SY25-26 Van Sickle Academy Middle School Assistant Teacher

Grade Level: 6-8

Location: Van Sickle Academy Middle School

Start Date: August 18, 2025

Under the direction of the Assistant Principal of Special Education, the SEBS Assistant Teacher will provide support to all students, including but not limited to students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. The SEBS Assistant Teacher will implement comprehensive positive behavioral support plans and effective behavior management strategies including behavior de-escalations; deliver instructions; participate as a member of the educational team and help design and implement components of the student's individual education program.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Assist the classroom teacher in all aspects of classroom instruction and behavior support.
2. Implement Behavior Strategic Plan/Behavior Intervention Plan and prescribed behavior strategies.  
3. Demonstrate an understanding of effective practices for prevention and intervention including basic principles of behavior reinforcement, antecedents, and consequences.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the components of a crisis cycle and necessary steps to de-escalate a crisis.
5. Observe and record student behavior utilizing different social rating systems.
6. Participate in IEP meetings as appropriate.  
7. Complete other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Associate degree, 60 credits, or passing WorkKeys scores* required; Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Appropriate content/program area and grade level educator license from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education preferred
• Experience working with students with disabilities in educational settings

*A passing score on the Work Keys Exams in the following areas:

• Reading: 5
• Math: 4
• Writing: 3

Benefits

SEZP offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience. Employees in SEZP qualify for benefits (sick days, retirement, health insurance, etc.) offered to other staff in the Springfield Public Schools.

Positions will be filled on a rolling basis; applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. Please contact info@sezp.org with any questions.

About the Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership

While Massachusetts is consistently ranked as one of the top states for education results in the country, we have one of the highest and most persistent opportunity gaps. The Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership (SEZP) - established in 2015 as a collaboration between Springfield Public Schools (SPS), the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and the Springfield Education Association (SEA) – seeks to improve the longitudinal life outcomes of the more than 5,000 students in our eleven middle and high schools.

As a “zone” of schools within the city of Springfield, SEZP’s approach draws on a deep and embedded partnership with the school district and local teachers’ union, while harnessing the flexibility and innovation found in autonomous school models. As a result, each school within SEZP is accorded significant school-based autonomies - in curriculum, talent, calendar, schedule, and budget – while being held accountable for realizing achievement gains for historically marginalized students. In all of our work, SEZP is in pursuit of equity and anti-racism – acknowledging the systemic oppression our students and families encounter daily and working to disrupt these provision gaps urgently and courageously.

NONDISCRIMINATION EMPLOYMENT STATEMENT  

The Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, sex characteristics, sex stereotypes and other sex-based conduct, genetic information, ancestry, age, disability or military service or marital status. The Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate in admission to, access or treatment in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity, sex characteristics, sex stereotypes and other sex-based conduct, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation, disability or homelessness.

NOTICE OF SEX NONDISCRIMINATION

Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination, including sex-based harassment, in any education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and its regulations, including in admission and employment.

Inquiries about Title IX may be referred to the Springfield Public Schools’ Title IX Coordinator, titleix@springfieldpublicschools.com, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights at https://ocrcas.ed.gov/contact-ocr, or both.

The Springfield Public Schools Title IX Coordinator is Katie O’Sullivan, Senior Administrator of Human Resources, 1550 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103, 413-787-7100 ext. 55428, titleix@springfieldpublicschools.com.

Springfield Public School’s sex nondiscrimination policy and grievance procedures can be located on the Springfield Public Schools website, www.springfieldpublicschools.com/non-_discrimination

To report information about conduct that may constitute sex discrimination or make a complaint of sex discrimination under Title IX, please refer to titleix@springfieldpublicschools.com

Salary : $39 - $41