Special Education Ed Tech III - Reiche Community School

TITLE: Special Education Ed Tech III, Resource Room – Multiple Openings at Reiche Community School (available ASAP and/or for 26-27 SY)

POSITION OVERVIEW: 

Portland Public Schools seeks kind and compassionate Special Education Ed Tech III's to support students at Reiche Community School in both the Resource Room and the Breathe Program (Behavioral and Social-Emotional Support). 

Under the direction of the Lead Teachers, the Special Education Ed Tech III implements academic and positive behavioral support plans to facilitate the delivery of a high-quality education program and ensure success for every student. The Ed Tech collects and maintains appropriate records and follows required record-keeping procedures and practices. The Ed Tech demonstrates outstanding interpersonal skills as well as conflict management and resolution skills. The Ed Tech recognizes and embraces the essential role they play in the experience of students within Portland Public Schools. Finally, the Ed Tech is an integral member of the Reiche community, collaborating with families, caregivers, and other stakeholders to support students' learning, social-emotional needs, and holistic well-being.

** One of the positions is available now and would continue into the 26-27 school year. The others are available starting in the 26-27 school year. **

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support and provide specially designed direct instruction to students individually, in small groups, and in classroom settings to students with IEPs to ensure achievement of academic goals
• Implement lesson plans and follows schedules created by the special education teacher or appropriate related service provider
• Continue planned instructional activities during teacher's temporary absence from the classroom
• Demonstrate cultural proficiency and actively foster relationships that respect, embrace and celebrate students' diverse backgrounds, identities, strengths, and challenges
• Learn about and leverage students' strengths and opportunity gaps and adapt learning methods that appropriately guide, engage and challenge student(s)
• Collect, organize, and share data to ensure proactive and ongoing communication with all relevant stakeholders in service of student achievement of academic and behavioral goals
• Foster an engaging and inclusive learning space and relationship that establishes positive student expectations conducive to learners' needs through developmentally appropriate and supportive routines and practices; manages student behavior using prescribed and adapted approaches
• Collaborate and communicate across the students' teachers and all relevant staff to ensure students receive necessary additional forms of academic assistance and/or relevant social-emotional support
• Collaborate and communicate with the students' families/caregivers and all relevant stakeholders to ensure necessary stakeholders are engaged in understanding and supporting the students' learning and social-emotional needs
• Maintain FERPA and respect the confidentiality of all student and staff information
• Perform other related duties as requested by Teacher Leaders

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Understands the teaching and learning process for the applicable grade span
• Able to provide adjustments to instructional approaches and materials that reflect diverse perspectives and trauma-informed practices
• Understands data collection, organizing, and sharing best practices that support student achievement of academic and behavioral goals
• Demonstrates an equity mindset and approach to work
• Committed to challenging personal perspectives, examining one's own biases and a willingness to take feedback, learn and grow around diversity, equity and inclusion related ideas
• Able to collaborate across lines of differences with a diverse student population and staff, as well as community partners, and families/caregivers
• Engages with families/caregivers and builds collaborative, respectful relationships with them in service of student learning
• Open to accepting new ideas
• Highly responsive and oriented towards transparency and proactive, explicit communication
• Communicates ideas in ways that demonstrates respect and is digestible for varied audiences
• Willing to take Safety Care and/or Behavioral Health Professional training

EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE:

• CPI certification (or ability to be certified) preferred
• Behavioral Health Professional status preferred (or willingness to obtain)
• Additional combinations of applicable education, training, and experience are welcome
• Portland Public Schools values linguistic diversity and believes that candidates who speak another language bring added value to the classroom, school, and district culture and diversity

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Ability to perform physical tasks associated with implementing PSPs and ITPs
• Ability to physically assist students (lifting up to 35 pounds)
• Frequent bending, walking, running, and lifting of objects/equipment up to 35 pounds may be required

CREDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Maine State Educational Technician III (023) authorization (more info)
• Maine State fingerprint (CHRC) authorization (more info) **
  • **If you already have an active Ed Tech certification, you do not need a separate CHRC as this clearance is tied to your Ed Tech certification

EMPLOYMENT DETAILS:

• Schedule: School Year, Full Time (1.0 FTE)
• Assignment: Permanent
• Reports to: School Principal
• Contract: Part of Ed Tech union (see 2024-2027 CBA here)
• Salary: Based on experience, as outlined in CBA
• Benefits: Eligible for benefits as outlined here

ABOUT REICHE: 

Howard C. Reiche Community School, nestled in the urban West End neighborhood of Portland, is ranked the most wonderfully diverse of all elementary schools in Maine, celebrating 16 different home languages and students from 21 different birth countries. Over half our students are multilingual learners, and about a quarter of our students are welcome newcomers, recently arrived in America. Over 83% of our students qualify for free/ reduced lunch and 105 of our students are currently without a fixed residence. We value and nurture our relationships with our amazing, involved families and strive for an inclusive and equitable experience for all. Our dedicated support staff and talented teachers use their impressive skills to provide a quality education for all of our students. Our highly collaborative culture is joyful in the face of our important, challenging work. We have many partners in the West End Arts Community, including the Portland Symphony, Shoestring Theatre, the Portland Museum of Art, and more. We offer Chorus, Band and Strings for older students as well as extra-curricular sports and art classes for all ages. We are sustained by a unique Teacher-Led model that empowers our community of educators with distributed leadership and shared decision-making. Every educator is on a committee that makes our school a better place. Get to know us and learn why our motto is: Come Experience the World At Reiche School!


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Portland Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws.