The Foundation Schools Looking for Special Education Teacher at Gaithersburg, MD Full Time

The Foundation Schools is a special education day school which delivers innovative school programs and support services for children and adolescents with emotional disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and other learning challenges. For over 40 years, the combination of academic support and therapeutic services has given our students a chance to reach their full potential. The Foundation Schools has schools in Gaithersburg, Largo and Landover, Maryland that serve over 200 students in grades K-12. We are currently accepting resumes for Special Education Teacher candidates for our Gaithersburg school location.

The mission of The Foundation Schools is to provide a highly specialized educational and therapeutic program for students preparing them to be productive and successful in their future academic and career paths. The Foundation Schools employs special education strategies and techniques to provide quality instruction that results in the students’ mastery of approved curriculum and that promotes social, emotional and cognitive learning. We effectively manage student behavior through implementation of behavior management systems, school rules and policies.

Our Core Values’ provide a strong foundation for our programs, are integrated into our positive behavior intervention system, drive our actions and guide our staff and students daily to TWIRL (Teamwork, Work Ethic, Integrity, Respect, and Leadership). We offer a supportive working environment with small class sizes and excellent resources.

The Foundation Schools offers a comprehensive benefit package including tuition assistance and a generous retirement package. Visit our website at www.foundationschools.org for more information.

Education, Experience and Certification Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher is required, preferably in education, special education or related field, Master’s degree preferred
• MSDE certification or eligibility for MSDE certification required in special education, and appropriate grade band; Art and Physical Education teachers require MSDE certification or eligibility for MSDE certification in content area
• Two or more years of experience in a special education setting or experience working with emotionally disabled students or children with autism is preferred
• Knowledge of IDEA and its specific applications to educating students with special education needs and emotional and other disabilities preferred
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) abilities are a plus

KEY JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Employ special education strategies and techniques to provide quality instruction that results in the students’ advancement of their academic progress on the approved curriculum and that promotes social and emotional growth
• Demonstrate knowledge of academic subjects and the ability to effectively teach content area while using the approved curriculum
• Create and implement lesson plans that utilize a variety of teaching methods, including the use of technology, direct instruction, independent study and group learning, in order to engage students and actively encourage student participation; submit lesson plans within set guidelines
• Demonstrate the ability to adapt classroom environment, activities, teaching styles, behavior management practices and lesson plans to meet the needs of students with varying academic levels and learning styles
• Establish expectations for learning and set classroom structure to encourage student participation and appropriate behavior
• Use formal and informal observation and assessment tools to determine students’ needs, and adjust interventions and practices to accommodate those needs; evaluate instructional effectiveness, document, and make modifications based on data, reflection, and feedback
• Provide a safe, structured, creative, and engaging classroom that is conducive to learning
• Participate in the development and monitoring of students’ IEPs, BIPs, and FBAs including completion of required documentation within set guidelines
• Grade students’ work, document students’ work in grade books, and complete grades within deadlines
• Attend and actively participate in IEP meetings, reentry meetings, and other meetings with parents/guardians, students or county representatives; report accurately on student academic progress
• Act as the lead in the classroom by providing guidance and direction to program assistants and dedicated aides assigned to their classroom
• Work with other teachers, therapists, school leaders, and other team members to determine the student and/or classroom needs and adjust interventions and practices to best meet those needs; work with team to develop interventions and/or incentive plans when appropriate