Job Description

POSITION: Alternative Education Teacher

LOCATION: Marlinton Middle School

REPORTS TO: Director of Attendance, Child Nutrition Assessment, CTE and Student Affairs; Principal(s)

EVALUATION: Evaluations conducted as defined in West Virginia Board of Education Policy 5310 and WV Code §18A-2-12.

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

SALARY: Based on experience and education level per the Pocahontas County Schools salary schedule. Salary schedules and benefits information may be found at https://boe.pocahontas.k12.wv.us/page/employment

TERM OF EMPLOYMENT: Effective upon board approval for the remainder of the 2026-2027 school year. Term of employment shall be 200 days each year thereafter.

Qualifications

• Minimum Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution in education or an appropriate content area.
• Valid West Virginia Professional Teaching Certificate with appropriate endorsement(s) for the assigned position
• Criminal background check conducted pursuant to WV Code §18A-3-10

ADDITIONAL MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Applicants who have recent unsatisfactory evaluations will not be considered eligible for consideration.
• Applicants who demonstrate unsatisfactory interview performance are not eligible for consideration.
• Applicants who receive unfavorable reference recommendations will not be eligible for consideration.
• Applicants who have been dismissed or who have had their contracts non-renewed for cause by another school district are not eligible for consideration.

Pursuant to WV Code §18A-1-1:

"Classroom teacher" means a professional educator who has a direct instructional or counseling relationship with students and who spends the majority of his or her time in that capacity.

Under the direction of the Building Principal and Director of Child Nutrition, Attendance, Assessment and Student Affairs, the Alternative Education Teacher develops and provides specialized instruction designed to meet the unique academic, behavioral, social, and emotional needs of students in an alternative educational setting. The teacher creates an environment focused on student growth, behavioral improvement, academic achievement, and successful transition back to the traditional educational environment when appropriate.

The Alternative Education Teacher is responsible for providing standards-based instruction aligned with the West Virginia College- and Career-Readiness Standards, implementing behavioral supports and interventions, monitoring student progress, collaborating with families and school personnel, and maintaining a safe and structured learning environment that promotes student success.

The Alternative Education Teacher performs duties consistent with the expectations of a professional educator as defined by West Virginia Code, West Virginia Board of Education policy, and Pocahontas County Board of Education policy.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Planning and Preparation

• The alternative education teacher has a deep knowledge of the art and science of teaching in his/her specific content and can facilitate experiences that advance creativity, innovation, and problem-solving.
• The alternative education teacher uses a standards-based approach to instruction aligned with the state and local curriculum and sets instructional goals and objectives that describe what students will learn.
• The alternative education teacher involves students whenever appropriate in designing instruction in a manner that engages students in a sequence of meaningful instructional activities that support the West Virginia standards.
• The alternative education teacher uses a balanced approach to ensure both assessment of learning and assessment for learning to provide both alternative education teacher and students information to guide future learning.
• The alternative education teacher's understanding of the unique characteristics of the learner is evidenced in the design of learning activities which are developmentally appropriate and differentiated to engage all students in the learning process.

Classroom Environment

• The alternative education teacher develops and implements a behavior management system that includes data collection, clear expectations, consequences, and incentives for positive behavior.
• The alternative education teacher shows respect for students by having high expectations, providing management frameworks that clearly define roles and procedures, using respectful language, communicating interest in students as individuals, and encouraging student collaboration.
• The alternative education teacher establishes a culture in the learning environment that is focused on learning and that reflects the importance of the work undertaken by both students and the teacher.
• The alternative education teacher ensures that rules and procedures are in place for a smoothly functioning learning environment evidenced by the efficient use of time and resources.
• The alternative education teacher collaborates with students to carefully plan a mutually agreed upon set of behaviors and clearly defined actions and consequences for the learning environment that ensure a focus on learning.
• The alternative education teacher ensures that the physical or virtual learning environment is safe and that there is maximum flexibility in the use of physical space in a physical learning environment.
• The alternative education teacher creates and maintains a positive, supportive classroom climate and communicates with students in a variety of ways.

Instruction

• The alternative education teacher utilizes content knowledge to focus learning targets that create meaningful learning experiences for students.
• The alternative education teacher delivers instruction to motivate and engage students in a deep understanding of the content.
• The alternative education teacher uses both classroom formative and summative assessment as a balanced approach to instructional decision making.
• The alternative education teacher adjusts instruction based on the needs of students and in response to teachable moments.
• The teacher works collaboratively with teachers, school administration, and parents in developing a delivery plan for individual students that includes a focus on re-entry into the general education environment.
• The teacher collaborates with parents, school leadership, and students to establish goals and monitor progress toward those goals.
• The alternative education teacher will serve as the placement for short-term behavior modification.

Professional Responsibilities

• The teacher demonstrates behavior that reflects established professional responsibilities, including attendance, punctuality, and effective verbal and nonverbal communication.
• The teacher adheres to established laws, policies, rules, and regulations.
• The teacher interacts appropriately with students, educational personnel, and parents.
• The teacher is punctual with reports, grades, records, and reporting to work.
• The teacher commands respect by example in appearance, manners, behavior, and language.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

• Supervise and monitor students assigned to the In-School Suspension (ISS) room for the full duration of their intervention.
• Collaborate with administrators, counselors, social workers, behavior specialists, and other personnel to support student success.
• Maintain accurate documentation and records related to student academic and behavioral progress.
• Carry out other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Principal, Superintendent, or designee in support of the educational mission of Pocahontas County Schools.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to reach, stand, walk, lift, grasp, write, talk, hear, see, use technology such as computers and multimedia equipment, and use repetitive motions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may frequently lift and/or move at least 50 pounds of materials. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision such as to read handwritten or typed material, the ability to adjust focus. The position requires the individual to meet multiple demands from several people and interact with the public and other staff members.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Most commonly, the educational setting is indoors. The noise level in the work environment is low to moderate.

The information contained in the job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of duties performed by this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned by the Superintendent or his/her designee.

TO APPLY:
Pocahontas County Schools only accepts bids electronically for all jobs. However, if you need assistance with your application, please contact the Pocahontas County Schools Board of Education office at (304) 799-4505. You may apply online directly from the WVDE website, or from our district website at https://boe.pocahontas.k12.wv.us/page/employment To be considered for any position, bids must be submitted by the bid closing time on the last day of the posting for the desired position. All bids are posted a minimum of five business days.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Pocahontas County Schools will grant equal employment opportunity to all persons, regardless of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, or handicap, and there will be no discrimination based on these factors in the salary, promotion, demotion, or termination of any employee. Any discrimination concerns should be directed in writing to the Personnel Director, Pocahontas County Schools, 404 Old Buckeye Rd, Buckeye, WV 24924.