Teacher Special Education

Helen Keller Services (HKS)•Islandia, NY

8d•$70,000 - $75,000

About The Position

Helen Keller Services for the Blind is expanding its Children's Learning Center to new locations in Nassau and Suffolk County, serving preschool children who are blind or have low vision and children with multiple disabilities, autism, Down syndrome, or pervasive developmental delays. The Special Education Teacher conducts a preschool special education classroom for children with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). The role requires positive communication with families, colleagues, and professionals outside HKSB, and a professional commitment to the organization's mission and values. The teacher uses engaging curricula and individualized adaptations to support students’ learning and participation, collaborates with therapists and families, monitors and reports progress toward IEP goals, and coordinates classroom personnel and service providers. The position reports to the School Principal and includes supervisory responsibility for assigned classroom staff.

Requirements

Valid New York State teaching certification in Students with Disabilities (Birth–Grade 2), Students with Disabilities (All Grades), or another NYSED special education certification approved for teacher-of-record work in a 4410 preschool setting.
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, including New York State-required pedagogical coursework in early childhood education.
Ability to implement IEPs and deliver specially designed instruction in accordance with NYSED and CPSE expectations.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and ability to use school-based systems for documentation, communication, and recordkeeping.

Nice To Haves

New York State teaching certification advanced to the Professional level.
Master’s degree in Special Education, Early Childhood Education, or a related field.
Experience working with preschool-aged children (ages 3–5) with disabilities.
Experience in a 4410 preschool special education program, including familiarity with CPSE processes.
Experience implementing and managing IEP goals, progress monitoring, and related documentation.
Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, related service providers, and families.
Familiarity with classroom management strategies for early childhood and special education settings.
Experience using student information systems and classroom communication tools such as ClassDojo or similar platforms.
Experience with AACs and other assistive technology.
Multilingual skills.

Responsibilities

Conduct a special education preschool classroom for children with IEPs.
Use diverse, engaging curricula to maximize learning opportunities and encourage active classroom participation.
Develop and implement a whole-child learning approach, including sensory, motor, and other adaptations in collaboration with therapists.
Build and maintain relationships with families to support carryover of strategies from school to home.
Serve as the primary contact between home and school and liaise with the school social worker as needed.
Monitor and record progress toward IEP goals, and direct staff to ensure consistent and reliable data collection.
Evaluate student progress and document it in report cards, progress notes, and annual updates.
Submit weekly lesson plans, student goal data, and newsletters to the Principal.
Maintain attendance records and submit them to the administrative assistant.
Advocate for students’ educational and developmental needs at school and in the wider community.
Attend student IEP meetings, including annual reviews and reconvene meetings.
Develop and maintain relationships with school district representatives.
Participate in teacher and team meetings and complete assigned tasks promptly and professionally.
Participate in school-wide functions, including graduation and parent days.
Pursue and participate in relevant professional development within the school and wider educational community.
Plan, assign, and monitor instructional assistant responsibilities and schedules.
Prepare and deliver annual reviews for classroom teaching assistants.
Supervise assigned classroom personnel, including Teacher Assistants and paraprofessionals, in accordance with organizational policies and applicable laws.
Manage related service providers during classroom push-in sessions, ensuring roles are clearly defined and implemented.
Maintain continuous student supervision by directing staff assignments and ensuring coverage, coordination, and compliance.
Complete required pre-service Health and Safety and Mandated Reporter training, and fulfill ongoing approved training requirements.