Special Education Head Teacher

Salary Range: $70,000 – $100,000 a year

Tribeca Prep seeks a creative, passionate, and dedicated Head/Lead Teacher to support our highly diverse students across a variety of grades, subjects, developmental levels, and clinical support areas.

Tribeca Prep is a 12-month independent special education early childhood and elementary school (our summer term is July 5 – August 15, and the regular school year starts after Labor Day until June 2024). Our goal is to prepare our students for a less restrictive environment by developing their communication, academic, self-management, and social skills. Our students receive instruction in 1:1, 2:1, 3:1 and small group settings. Through our cohesive team of teachers, specialists, and therapists, we offer our promising learners a rigorous, student-centered education with integrated supports that foster independence and self-advocacy. To learn more about our school philosophy, view information about our strategic partnerships, see glimpses of our classrooms, and glance at our robust sensory gym, please visit our website at https://tribecapreparatory.com for a 3D experience as well as photos!

Our teachers, instructors, and related service providers attend staff meetings, which provide opportunities for clinical team meetings for individual students, updates on upcoming events and professional development in areas that affect most of our students. Further, employees develop a professional growth plan with their supervisor and review their goals and performance across the year. Employees are encouraged to seek professional development in their areas of interest or need. Staff training is an integral part of professional development at Tribeca Prep. In addition to regular staff meetings, all staff attend scheduled staff development activities throughout the year, including some days when the students are not in attendance. Tribeca Prep is ideal for those adults who maintain growth mindsets!

Head Teachers plan and implement academic instruction, social-emotional support, and behavior strategies with students in collaboration with our Director of Education, related service providers and classroom instructors. Our classrooms consist of six to eight students who have similar needs in the areas of communication, academic skills, and social emotional skills. The classroom consists of one Head Teacher as well as instructors. The number of instructors in each classroom varies based on the students’ needs. The Head Teacher is responsible for conducting student assessments, communicating with parents, as well as creating, implementing and overseeing the delivery of an individualized instruction for each student. The Head Teacher is also responsible for working with classroom instructors to ensure that students’ instruction is implemented effectively and accurately, while supporting the classroom team in building a positive learning environment for all students and staff.

Expected Hours of Work:

Students attend Tribeca Prep 12 months out of the year according to the academic calendar. Occasional evening hours may be required. Generally, staff hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. The school day for students starts at 8:45 AM and concludes at 2:45 PM.

Successful candidates for the position should possess the following qualities and/or experiences:

Authentic Connection: They should have a genuine understanding and connection to the school’s mission and the student population. This means they align with the values and goals of the school, can relate to the students and support families.
Special Needs Experience: They should have prior experience working in special needs learning spaces. They should possess deep knowledge and passion for their area(s) of specialty within special education, allowing them to effectively cater to the diverse needs of the students.
Strength-Oriented: They should have the desire to teach in a setting that honors the competence, independence, individuality, and promise of children. Successful candidates should strive to amplify students’ strengths, while working collaboratively to overcome challenges and to develop areas of need.
Creative Designers of Learning: They should be creative in designing learning experiences that engage students. They should leverage student interests, real-world problems, and professional tools/experts to create purposeful experiences that drive student learning.
Tenacious and Adaptive: They should possess a “whatever it takes” attitude to support student learning. This involves being adaptable, flexible, and willing to improvise. Kindness, patience, positivity, and perseverance are also important traits for effectively addressing the needs of students.
Excellent Communication Skills: They should excel in effective communication, actively listening, and asking probing questions. They should be able to engage with all members of the school community and strike a balance between candor and empathy. All staff members understand the importance of data and report writing, as this information is vital to each student’s growth, documentation, and progress monitoring.
Community and Collaboration Focused: They should prioritize community and collaboration. Successful candidates recognize the value of divergent viewpoints and understand the importance of leveraging them for collective improvement and building positive relationships.
Accountability: They should hold themselves and their colleagues accountable. They should be receptive and humble when held accountable for their actions, and they should encourage accountability within the student body.
Flexibility: They should be comfortable with ambiguity and not always having immediate answers. Instead, they should possess an intellectually curious and growth-focused mindset, always willing to learn and adapt to new ideas and approaches.

Responsibilities and Duties:

Plan and implement high-quality, engaging lessons that are differentiated to meet the learning needs of the students and adhere to the common core state standards.
Regularly assess the students and the curriculum to adapt content and instruction as appropriate; communicate assessment results to parents
Implement the school’s philosophy of progressive and individualized education for every student
Create and maintain an orderly and aesthetic pleasing learning environment that accounts for students’ social, emotional, and executive functioning needs
Maintain accurate records, data, and carefully managed portfolios of student work to demonstrate and record progress and achievement
Empower students to take charge of their learning by providing all necessary scaffolding, modeling, materials, and resources
Consistently maintain a high level of expectation for student success
Collaborate with other instructional staff, related service providers, and the Director of Education to plan, integrate, and facilitate cross-curricular, inquiry-based projects and effective instruction
Communicate with parents and guardians to provide feedback on students’ academic and social-emotional progress through parent-teacher conferences, written reports, phone calls, and emails (daily communication may be required)
Mentor and train new instructors and create a positive working classroom team
Follow the professional code and policies of the school and conduct oneself in a way that promotes the mission of the school
Write and provide progress reports for all students in a timely manner
Prepare and differentiate individual and group lesson plans, materials, equipment, furniture arrangement and any necessary modifications of the learning environment
Provide and utilize classroom adaptations, instructional modifications, adaptive equipment, positive behavior support plans and other instructional interventions to meet the needs of students
Attend all faculty meetings and required special events
Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

Master’s degree and/or certification in early childhood education, childhood education, special education, Applied Behavior Analysis or a related field
Knowledge and skills in working with children with special needs
New York State Teacher Certification for Students with Disabilities (Birth – Gr. 2 and/or Gr. 1 – Gr. 6)

Compensation: Salaries are competitive and based on experience and training. Tribeca Prep offers a competitive benefits package, including employer-paid health insurance, dental/vision insurance options, 401k matching options, and ample professional development opportunities.

To apply, please email your resume, cover letter and list of references to career@tribecapreparatory.com

Expected Hours of Work:

Tribeca Prep is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Prep does not discriminate on the basis of an applicant’s or employee’s race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, unemployment status, or any other status protected by law.

Special Education Head Teacher

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