Exceptional Children Preschool Teacher

FUNCTIONAL PURPOSE

The purpose of this position is to provide an age/developmentally appropriate educational environment that offer opportunities for social/emotional, intellectual and physical development.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Uses responsive interactions, interventions, and instruction with sufficient intensity and types of support across activities, routines, and environments to promote child learning and development and facilitate access, participation, and engagement in natural environments and inclusive settings. 
• Ensures age-appropriate learning environment by creating learning centers that are well-defined, labeled and are continually enriched to support emerging skills in the students.
• Ensures an age-appropriate routine for children by planning for children’s learning by incorporating the development of the whole child and integrating curriculum goals that are consistent with state and local curriculum goals.
• Ensures a safe environment for children by maintaining appropriate staff-to-child ratios, constant supervision of children both indoors and out-of-doors, ensuring harmful substances are secured and out of reach of children, and coordinating release of children to adults as appropriate.
• Exhibits positive adult-child interactions by using appropriate voice tone and discipline techniques; uses open-ended questions to encourage/foster critical thinking; assists child in focusing on task/topic and encourages focus on child-initiated activities rather than teacher demonstrations.
• Exhibits professional and supportive relationships with other adults and families by maintaining confidentiality in all matters, conduct parent-teacher conferences, classroom activities and parent meetings; provides direction to substitute teachers when necessary; respects and values diversity.
• Partner with families and other professionals to develop individualized plans and support the various transitions that occur for the young child and their family.
• Complete all required IEP documentation as required by NC Policies Governing Services to Students with Disabilities within applicable timelines and compliance standards.
• Confer with parents, administrators, related services, and other IEP team members to develop individual educational programs (IEP) designed to promote children’s educational, physical, and social development.
• Serve as the case manager for an assigned group of students, organizing and maintaining the EC folder, coordinating all IEP meetings and facilitating progress monitoring and reporting on all IEP goals.
• Engage in ongoing planning and use flexible and embedded instructional and environmental arrangements and appropriate materials to support the use of interactions, interventions, and instruction addressing developmental and academic content domains, which are adapted to meet the needs of every child and their family.
• Assess, collaboratively analyze, interpret, and communicate children’s progress toward measurable outcomes, using technology as appropriate, to inform both short- and long-term planning, and make ongoing adjustments to instruction.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of North Carolina Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilities and required record keeping
• Knowledge of biological and environmental factors that may support or constrain children’s early development and learning as they plan and implement early intervention and instruction.
• Knowledge of normative sequences of early development, individual differences, and families’ social, cultural, and linguistic diversity to support each child’s development and learning across contexts. 
• Understanding of characteristics, etiologies, and individual differences within and across the range of abilities, including developmental delays and disabilities, their potential impact on children’s early development and learning, and implications for assessment, curriculum, instruction, and intervention.
• Skills in positive communication with parents, students, and staff
• Ability to exercise patience with students, staff, and parents.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to plan and deliver specially designed instruction using evidence-based practices.
• Ability to coordinate/facilitate meetings with staff, parents, and students
• Ability to maintain accurate and complete records.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel).

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum: Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education with preschool handicapped license
• Desirable: Bachelor’s Degree in Education; current license in Birth to Kindergarten

CERTIFICATION AND LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS:

PHYSICAL WORK DEMANDS:

North Carolina Child Care Law (General Statute 110-90.2) requires a criminal background check and the receipt of a valid criminal background qualification letter for this position.

In compliance with Federal Law, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools administers all education programs, employment activities and admissions without discrimination against any person on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, or disability.