Reports To:  Director of Special Education                            

Position Purpose:           

Provide direct instructional services for students with exceptional needs.

Qualifications:                 

• Bachelor’s degree in education with appropriate Kansas licensure in Special Education or be interested in becoming certified/licensed to teach special education students in the State of Kansas on a waiver.
• ESOL Endorsement preferred.

 Physical/Emotional Requirements: The incumbent may be required to use the following skills and abilities during any part of the working day:  speaking- hearing- visual- reading- writing- word processing- mobility- consistency of temperament- ability to work with a variety of problems at the same time- stamina for working long hours and in stress-producing environments.

Performance Responsibilities: 

• Assists the Individualized Education Planning Team in designing an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) for students with exceptional needs.
• Provides direct instruction and services for pupils whose needs are identified in a written IEP.  Monitors the IEP of each student placed in the special education class and assumes responsibility for contacting and consulting with parents and the Individualized Educational Planning Team about indicated changes in the IEP.
• Creates a classroom environment that is conducive to learning and appropriate to the maturity and interests of the students.
• Encourages students to set and maintain standards of classroom behavior.
• Guides the learning process toward the achievement of curriculum goals and – in harmony with the goals – establishes clear objectives for all lessons- units- projects- and learnning activities to communicate these objectives to students.
• Employs a variety of instructional techniques and instructional media consistent with the physical limitations of the location provided and the needs and capabilities of the individuals or student groups involved.
• Strives to implement- by instruction and action- the district’s philosophy of education and instructional goals and objectives.
• Assesses the accomplishments of students on a regular basis- seeking the assistance of district specialists as required.
• Assists the administration in implementing all policies and rules governing students; and- for the classroom- develops reasonable rules of classroom behavior and procedure and maintains order in the classroom in a fair and just manner.
• Makes provision for being available to students and parents for education-related purposes when required or requested at mutually agreeable times.
• Strives to maintain and improve professional competence.
• Attends staff meetings and serves on staff committees as required.
• Must complete all Special Education paperwork- including IEPs and Medicaid billing.

Terms of Employment:

9 months; salary and work year to be determined by the Board of Education.

Evaluation:

Performance of this position will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Board policy on evaluation of certified professional personnel.

Significant associations:

The performance responsibilities are not limited to those outlined in this description and may include any other responsibilities as assigned by the administrator/supervisor.

To apply for a position at Topeka Public Schools, please visit www.topekapublicschools.net, select Employment, and then Job Opportunities. Topeka Public Schools` students perform at the highest levels.  Students, staff members, and district leaders are recognized regularly for outstanding accomplishments. We offer a variety of comprehensive programs designed to fit to the needs and interests of all students. Excellence and equity are the standard. We educate all children. TPS schools have received national recognition for excellence in education, with several attaining the Kansas Standards of Excellence in reading and mathematics and many achieving remarkable double-digit gains. As the sixth largest school district in Kansas with an enrollment of about 12,000 students in elementary through high school, Topeka Public Schools is also the largest school district in Shawnee County.  Elementary schools range in size from 200 to 600 students. We have two elementary magnet schools.  One is a science and fine arts magnet school and the other is a computer magnet school. Middle school enrollments range between 400 to 600 students and our three high schools have enrollments of 800 to 1,800 students. Hope Street Academy, a charter high school, draws alternative students from across the district. A proud feature of our district is Hummer Sports Park, a six-sport complex featuring state-of-the-art facilities for football, track, soccer, baseball, softball, and swimming. We are committed to hiring and retaining superior employees to educate and meet the needs of each student. As the third largest employer in Topeka with over 2,400 certified and classified staff members, we provide a competitive salary schedule, district-paid insurance benefits, a generous leave package, and many other great benefits. If you are interested in joining our progressive school district, please check the job listings below and visit our website at www.topekapublicschools.net to learn more about Topeka Public Schools and complete your application.