Special Education (AIMS) Teacher - Amherst Regional High School

The Amherst-Pelham Regional School District is seeking a full -time highly qualified special education teacher for our highly inclusive high school Academic Individualized Mainstream Support (AIMS) Program which provides specialized programming and services to students who have a high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder or other similarly presenting neurological conditions. The position includes providing direct instruction to students at Amherst Regional High School in social skills, self-regulation strategies, executive function, modifying and adapting curriculum, and developing, implementing and monitoring social and positive behavioral supports.

Highly qualified candidates possess the following:

• Strong positive, effective written and oral communication skills
• Ability to build effective, collaborative relationships with students, paraeducators, teachers, service providers, administration, families, educational team leaders, outside agencies, and to work as part of a professional learning community and multi-disciplinary team
• Strong case management and home-school communication skills
• Highly effective executive function skills including being well organized, strong time management skills, and able to work independently to meet timelines. Ability to multitask, show flexibility, and work within a fast paced environment
• Well developed skills to supervise and work collaboratively with paraeducator staff, including completing formal and informal evaluations
• Experience with mild/moderate and/or intensive special needs, autism, and atypical learning profiles
• Experience with research based methodologies including Applied Behavior Analysis. Ability to design, collect and analyze data, as well as develop appropriate interventions and monitoring systems. Design and implement effective positive behavioral supports and plans
• Experience with completing all aspects of the IEP process including implementation, monitoring, and development
• Experience and training in providing individual and small group social skills instruction, familiarity with social skills and self-regulation programs
• Ability to create and maintain an environment conducive to the student population; ability to make accommodations and modifications to support sensory, social, and emotional needs
• Ability to understand and respond to the perspectives displayed by the student population, helping them to understand their learning profile, learning to self-advocate, self-determine their vision and develop their talents and strengths
• Ability to facilitate and develop student independence in communicative interactions with peers and adults, analyzing and navigating through the social/behavioral expectations in structured and unstructured school environments.
• Ability to provide supplemental or alternative instruction in the core curricular areas as is individually needed by students within the program.
• Experience with a diverse population of students within a multicultural school community
• Experience with and commitment to inclusion that benefits students socially, emotionally and academically
• Strong skills in de-escalation. Trained, or willing to be trained in, a MA approved physical restraint procedure
• Ability to support students within the general education classroom, and/or co-teach with general education teachers as directed by building-based administration.

Highly, qualified candidates who are bilingual (Spanish / English) are desirable but not required.

All candidates must hold Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Licensure in Moderate Disabilities, level 5-12, or Severe Disabilities, All levels.