Special Education Teacher - Compass Rose Academy

Employment Status: Full-time/Regular/Exempt

Qualifications: A Christian with strong convictions who is also in agreement with White’s mission statement, Statement of Faith, and Code of Conduct. Candidates will possess a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education from an accredited college or university and hold a valid state education certificate for Mild Intervention 6-12. Special Education certification and/or experience strongly preferred. Experience working with students from diverse backgrounds and a variety of needs. Must understand and support the mission of White’s and Compass Rose. Prior experience working in a residential treatment center is preferred.

Reports to: Academic Director of Compass Rose Academy

Job Summary: Serves as the Special Education Teacher for Compass Rose Academy. Provides strategies and intervention support to assist students in meeting their personal, academic, social, and behavioral goals within the classroom setting. Acts at the Teacher of Record for all Special Education students by facilitating move-in and annual conferences for students.

Basic Responsibilities

● Provide classroom supervision to students with social, behavioral, emotional, and family hardships.

● Integrate Biblical principles and the Christian philosophy of education throughout his/her interactions with students

● Serve as a resource to the teachers and other school personnel to assist with behavior management

● Follow behavioral management plans, policies, and procedures and report incidents in accordance with White’s/CRA’s Incident Reporting Guidelines.

● Help to support, develop, and guide students’ overall program success through participation in interdisciplinary team staffing.

● Participate in faculty meetings, parent or family meetings, special school events, and graduation activities.

● Display and model positive interactions with students, co-workers and parents.

● Effectively monitor CRA students while they work towards online coursework requirements

● Provide behavior supports for students in need of redirection

● Effectively integrate the CRA model of care in all interactions with students

● Develop Academic and Behavior Intervention Plans for students that qualify

● Supervise students during lunch

● Work collaboratively with Classrooms Facilitators, Academic Director and additional academic staff members

● Participate in the Employee Coaching Review process by reflecting on strengths and areas for improvement

● Attend and participate in CRA faculty meetings as deemed appropriate by Academic Director

● Proactively assesses the classroom environment to ensure high-risk situations are addressed and corrected in order to prevent crises from happening

● Intervenes in crises using clinical skills to de-escalate individuals presenting emergent or urgent need. Using clinical skills, conducts brief assessments of the individual’s and classroom’s needs and actively engages individual experiencing a potential crisis in order to avoid negative outcomes. Intervention approach includes teaching, skill development, utilization of the Teaching Family Model structure, involving students in solving problems and making decisions, and physical restraint if necessary.

● Facilitate emotional regulation breaks for identified students as deemed appropriate by classroom facilitators

● Work with classrooms facilitators to aid in providing ideas for differentiated instruction for students

● Coordinate and facilitate move-in conferences for students that have an ISP or IEP

● Teach students with mild to moderate disabilities and modify curriculum to meet each students learning requirements

● Coach/mentor other professionals who work with children with disabilities

● Design and update IEP/ISP’s upon admission and annually

● Maintain records for all students with special education supports

● Collaborate with families in order to update them on student progress

● Fill in as a substitute teacher if the need arises

● Supervise students placed in ISS

● Complete other duties as assigned by Academic Director

Skills, Supervision, Knowledge, Ability

● The Special Education Teacher must live in accordance with Christian values and maintain a professional commitment to work with staff, parents, children, and all agency stakeholders.

● Must be organized and able to prioritize designated tasks.

● Must have good communication, listening skills.

● Must have highly developed crisis management/conflict resolution skills.

● Must have a valid driver's license.

● Must be able to maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality.

● Must be committed to the Mission, Core Values, and Vision of White’s Residential and Family Services.

Physical Demands of Position

● Must be able to handle the stress of intervening in crisis situations, handling medical emergencies, and making decisions quickly.

● Must be able to do significant amount of walking.

● Must be able to complete First Aid/CPR expectations per the Red Cross. Specifically, must be able to get down to the floor and stand back up to perform chest compressions to the depth of at least two inches and give rescue breaths which includes getting on knee(s) and leaning forward without putting pressure on victim’s head.

● Must be able to complete the MindSet physical restraint techniques for residents who are in crisis (expected to meet the requirements of MindSet physical restraints) in order to become certified. This may include the following:

o Vertical Containment-Approach from behind the aggressor with arms raised. Initiate contact with your forearms to the aggressor’s triceps and push the arms forward. Lead with the foot and place the side of your head directly below the aggressor’s shoulder while making chest to back contact. Your shoulders should be at a 45 degree angle. Find your hands and grasp your wrist while pointing your elbows to the ground. Maintain chest to back contact while alternating and widening your stance.

o Object Containment and Release- Assist a partner who has applied the embrace on an individual using an object aggressively. Establish a position on the side of the aggressor closest to the object. Secure the wrist. Using both hands, slide the thumb to a parallel position with the fingers. Release the object by pulling up or pushing down. Throw the object a safe distance away. Communicate with your partner and the aggressor to determine direction.

o Leveraged Embrace- Approach from behind the aggressor with arms raised. Initiate contact with your forearms to the aggressor’s triceps and push the arms forward. Step in and place the side of your head directly below the aggressor’s shoulder while making chest to back contact. Your shoulders should be at a 45 degree angle. Find your hands first then slide to the aggressor’s wrist. Grasp each of the aggressor’s wrists and slide your elbow to the crest of the hip. (Same side of the aggressor's body as your head). Leverage the hip forward with your elbow while alternating and widening your stance.

o Assisted Relocation- From the leveraged embrace, go to the side opposite your partner’s head. Take the grasp of the wrist opposite from you. Place your free hand on the shoulder nearest to you. Stay close and communicate.

o Single Staff Follow Down- From the leveraged embrace, follow the downward movement by going to the knee opposite your head while leaning into the aggressor. Use the momentum to rotate the aggressor to his/her side while positioning your body perpendicular from the chest-to-back contact. Spread your legs for stability. The individual’s shoulders should be perpendicular to the floor. Maintain chest-to-back contact and elbow leverage.

o Duel Staff Bring Down- From the leveraged embrace, ask for assistance to take the aggressor to the floor. Approach on the head side of your partner and secure the legs by dropping to a knee and grasping the ankles in front. (Left to left, right to right).Plant the feet to the floor and communicate with your partner. Go down on the knee opposite your head and use the momentum to rotate the aggressor to his/her side. The shoulders should be perpendicular to the floor. Stack the legs, make chest contact with the back of the knees, and forearm contact with the thighs and shins. Lay flat with your legs spread for stability.

Working Conditions

● Normal work hours will be Monday through Thursday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and as needed on Friday’s in order to participate in phase meetings and professional development days. CRA operates on a balanced calendar schedule with school days being Monday-Thursday. May work remotely 2x/month on Fridays.

● Must be available for quarterly Parent Weekends.

● Must attend work regularly and be on time.

● Must manage time off according to school calendar with use of personal/sick days with approval from supervisor.

● Must be able to work with residents' medical problems, including exposure to bodily fluids.

Interested? Please contact: Kati Julian | Talent Acquisition Specialist/Recruiting Specialist

260-563-1158 x1342 or email - kati.julian@whitesrfs.org