 350 staff members. We are proud of our early childhood center for grades PreK-K, our two elementary schools, one for lower elementary grades 1-3 and one for upper elementary grades 4-5, our middle school serving grades 6-8 with one of the planetariums in the county, our high school for grades 9-12 with a state of the art automotive service center, and our virtual academy. We have an award winning athletic program, marching band and our own foodservice, transportation, custodial and maintenance teams. Through our partnership with a local provider, we also offer school age child care.

What we offer:

Fitzgerald Public Schools has a competitive salary and benefits package along with opportunities for advancement and leadership. We are small enough to enable us to know each other personally and large enough to maintain high standards that demonstrate our expertise in education. With the passing of our recent bond, we have buildings, classrooms, cafeterias and offices in the process of being transformed for the future.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Valid Michigan Teaching Certificate with Endorsementin SA – Cognitive Impairment
• Ability to manage time, self-directed.
• High level of confidentiality and professionalism.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Patience to work with diverse populations and language barriers.
• Experience with data driven decision making.
• Familiar with the common core standards.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responsible for collaboration & course planning, skill assessment, & instruction.
• Must be able to implement the common core essential elements.
• Participate in professional development and implement best practices.
• Demonstrate ability to collaborate effectively and efficiently with others.
• Creates a classroom environment that is conducive to learning and appropriate to the maturity and interests of the students.
• Administers and Develops subject specific assessments for the purpose of assessing student competency levels and/or developing individual learning plans.
• Assesses student progress towards objectives, expectations, and/or goals for the purpose of providing feedback to students, parents and administration.
• Instructs students for the purpose of improving their success in academics through a defined course of study.
• Manages student behavior for the purpose of providing a safe and optimal learning environment.
• Maintains accurate, complete, and correct records as required by law, district policy, and administrative regulations.
• Accommodates the learning disabilities of students on a regular basis, seeking the assistance of district specialists as required.
• Participates in co-teaching situations with a special education teacher assigned.
• Encourages students to set and maintain standards of classroom behavior.
• Performs other duties as may be assigned by administration.