Special Education Teacher

Job Description

Certificates and Licenses: Special Education Teaching Certification

Residency Requirements: West Virginia Residents Preferred.

• Will consider residents of the following states: Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
• Must be able to obtain a West Virginia Teaching License prior to employment and attend in person PDs, testing, and other school events.

The Teacher is a highly qualified, state certified educator responsible for delivering specific course content in an online environment. Teachers provide instruction, support, and guidance, manage the learning process, and focus on students’ individual needs. Teachers monitor student progress through Stride K12’s learning management system. They actively work closely with students and parents/learning coaches to advance each student’s learning toward established goals. Teachers typically work from home but must travel occasionally throughout the year to various school functions, such as state testing or as otherwise required by the school.   

K12, a Stride Company, believes in Education for ANY ONE. We provide families with an online option for a high-quality, personalized education experience. Students can thrive, find their passion, and learn in an environment that encourages discovery at their own pace. In support of this, we are committed to creating and maintaining a culture of inclusion and diversity where our employees are passionate about serving students and families, treat one another and customers with respect, challenge each other to innovate and always strive to do better.

Passionate Educators are needed at the Stride K12 partner school, West Virginia Virtual Academy (WVVA). We want you to be a part of our talented team!

The mission of West Virginia Virtual Academy (WVVA) is to provide an exemplary individualized and engaging educational experience for students by incorporating school and community/family partnerships coupled with a rigorous curriculum along with a data-driven and student-centered instructional model. Student success will be measured by valid and reliable assessment data, parent and student satisfaction, and continued institutional growth within the academic community. Join us!

This is a full-time position. Ability to work independently, typically 40+ hours per week is required. Ability to maintain a professional home office without distraction during workday, typically 9-5 (or 8-4) or as defined by the school.

Essential Functions:

Instructional

• Takes ownership for students’ academic progress and attendance, communicating high expectations and showing active interest in students’ achievement;
• Prepares students for high stakes standardized tests;
• Conducts live synchronous teaching – minimum of 15 hours per week;
• Asynchronously supports objectives, including composing/sending emails, planning course objectives, preparing learning plans, and using data to determine student needs;
• Collaborates with local/regional/national teams and teacher trainers regarding instruction, resources, interventions and data-driven decision making;
• Makes self-open and available to be coached on a regular basis with administrators and teacher trainers;
• Under guidance from principal and coach, augments course content according to prescribed policies and procedures using appropriate asynchronous and synchronous tools;
• Submits grades and required student work ensuring student academic honesty and integrity; Maintains grade book; makes placement and promotion decisions by generating formal and informal reports regarding student progress, alerts administrators to concerns about student performance and progress.

Relationship Building

• Establishes and maintains positive rapport with families and regularly communicates with students and learning coaches/parents;
• Teachers support learning coaches/parents with student curricular and instructional issues in a virtual classroom environment that is in line with academy policies and procedures;
• Supports students and learning coaches with the set-up and maintenance of their learning environment including basic computer troubleshooting;
• Understands how both diverse and unique characteristics of students and their families impact required support;
• Works collaboratively with other teachers to ensure that all students are successfully progressing through the program, that parents have a central point of contact, and that tasks are distributed among the stakeholders;
• Responds to students, parents, and colleagues in a timely manner.

Other Essential Functions

• Organizes social and educational activities for students and families, including sponsorship of virtual clubs, outings, marketing events or other extracurricular activities as required;
• Travels to testing sites to proctor state exams.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree AND
• Six (6) months of student teaching experience AND
• Ability to clear required background check(s)

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Pedagogical knowledge of content being taught and ability to apply critical thinking
• Knowledge of state content standards and ability to align those with the K12 curriculum
• Ability to embrace change and adapt to ensure excellent student outcomes
• Ability to problem solve independently and have a high level of organization
• Understanding of interdependency of deadlines on multiple projects and able to act to preserve integrity on other people's deadlines
• Ability to work independently, typically 40+ hours per week
• Ability to maintain a professional home office without distraction during workday, typically 9-5 (or 8-4) or as defined by the school
• Ability to travel as required (on average once per month and/or approximately 10% of the time) for face-to-face professional development, student testing, and as required by school
• Access to reliable high-speed internet
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word; PowerPoint;
• Ability to rapidly learn and adapt to new technologies and teaching platforms
• Ability to maintain teacher certification/professional development hours and fluency in K12 systems, programs and curriculum

• Experience working with proposed age group
• Experience supporting adults and children in the use of technology
• Experience working in a virtual environment
• Experience teaching in an online (virtual) and/or in a brick-and-mortar environment
• Experience with Blackboard Collaborative, Newrow, Edgelink, or other online platforms

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS: Inc. considers a person’s education, experience, and qualifications, as well as the position’s work location, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value when determining a new employee’s salary level.  Salaries will differ based on these factors, the position’s level and expected contribution, and the employee’s benefits elections.  Offers will typically be in the bottom half of the range. 

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

• This position is virtual

The above job is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned by their supervisor.  All employment is “at-will” as governed by the law of the state where the employee works.  It is further understood that the “at-will” nature of employment is one aspect of employment that cannot be changed except in writing and signed by an authorized officer. 

Job Type

The above job is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned by their supervisor. All employment is “at-will” as governed by the law of the state where the employee works.  It is further understood that the “at-will” nature of employment is one aspect of employment that cannot be changed except in writing and signed by an authorized officer.

Stride, Inc. is a Federal Contractor, an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and a Drug-Free Workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status age, or genetics, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)