Elementary School Special Education Teacher - Ascend Public Charter Schools

We’re excited about special education elementary school teachers who are fired up about their lessons—who want to spend their time discussing, preparing, and immersing themselves in the rich content they teach. We value teachers who truly listen to what students are saying—who create a space for students to think their way through to answers, and who praise their insights and curiosities along the way. We value educators with a hunger for feedback and professional growth, and a dedication to excellence.

Our teachers embrace a rigorous liberal arts program and a positive approach to discipline, believe in the power of family and community partnerships, and commit to helping students succeed in college and beyond.

Why Ascend

Ascend is the largest Brooklyn-based public charter school serving nearly 6,000 K-12 students in 16 schools. We exist to serve every student – to help them embody their inherent excellence by providing rich, joyful learning experiences that unlock a life of boundless choice.

Access to education is a social justice issue. As educators, we center justice and live out our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism (DEIA) by ensuring that our students have the skills, tools, and confidence they need to thrive today and in the future. We are proud to have a workforce that mirrors the diversity seen in our students. Working at Ascend provides a community focused on developing an environment of support and belonging. Educators collaborate closely and encourage each other to achieve great outcomes.

Our schools honor, nurture, and challenge the whole child. Ascend fosters critical thinking skills and a love of learning through an inquiry-based learning approach, Responsive Classroom model, and anti-racist education. Students at Ascend benefit from a rich and rigorous liberal arts curriculum that nurtures natural curiosity about the world and guides them to think critically and independently.

Ascend invests in employees by providing ongoing professional development, coaching, and career pathways in our schools. We are proud to provide a generous benefits package, which includes flexibility in our healthcare plan, and 403(b) matching starting at year one. At Ascend, we care about our workforce’s mental health and offer services covered by insurance and additional time off for our staff to utilize for their personal care.

For more information on Ascend Public Charter Schools’ model, approach, and core values, please visit our website.

The lower elementary special education ICT teacher will develop and teach engaging lessons that follow the rigorous, Common Core aligned Ascend curriculum and provide individual or small group instruction for students who require additional academic support. Additionally, the special education ICT teacher will:

• Differentiate small group instruction for students with special needs
• Prepare student individualized education plans in consultation with staff and families to ensure success for all scholars
• Utilize formal and informal assessment data to drive instruction and ensure student mastery of standards
• Build a warm and inclusive classroom environment, implementing the practices of Responsive Classroom
• Create and maintain strong relationships with students and families
• Actively participate in grade-level meetings, collaborative planning, and professional development, including an annual summer institute
• Accept ultimate responsibility for the academic progress of his or her students, and work to actively overcome setbacks

Staff and reporting relationships

The special education ICT teacher reports to the assistant principal and also works closely with the student services coordinator.

• A master's degree and NYS charter certification required
• NYS certification in any subject/grade level OR meets one of the four uncertified criteria for charter school teachers:
  
  • TFA alumni
    
  • 3+ years K-12 teaching experience
    
  • 3+ years adjunct professional teaching experience
    exceptional professional in the content area he/she will be teaching (e.g. published writer applying for ELA)
    
• The ability to create a classroom environment where students feel safe, supported, and challenged
• Passion and commitment to teaching scholars in underserved areas and to closing the achievement gap 
• Relentless drive to set and achieve ambitious goals
• Strong collaboration and teamwork skills
• Growth mindset and ability to use feedback to improve practice
• Experience teaching in underserved areas a plus

Compensation

Initial salary offers for this position range from $60,000-$90,000. Salaries are determined using an equitable compensation scale that accounts for years of experience and levels of attained education.

Diversity at Ascend

Ascend is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community, both through our hiring practices and our focus on creating a culture and environment where diverse perspectives, ideas, and identities are valued and integrated into our way of working and educating students. Ascend staff represent a wide diversity of racial, socio-economic, gender, religious, and national identities—opening a window to the entire Ascend community on the richness of humanity. We welcome all applicants who share our mission and vision to join us in our deeply consequential work.

#ZR