Special Education PK-8 (Learning Support) - William Penn School District

 Job description last updated: 3/21/2024

Position Summary: The ideal candidate will support the District’s mission and vision, and have the primary responsibility to plan and deliver developmentally appropriate lessons that meet state-mandated standards. Each teacher will also communicate regularly and effectively with students/parents. 

District Summary

The William Penn School District is located in southeastern Delaware County and serves approximately 5,000 students who reside in Aldan, Colwyn, Darby, East Lansdowne, Lansdowne, and Yeadon Boroughs. We share a collective vision to educate, nurture and empower all students to become career and/or college ready.

Key Responsibilities & Essential Duties: 

• Responsible for the education of students and implementation of IEPs
• Work directly with students with special education needs and teams who support these students.
• Provide 1:1 training to staff in the areas of instruction and behavior as required by IEP
• Implement instruction, daily living, and classroom management best practices.
• Develop IEPs in conjunction with IEP teams.
• Prepare lessons in accord with PA State Standards and student IEPs.
• Implement adaptations for testing and assessment.
• Identify accommodations and specially designed instruction to ensure student success.
• Develop individual assessments and administer diagnostic tests to assess students’ academic achievement.
• Collaborate with Behavior Analyst to develop Positive Behavior Support Plans.
• Implement Crisis Intervention and Safety Care strategies.
• Collect data and monitor student progress on IEP goals.
• Submit quarterly student progress reports to parent and district of residence administrator.
• Work effectively with the teacher assistant and other members of the IEP team.
• Keep up to date attendance records and child tracking data on each enrolled student.
• Assume additional duties as assigned by program supervisor

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge/awareness of own cultural identity and how this influences behavior, and desire to learn about the cultural identity of others. 
• Ability to establish and nurture an environment that promotes cultural competence and equitable treatment of staff, students, and patrons of the District. 
• Ability to understand and hold self and others accountable for promoting and attaining the goals as outlined inFocus Forward 2025. 
• Ability to recognize that each person is a unique individual even as we celebrate their group cultural heritage. 
• Knowledge of PA Core Standards and Eligible Content 
• Knowledge of Instructional Planning Guides as it relates to the instructional block 
• Knowledge of Digital Curriculum components 
• Ability to courageously lead conversations focused on equity, closing opportunity gaps, and equal access to technology-infused lessons of rigor. 
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with District staff and administrators, students, parents or guardians, outside agencies, and the public, in a multi-ethnic, multicultural, multilingual environment. 
• Ability to receive and implement feedback to improve practice and systems.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree from accredited college or university
• Valid Pennsylvania Certification: Special Education PK-8, Special Education PK-12ora confirmed pathway to certification

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Education or a related field of study
• 2+ years of experience teaching in education environments

Pre-employment Paperwork Requirements:

• Pennsylvania Criminal Background Check, FBI Fingerprinting Background Check, Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance
• Sexual Misconduct/Abuse Disclosure Release (Act 168) forms 
• School Personnel Health Record and TB test

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements:

• Work scheduled hours on a consistent basis
• Indoor office environment is subject to frequent interruptions
• Pushing, moving and lifting objects with a strength factor of light work
• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a variety of standard office equipment
• Clarity of vision at varying distances
• Verbal, auditory and written capabilities to effectively communicate in an articulate manner
• Sitting and standing for extended periods of time
• Frequent sitting, standing and walking
• Reaching overhead, above the shoulders and horizontally to retrieve and store files and supplies
• Lifting objects with a strength factor of light work
• Occasional bending, reaching and stretching
• Occasional kneeling, crouching and squatting
• Occasional pulling, pushing

Level of Compensation:$50,119 - $101,320 (dependent on Step and Track placement as determined based on collective bargaining agreements)

Disclaimer:

The preceding list is not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary. The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this job, the scope of responsibility, and the level of knowledge and skills typically required, but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements, skills or duties so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside their normal responsibilities from time to time as needed.

All employment open positions are made available on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability, or veteran status.

Job descriptions are written as a representative list of the ADA essential duties performed by the entire classification. They cannot include and are not intended to include, every possible activity and task performed by every specific employee.