Special Education Teacher - Adapted Curriculum - Western Albemarle High School - 2026-27 School Year

About the role

The Special Education Teacher - Adapted Curriculum works with students with intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, and various other educational disabilities. The assignment may include C-BASE, Functional Skills, Community Based Instruction, or Post High programs. Students are typically assessed using the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP).

Responsibilities

• Teach students content to meet VAOL and Virginia Standards of Learning using research-based curriculum, strategies & materials adjusted to suit each student’s needs.
• Aid children with multiple disabilities, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, intellectual disabilities, emotional disabilities, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments, orthopedic impairments, visual impairments, autism, combined deafness and blindness, traumatic brain injury, and other health impairments.
• Implement Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for students with disabilities.
• Use various teaching methods to promote learning, including intensive individualized instruction, problem-solving assignments, and small-group work.
• Ensure appropriate accommodations are available in class and when a student needs to access the environment, curriculum, and assessments.
• Create lesson plans and instructional materials and provide individualized and small group instruction.
• Translate lesson plans into learning experiences to best utilize the available time for instruction.
• Provide culturally responsive instruction to students who are linguistically diverse.
• Establish and maintain a caring, loving, and warm yet structured atmosphere for our most complex and at-risk students.
• Modify regular and aligned education curriculum to meet the individual children's needs.
• Provide and maintain a safe and supportive environment in the classroom, on the school campus, and on field or community experiences.
• Establish and maintain standards of pupil behavior needed to achieve a functional learning atmosphere in the classroom and develop an individualized behavioral plan when needed.
• Function as Case Manager for students eligible for special education and related services.
• Assist in the identification/child find process to appropriately identify students that require special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act.
• Model professional standards when dealing with students, parents, peers, and community.
• Schedule and facilitate IEP meetings as defined in the Virginia Regulations.
• Utilize strong oral and written communication skills with students, parents, and staff.
• Utilize effective problem solving, organizational, multi-tasking, and time management skills.
• Organize and supervise the work of paraprofessionals that includes and is not limited to developing a schedule of duties, monitoring the fidelity of intervention plans implemented by assistants, guiding and mentoring in the areas of parent communication, data collection, and use of evidenced based practices.
• Establish and maintain cooperative professional relations with others.
• Perform related duties as assigned by the administration in accordance with the school/system policies and practices.

Requirements

• Candidates must hold or be eligible for a Virginia teaching certificate with endorsement in School Counseling.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of the instructional needs of children with significant educational disabilities.
• Strong understanding of the special education process.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to facilitate paraprofessionals in the classroom and community.
• A belief that all students can learn and are best served when they are included with their peers to the greatest extent possible.
• An understanding of the state curriculum standards as they apply to students with intellectual disabilities.
• Knowledgeable in research-based programs.
• Demonstrated knowledge in implementing positive behavior plans and data collection.
• An understanding of IDEA, and associated timelines.
• An understanding of the requirements of the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program.
• Education and experience: Candidates must possess a current Virginia Special Education endorsement in Adapted Curriculum K-12 (preferred) or Special Education General Curriculum K-12. Those with a Special Education General Curriculum endorsement must be willing to consider working toward the Adapted Curriculum endorsement.

Skills

• Strong understanding of the instructional needs of children with significant educational disabilities.
• Strong understanding of the special education process.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to facilitate paraprofessionals in the classroom and community.
• A belief that all students can learn and are best served when they are included with their peers to the greatest extent possible.
• An understanding of the state curriculum standards as they apply to students with intellectual disabilities.
• Knowledgeable in research-based programs.
• Demonstrated knowledge in implementing positive behavior plans and data collection.
• An understanding of IDEA, and associated timelines.
• An understanding of the requirements of the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program.

Benefits

Competitive pay and benefits, including health & dental coverage, retirement, flexible spending accounts, paid time off, wellness program, discounts on gym memberships, and more.

Pay

Details on pay are not specified in the job posting.

Schedule

Details on schedule are not specified in the job posting.