Harwood Unified Union School District

Job Description

JOB TITLE:  Teacher with interest in seeking Special Education license 

FLSA STATUS:  Exempt

UPDATED:  FY 2022

POSITION OBJECTIVES:  Provide instruction and fulfill instructional service minutes for students with Individual Education Plans in order to support the Harwood community in meeting our goals of:  

1. cultivate and maintain a community where all students, staff and families feel safe - seen, heard, understood and respected.  
2. strengthen and sustain a rigorous and robust academic program that provides access and meaning for ALL students. 
3. create and maintain a positive school climate and culture that all Harwood community members take pride in.

STUDENT ASSIGNMENT:  All students including those that might be on an IEP, 504, and/or EST plans.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: include but are not limited to the following.  

Planning and Preparation

• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of students including: intellectual, social, and emotional characteristics of age group; students' varied approaches to learning; student skills and knowledge; student interests and cultural heritage; student economic influences; and student family, school and community context.   
• Integrates current best practices, research, and education laws into the teaching plans and practices, to assure the most effective educational program for our students.   
• Selects and integrates instructional goals that are valuable, clearly stated, measurable, and suitable for diverse students, and that create opportunities for different types of learning.  
• Seeks and effectively utilizes all available school and district teaching and student resources to enhance instruction and learning.    

Learning Environment

• Creates and maintains an environment of respect and rapport.   
• Provides a safe learning environment for all students.  Takes all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, materials, and facilities.   

Instruction

• Communicates directions and procedures clearly, accurately and effectively both in spoken and written language.   
• Effectively utilizes questioning and discussion techniques in the classroom to promote student participation and to successfully engage students in the discussion.  
• Effectively and appropriately engages students in learning to maximize student comprehension of the lesson through representation of content, activities and assignments, instructional groupings, instructional materials and resources, structure and pacing, and the like.   
• Provides accurate, substantive, constructive, specific and timely feedback on student progress and performance to students, parents, and other professionals as needed or required.   
• Demonstrates flexibility and responsiveness to student needs by effectively making minor adjustments to the lesson, persistently seeking thoughtful alternative approaches/strategies/resources, and successfully accommodating students’ questions or interests to enhance student learning.  

Other Professional Responsibilities

• Develops and implements an effective system to maintain accurate, complete and confidential student records including student completion of assignments, student progress in learning, and other non-instructional records.   
• Prepares and submits accurate, complete, timely and effective reports as required by law, district policy, and/or administrative regulations.   
• Communicates/collaborates effectively with parents to keep families informed of the instructional programs and individual student progress, and effectively responds to parent concerns and engages families to help meet the educational needs of the student.  Means of communication may include annual open house, observation sessions for parents, conferences, weekly newsletters, sessions for program discussion, making home visits, and other individual meetings as necessary.   
• Works effectively, cooperatively and respectfully with supervisors, colleagues, subordinates, and other professionals and outside agencies.   
• Actively participates in school events, workshops, in-service meetings, teacher trainings, building level staff meetings, district meetings, and other school and district committees/projects, making substantial contributions.   
• Seeks out and actively participates in opportunities for professional development to enhance content knowledge and teaching skills, to support district goals and school action/strategic plans, and/or as may be directed by the School Principal/Department Head.   
• Keeps abreast of current best practices, research findings, and other developments in the field. Actively participates in assisting and supporting other educators and administrators in the school and/or district.   
• Shows professionalism and considers "What's best for students" in serving and advocating for students, and in decision making.   
• Follows and assists in upholding and enforcing school rules, administrative regulations and procedures, policies of the HUUSD.   

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:  Reports to, evaluated by, and receives general administrative direction from the School Principal with input from the Director or Assistant Director of Student Support Services and/or his/her designee.  

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:  None

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• 3-5 years of teaching experience preferred 
• Bachelor’s degree
• Master’s degree in education preferred 
• Vermont teaching license 
• Experience supporting students Social Emotional development and growth 
• Experience with effective differentiation techniques and Universal Design of Learning strategies preferred 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  Harwood Unified Union Middle/High School provides reimbursement for 6 credits annually.  Additionally, teachers may request additional credits to be paid for by the district if they are borrowed from a future upcoming year.