Special Education Teacher at Central Middle School

Stoneham Public Schools•Stoneham, MA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Stoneham Public Schools seeks a dedicated, experienced, and collaborative Special Education Teacher for the RISE (Reaching Independence through Structured Environments) Program at Central Middle School. The program serves middle school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, intellectual impairments, and related developmental disabilities who need specialized instruction, structured learning environments, individualized supports, and intensive programming to access the curriculum and make progress toward their IEP goals. The teacher designs and delivers individualized, standards-based instruction and adapts curriculum and materials to meet students’ academic, functional, social-emotional, communication, adaptive, behavioral, and executive functioning needs. The role includes assessing students, monitoring and reporting progress, implementing behavioral supports, and promoting inclusion, independence, self-advocacy, and self-regulation. The teacher works closely with families, general education teachers, related service providers, paraprofessionals, and multidisciplinary teams. The position is listed with salary information effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The provided salary schedule lists annual amounts by step and education lane, ranging from $62,751 to $118,335.

Requirements

Massachusetts DESE licensure in Severe Disabilities (Moderate/Severe Special Needs), PreK–8 or 5–12, or DESE licensure in Moderate Disabilities, PreK–8 or 5–12.
Experience working with students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disabilities, and complex learning needs.
Knowledge of evidence-based instructional practices for students with ASD and developmental disabilities, including Applied Behavior Analysis principles and practices.
Experience conducting educational assessments and interpreting assessment data.
Experience with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems.
Knowledge of functional life skills instruction.
Experience implementing structured teaching methodologies and visual support systems.
Demonstrated commitment to inclusive educational practices and student-centered programming.
Familiarity with positive behavior support systems and behavioral data collection.
Strong collaboration, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work effectively as a member of a multidisciplinary team.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Special Education or a related field preferred.

Responsibilities

Design and implement individualized, standards-based instruction aligned with students’ IEP goals and objectives.
Deliver intensive specialized instruction in academic, functional, social-emotional, communication, adaptive living, and executive functioning skills.
Use evidence-based practices for students with ASD and intellectual disabilities, including visual supports, structured teaching, task analysis, systematic instruction, prompting hierarchies, reinforcement systems, and social skills instruction.
Differentiate instruction to meet diverse learning profiles and support engagement and independence.
Develop and adapt curriculum materials to ensure accessibility and meaningful participation.
Foster self-advocacy, self-regulation, communication, and independent living skills.
Collect, analyze, and maintain student performance and IEP progress data; use data to adjust instruction.
Conduct educational assessments for initial evaluations, reevaluations, and annual reviews.
Interpret assessment results and prepare written evaluation reports and progress summaries.
Present assessment findings and educational recommendations to families and team members.
Implement individualized behavior support plans and support students’ social interaction, emotional regulation, and coping skills.
Collaborate with BCBAs and related service providers on behavioral and social-emotional needs.
Maintain a structured, predictable, supportive classroom environment that promotes student success and safety.
Collaborate with general education teachers to facilitate inclusion and curriculum access.
Consult with related service providers, school adjustment counselors, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, BCBAs, and paraprofessionals.
Participate in IEP, student support, and multidisciplinary team meetings.
Provide training, guidance, and supervision to classroom support personnel on instructional and behavioral strategies.
Communicate with caregivers about student progress and programming.