Newark: [Immediate 2023 - 2024] Special Education Teacher - Middle School

Company Description

About KIPP New Jersey

KIPP New Jersey is part of the nationally recognized “Knowledge Is Power Program” network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools dedicated to preparing students for success in college and in life. In 2002, KIPP New Jersey first opened its doors in Newark’s South Ward as a single class of 80 fifth graders and has since grown to educate 7,035 students in grades K-12 across 15 schools in Newark and Camden. More than 90% of KIPP New Jersey students currently qualify for free or reduced meals. 

By 2025, KIPP New Jersey will have fifteen schools in Newark and five in Camden providing a world-class education to over 10,300 students. To learn more, visit www.kippnj.org.

Job Description

Here's what you need to know:

We are searching for Special Education teachers to provide small group instruction (both pull in and pull out) support to our exceptional learners! 

Here's what you'll be doing:

Teaching and Classroom responsibilities

• Assumes responsibilities for demonstrating achievement of individualized education program (IEP) goals and improved academic performance of students with disabilities.

• Develops an IEP at a Glance for each student that profiles existing assessment data [CST testing, district and state assessments], identified disability, classroom implications and IEP goals, accommodations and modifications and distributes to GL team.

• Provides a wide-range of special education instructional opportunities for students to work one-on-one, in small groups, and as a class within push in or pull out settings, in support of the general education curriculum.

• Employs multisensory teaching strategies and specialized instruction based on an understanding of student strengths, weaknesses, disability, and learning styles.

• Works in collaboration with all general education teachers as a technical expert.

• Monitors and tracks student progress towards goals in the inclusive setting, collaborates with related service providers, and monitors behavior intervention plans (BIPs) and provides accommodation/modification support.

• Start the referral process when a student is referred to the IEP team to determine interventions for students demonstrating disciplinary concerns, truancy, and/or academic failure or to further assess struggling students in all areas of suspected disabilities.

• Meet regularly with classroom teachers and paraprofessionals to review student progress, classroom observations and create next steps towards meeting students IEP goals.

• Observe and meet with classroom paraprofessionals weekly to discuss implementation of intervention strategies, data tracking and create next steps towards goals.

IEP management

• Assumes responsibility for writing both initial and updated IEPs based on present levels of performance and developing goals that related to curriculum standards and content

• Track student progress towards IEP goals on a weekly and quarterly basis.

• Uses tracking of student progress to determine changes in student programming.

• Report achievement of goals and objectives at the end of every advisory period and issues quarterly progress reports.

• Maintain a portfolio of student grades, work samples, anecdotal data, and classroom observation information.

Case management

• Assume responsibility for case compliance and student academic progress as documented through both academic and compliance tracking tools.

• Assume responsibility for reviewing and analyzing all student information and developing a corrective action plan for students who need additional testing and/or a change in service.

• Maintain special education files, in collaboration with the grade level social worker, and ensures that all evaluation recommendations are followed up and completed.

• Help to coordinate all IEP meetings for the grade level (Initial, Eligibility, IEP, Re-eligibility, Triennial), providing all academic data.

• Communicates IEP notes and updates to GL teams / teachers and paraprofessionals.

• Ensure that related services are represented in the IEPs and are being delivered in an integrated way and practically applied in the classroom.

• Review monthly data as to student performance with Assistant Principal.

TEAM and FAMILY engagement

• Collaborate closely with students, families and colleagues to create an environment that is supportive of student progress.

• Effectively communicate academic and behavior performance to families.

• Participate in school, departmental and parent meetings as required.

 Development

• Engage actively in the Performance Management Process.

• Continue p