Special Education Teacher - EBD - Intensive Behavioral & Mental Health Program

Duties of the Position:

Herrman Elementary School is hiring a Special Education Teacher for students with Emotional Behavioral Disabilities for the 2026-2027 School Year. This position will work with elementary students in grades 1-4. Whoever is hired will help develop this program. The goal of the program is to provide students with the necessary academic, social, behavioral, and emotional skills to be successful in the traditional school setting. Our goal is to develop an Intensive Behavioral & Mental Health Program that serves a small subset of students with significant behavioral and/or mental health needs who are not successful within a regular education environment with special education support. The program will provide a therapeutic, highly structured setting with function-based behavioral supports and standards-aligned instruction designed to stabilize students, increase instructional access, and support re-entry to less restrictive settings.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be Wisconsin DPI certified in Cross-Categorical Special Education and/or Emotional Behavioral Disorders.
• Desire to work with students with complex needs within a setting that is personalized to meet the needs of each individual student
• Knowledge and/or experience working with students with Emotional Behavioral Disabilities
• Must be knowledgeable in state standards and be able to modify and adapt the curriculum to meet the individual student learning needs.
• Ability to be flexible and work well with support staff, parents and administration.
• Certified or willing to be certified in Non-Violent Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI), commitment to trauma-informed, culturally responsive practices.
• Proven experience implementing intensive, function-based behavioral supports, including contributing to or implementing FBAs/BIPs; skilled in data-driven decision-making.
• Experience collaborating with mental health professionals; ability to coordinate and integrate therapeutic strategies into the school day.
• Proficiency with progress monitoring for academics, behavior (frequency/duration/engagement), and IEP goal reporting.
• Strong communication skills; ability to build positive, trust-based relationships with students, families, and staff.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Instruction and case management
• Deliver specially designed, standards-aligned instruction (small group and 1:1) with intensive scaffolds, UDL, SDI and assistive technology to ensure access to enrolled grade-level content.
• Serve as IEP case manager: draft, implement, and progress-monitor IEPs; ensure goals align to grade-level standards and CCR IEP 5-Step Process.
• Collect and analyze academic and engagement data; graph progress and adjust instruction.
• Behavior systems and mental health coordination
• Lead implementation of function-based supports, including FBAs and BIPs developed in collaboration with the behavior specialist and school psychologists.
• Teach and reinforce replacement behaviors, self-regulation, executive functioning, and coping skills.
• Coordinate with school counselor/clinician to integrate therapeutic supports into the school day and crisis response plans; support re-entry/repair following escalations.
• Compliance and collaboration
• Ensure FAPE and document LRE decisions with data; maintain timely IEP progress reporting.
• Partner with families through regular communication and meetings; coordinate with outside providers (with consent) and the district school nurse regarding health plans/medication.
• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings; contribute to continuous improvement of program systems and PLCs.
• Learning environment
• Maintain a predictable, trauma-informed classroom with proactive antecedent supports, clear routines, and a tiered reinforcement system.
• Train/coach paraprofessionals in BIP implementation, data collection, and de-escalation.

Degree/Special Training Required: Bachelors Degree

Required license Number: Cross-Categorial Special Education Teacher and/or Emotional Behavior Disabilities Teacher

School Year Position; 7:30-3:30

Please submit a letter of interest, resume', application form, transcripts, license and letters of recommendation (2 for classified 3 for professional staff). Internal Candidates can send a letter of interest to toswad@spartan.org

It is the policy of the Sparta Area School District to not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex (including transgender status, change of sex, male, female, sexual orientation, or gender identity), pregnancy, creed or religion, genetic information, handicap or disability, marital status, citizenship status, veteran status, military service (as defined in 111.32, Wis. Stats.), ancestry, arrest record, conviction record, or physical, mental, emotional, or learning disability ("Protected Classes").

The Sparta Area School District complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Wendy Markgren, at 608-366-3401, wmarkgren@spartan.org .