Position Status: Full-Time

Location: Easterseals Learning Academy, 110 Fandel Road, Germantown Hills, IL 61548

Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8 am—3:30 pm during the regular school year; 7:45 am—2:15 pm during the summer sessions (20 days in the summer, two weeks in June, and two weeks in July).

Estimated Start Date: First or Second week of August 2024 for the 2024-2025 school year

Why work at the Learning Academy at Easterseals Central Illinois?

About Us: Our goal at Easterseals Learning Academy is to empower students to achieve peak academic performance, enhance social and emotional skills, develop effective communication, and gain functional life skills for community independence. We are an approved private school by the Illinois State Board of Education, serving students ages 3-21 with Autism, emotional disabilities, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, and other health impairments. School districts from all over the area contract with Easterseals to assist them in providing educational programs for children with autism and related intellectual disabilities. We provide an alternative school placement for these students and help them grow toward independence.

What We Offer:

• High Staff-to-Student Ratio: Our highly trained staff and evidence-based instructional strategies provide personalized support that meets each student's unique needs.
• Fully Equipped Learning Environment: Classrooms and therapy rooms are designed to foster growth across all areas of learning and development.
• Individualized Education: Our curriculum aligns with state learning standards, while our instructional programs and services emphasize individualized approaches that help students transition back to their schools and communities.

Some of the benefits and perks that set us apart from other schools:

• Group Health insurance
  • Medical Insurance - BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois
  • Dental Insurance, Life Insurance, Short Term and Long Term Disability Insurance - Guardian Life
  • Vision Insurance - VSP
  • FSA - Paylocity
• 401(k) Plan with employer match
• Exceptional PTO - Sick Time and Personal Time
• Summer Stipend

Position Objective: The Special Education Teacher provides designed instruction and educational programs for children who have a primary educational diagnosis of Autism, Intellectual Disability, or other health impairment.

Job Functions:

• Prepares and teaches lessons/skills designed to encourage academic communication, functional communication, and social growth.
• Develops/obtains materials needed for instruction.
• Adapts materials and lessons to accommodate the needs of individual students.
• Submits weekly lesson plans to the supervising administrator.
• Writes IEPs with goals and objectives that parallel the essential elements/common core standards as determined by data collected by IEP team members.
• Consults and collaborates with respective team members when evaluating progress and determining student programming needs.
• Ensures the physical layout of your classroom makes it accessible for learning when considering physical, medical, sensory, and cognitive needs.
• Applies Crisis Prevention Intervention de-escalation strategies in the school setting when student behaviors warrant intervention; implements behavior management plans if applicable.
• Communicates with out-of-district agencies regarding student needs. Agencies may include but are not limited to the following: home school district, medical professionals, mental health professionals, Department of Children and Family Services, Department of Rehabilitation, Central Illinois Service Access, and ADDWC.
• Be welcoming to a classroom-based therapy model as related service providers (OT, PT, speech/language, social work, itinerant services) implement individual and group therapy sessions within the classroom setting.
• Participates in any mandatory training required by ISBE.

Marginal Responsibilities:

• Supervises students during lunch, bathroom, and transitions outside of the classroom.
• Administers medications as documented on building-specific medication administration forms.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education/Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher from an accredited college or university in Education is required.
• Must hold a valid teaching license that has been issued by the Illinois State Board of Education and registered with the Regional Office of Education as an LBS1.
• Experience in special education, preferred.
• Registered Behavior Technician certification or willingness to complete training.
• Receive training and pass competency tests in Crisis Prevention Intervention.
• Valid Driver’s License.
• Working knowledge of personal computers and software (MS Office Suite).

Competency Requirements

• Demonstrate a positive attitude towards rules and regulations, notice and comment on desirable aspects of student behavior, and demonstrate good humor and a good sense of self-control over situations.
• Maintain a high level of respect and professionalism for staff, parents, and community members.
• Maintain confidential information to safeguard clients and families.
• Responsible for keeping resources and client files in order.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Must have visual ability sufficient to read and complete written correspondence, reports, etc., and computer screen information.
• Frequent use of hands to grasp, handle or feel.
• Regular standing, walking, sitting, and reaching.
• Occasionally lift and carry up to fifty (50) pounds.
• Engages in physical restraint of students, as necessary.
• Ability to drive a personal vehicle to meetings and service sites.

Work Environment

• Primarily operates in school environments with little exposure to excessive noise, dust, and temperature.
• Routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

Easterseals Central Illinois is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Easterseals is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, call 309.686.1177.