Job Description

TITLE: Special Education Teacher, Resource Room - Reiche Community School

We are seeking a dynamic, friendly, student-centered Special Education Teacher / Case Manager to join our team at Reiche Community School. The successful candidate will be adept at providing an atmosphere and an environment conducive to the academic, social, and emotional development of individuals, ensuring equitable access to learning opportunities for all students. In addition, the successful candidate will be responsible for developing and adjusting curricular and instructional materials to monitor student progress and meet the needs of a range of learners. Communicating and interacting with students, parents, colleagues and community members are essential in this role.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide evidence-based Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) in all academic and functional skill areas to students with Individual Education Plans (IEP) to ensure that each student progresses in meeting the district's learning benchmarks
• Serve as case manager and oversee each student's IEP, ensuring compliance with requirements in the Maine Unified Special Education Regulations-Chapter 101 including timelines related to the IEP process and IEP development
• Consult with regular education teachers on a regular basis regarding educational needs, accommodations and modifications
• Collaborate with related service providers (speech therapists, OT, PT, social workers, etc
• Administer academic achievement assessments for initial referrals and triennial reviews
• Attend meetings, professional development and in-service training
  

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Demonstrated ability to develop working knowledge of PPS core and intervention curriculum, techniques for integrating curriculum, PPS policies, and effective instructional practices
• Ability to develop and deliver standards-based, specially designed instruction (SDI) across curricular disciplines and grade levels
• Ability to lead therapeutic, instructional team via collaborative processes
• Understanding of the teaching/learning process for students with disabilities
• Ability to provide instruction that reflects multiple perspectives and multicultural education
• Ability to infuse technology into curricula
• Ability to work effectively with administrators, colleagues, central office and school based staff, students, parents and community
• Excellent oral and written communication and human relations skills
• Willingness to reflect on personal implicit bias and a commitment to challenging personal perspectives and deepening self-awareness

• Knowledge of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS)

EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in applicable field of education from an accredited college or university
• 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

CREDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Maine State fingerprint (CHRC) authorization (more info)
• At least one of the following Maine State Teacher Certificate endorsements (more info):
  • Endorsement 286 (Severe Impaired, K-12)
  • Endorsement 282 (Teacher of Children with Disabilities, K-8)

EMPLOYMENT DETAILS:

• Schedule: School year, Full Time, 1.0 FTE
• Assignment: Permanent
• Reports to: Teacher Leaders
• Contract: Part of the PEA union (see 2025-2028 CBA here)
• Salary Based on education and experience per 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.