Teacher-Self Contained Special Education

DISTRICT OVERVIEW

Holyoke Public Schools is a PreK-12 public school district serving nearly 4,800 students, of whom 80 percent are Latino/Latina, in 11 schools. We employ nearly 1,300 people who together educate and support a richly diverse community of learners. We are committed to recruiting and retaining top-quality educators who believe all children can and will learn and who strive daily to make school a joyful place of discovery, support, and belonging.

Holyoke Public Schools’ strategic plan, “Moving Forward Together,” builds on the strengths of our past while serving as a call to action to accelerate student learning by thinking differently about how we teach, how we work together, and how we support students’ well-being. 

Many successes contributed to Holyoke’s return to local governance after 10 years in state receivership. These include:

• The highest graduation rate on record of 77.1 percent, an increase of more than 15-points over 10 years
• Meaningful, applied learning opportunities for high school students, including theme-based academies, career vocational technical education programming, work-based learning, and advanced coursework
• A comprehensive approach to early literacy that includes strong core instruction and one-on-one tutoring, contributing to more students reading at grade level
• A thriving dual language English/Spanish program, where nearly 900 students are on their path to becoming bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural

• More than one-third of Holyoke teachers identify as people of color, a 19-point increase over 10 years. Many partnership programs support staff to earn licensure or additional certification.

Please visit the Holyoke Public Schools website to learn more about us, our recent accomplishments, and our commitment to equity. 

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PERSPECTIVA GENERAL DEL DISTRITO

Las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke son un distrito escolar público que cuenta con 11 escuelas de prekínder a 12.° grado y acoge a casi 4 800 estudiantes, de los cuales el 80 % se identifica como latino o latina. Empleamos a casi 1 300 personas que, en conjunto, educan y apoyan a una comunidad de estudiantes altamente diversa. Estamos comprometidos a contratar y retener educadores de alta calidad que creen firmemente que todos los niños pueden aprender y aprenderán, y que se esfuerzan diariamente por hacer de la escuela un lugar alegre de descubrimiento, apoyo y pertenencia.

El plan estratégico de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke , “Avanzando Juntos”, se basa en nuestras fortalezas previas y, al mismo tiempo, sirve como un llamado a la acción para acelerar el aprendizaje estudiantil a través de una nueva perspectiva sobre cómo enseñamos, cómo trabajamos en colaboración y cómo apoyamos el bienestar de los estudiantes. 

Existen numerosos logros que permitieron a Holyoke recuperar el control local después de 10 años de administración judicial.  Entre estos logros se encuentran:

• La tasa de graduación más alta registrada, del 77.1 %, lo que representa un aumento de más de 15 puntos porcentuales en 10 años
• Oportunidades significativas de aprendizaje práctico para estudiantes de secundaria, que incluyen academias temáticas, programas de educación técnica y vocacional, aprendizaje basado en el trabajo y cursos avanzados
• Un enfoque integral de la alfabetización temprana que combina una sólida instrucción básica con tutorías individuales, lo cual ha contribuido a que más estudiantes lean a nivel de grado
• Un próspero programa bilingüe de inglés/español, en el que casi 900 estudiantes avanzan hacia el bilingüismo, la biliteracidad, y la biculturalidad.

• Más de un tercio de los maestros de Holyoke se identifican como personas de etnicidad diversa, lo que representa un aumento de 19 puntos porcentuales en 10 años. Diversas colaboraciones con programas que han contribuido a que miembros del personal obtengan sus certificaciones o credenciales adicionales.

Visite el sitio web de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke para obtener más información sobre nuestra comunidad, nuestros logros recientes y  nuestro compromiso con la equidad. 

Holyoke Public Schools seeks a highly qualified full-time Self-contained High School Teacher to provide specialized instruction for high school students with significant cognitive disabilities, autism, other neuro diversities, emotional impairments, or related social-emotional disabilities in a self-contained classroom. This program emphasizes academic instruction, daily living skills, social development, communication, independent living skills, behavioral support, and inclusion readiness through use of evidence-based instructional methodologies. The teacher collaborates with general education staff, paraeducators, related service providers, and families to ensure students receive comprehensive support and access to inclusive learning opportunities as appropriate. The self-contained teacher may be required to teach all content areas.

• Implement district-approved curriculum and academic and social-emotional learning (SEL) instructional strategies, including PBIS, ACT, and Explicit Instruction.
• Develop and deliver individualized and group lesson plans based on student needs.
• Conduct skills-based and academic assessments to determine goals and appropriate programming.
• Develop, coordinate, and facilitate Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in compliance with IDEA and FAPE regulations.
• Maintain accurate records, document student progress, and ensure confidentiality of special education files. 
• Implement program-wide and student-specific behavior management strategies, reinforcement systems, emotional regulation techniques, and/or formal behavior support plans (BSP) to support SEL skill development and reduce challenging behaviors.
• Provide a safe and welcoming classroom for all students
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including general education staff, OT, PT, Speech/Language Pathologists, and other specialists.
• Train, supervise, and provide guidance to classroom-based support staff.
• Engage in ongoing professional development to enhance specialized instructional skills.
• Build positive relationships with students, families, and colleagues.
• Participate in staff meetings, committees, and other school-based initiatives as assigned.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by building and district administration and coaches.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of two years experience in a self-contained setting and/or working with individuals with significant emotional impairments
• At least one year of experience supervising classroom staff, preferred
• Proficiency in implementing least-restrictive Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS), and related strategies preferred
• Ability to adjust quickly to changes in routines, schedules, or program structures while staying flexible and supportive of students and team goals
• Familiarity with research-based assessments and curriculum tools preferred.
• Strong skills in data-driven instruction and curriculum planning.
• Strong classroom management skills
• Ability to build sustaining positive relationships with students, staff, and families
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams, diverse student populations, and urban school settings preferred.
• Proficiency in integrating technology and media into instruction.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
• Bilingual applicants (Spanish) strongly encouraged to apply.

Required license(s): MODERATE DISABILITIES 5-12

Salary : $49,500 - $71,500