Job Description

About DeKalb Brilliance Academy : Designed with input from nearly 1,000 South DeKalb community members, we are a tuition-free, public Kindergarten-8th grade South DeKalb charter school approved to enroll grades K-3 in 2023 (adding a grade each year). Our vision is that each child will know and leverage their unique brilliance to critically analyze the world around them and to design a better and more equitable future. Our school will empower students to be leaders by combining rigorous & relevant academics with social-emotional learning. We put all of this together through our Real-world Project-based Learning , where students learn not only from their teachers and peers, but also directly from scientists, lawyers, engineers, and designers (learn more about our founding journey here ).

DeKalb Brilliance Academy: where the strength of our community nurtures the brilliance of our children.

About the role: Our Special Education Teachers are our primary classroom facilitators, and report to the the Assistant Principal for Scholar Support. Special Education teacher provide special education students with learning activities and experiences designed to help them fulfill their potential for intellectual, emotional, physical, and social growth. Develop or modify curricula and prepare lessons and other instructional materials to student ability levels. Work in self-contained, team, departmental, or itinerant capacity as assigned.

Responsibilities & duties (including but not limited to):

Instructional Leadership

• Maintain an assets-based, growth mindset about oneself and every member of our school community, utilizing self reflection and perseverance to ensure progress for every student.
• Support lead classroom teachers by providing strategies to increase student access to the general curriculum (social-emotional learning, core academic, and Real-world Project-based Learning aspects of our model) daily to improve student growth and achievement.
• Provide high-quality, culturally-responsive instruction to special needs students in a variety of subjects and settings (co-taught, push in, and/or pull-out) using evidence-based techniques.
• Collaborate with peers to plan units, examine assessments and student data, and provide feedback on instruction and curriculum design.

Community Collaboration

• Assess student performance, and support eligibility, Individualized Education Program (IEP), and progress monitoring meetings.
• Collaborate with families and students to ensure integration of IEPs into Learning Partnership Plans - specific, ambitious growth targets in academics, social-emotional skills, and community impact for each student.
• Communicate with each family at least once per week about student progress (via phone, email, and/or communication apps).
• Enact school-wide efforts to ensure identity-affirming, supportive school culture for faculty and students.
• Implement school-wide restorative approaches to build community, celebrate when our students and faculty excel, and respond/repair when our community values are not upheld.

Other duties as assigned. Please note that several children in the classroom are not yet potty trained.

Requirements

DeKalb Brilliance Academy has a charge from our community to build a different kind of education. Instead of operating in isolation, we build learning partnerships between educators and a) students (our most important stakeholders), b) families (experts on our students), and c) community leaders (experts on the fields in which our students will lead). The work to found our school will be complex, challenging, and deeply rewarding. DeKalb Brilliance Academy is a great fit for individuals who are:

• Purpose-driven: have deep reverence for the brilliance of our children and unwavering commitment to empowering our children to have impactful legacies in our communities
• Community-minded: has ability work collaboratively with peers and manage up to improve the work of everyone around them
• Emotionally intelligent: knows how to care for themselves, collaborate with others, use tools to regulate their emotions under stress, and approach difficult situations with others with empathy and compassion
• Equity-minded: understand how specific behaviors, laws, and institutions limit the rights and freedoms of people and work with our community to take collective action to make our world fairer for everyone.
• Strong project and time managers: has ability to adapt and persevere to deliver consistent and timely results to reach our goals
• Have a founder’s mindset: is a creative problem solver, enjoys building from the ground up
• Can complete physical demands of the role (including standing and walking for extended periods of time and lifting heavy objects up to 40lbs)

Experiences

• Minimum three years previous special education teaching experience is preferred (preference given if in K-2 and/or inclusive of culturally-relevant project-based learning).

• Has demonstrated impact on the growth of special education students with a wide range of disabilities

• Bachelor’s degree in Special Education. Higher salaries are awarded to those with Masters degrees and/or specializations.

• Valid state special education certificate

Benefits

Compensation:

• Competitive salary schedule ( see more here ). All candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree. Higher salaries are awarded to those with Masters degrees or specialization (SPED, ESOL, Gifted, Reading Specialist).
• Compensation is based on 228-day calendar (), which includes 180 school days, 16 days of professional development, and 32 paid holidays.
• Competitively-priced medical, dental, vision, short-term disability, and life insurance.
• Contributions to the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) in accordance with Georgia state law, as well as an additional, optional 403(b) retirement account.

Supports:

• A dedicated coach with a track record of success with students.
• A daily planning period and weekly student early release for teacher collaboration, student work analysis, and peer professional development.
• Materials needed to be successful in your classroom, including curricula for every subject (for Lead Teachers to adapt/improve), teacher/student supplies/laptops, etc.

Timeline:

ASAP start date.

Statement of Non-Discrimination:

DeKalb Brilliance Academy is committed to a policy of equal treatment for all individuals applying for employment. DeKalb Brilliance Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.

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