Position:        Teacher of the Visually Impaired

                       190 Days Contract

Supervisor:    Director of Special Education

General Job Description:  To provide in collaboration with the student’s IEP team, consultation and/or direct services to students whose visual functioning interferes with educational performance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities - Essential duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Planning and Preparation
  • Demonstrates knowledge of content
  • Design of coherent instruction
  • Setting Instructional Outcomes
  • Demonstrating knowledge of resources
  • Demonstrating knowledge of Students
  • Designing of Student Assessment
• Creating an Environment for Learning
  • Creating an environment of respect and rapport
  • Organizing physical space within learning environment
  • Establishing a culture for learning
  • Managing classroom procedures
  • Managing student behavior
• Teaching for Learning
  • Communicating with students in a manner that is appropriate to their culture and level of development
  • Using questioning and discussion techniques to support classroom discourse
  • Engaging students in learning
  • Assessment in instruction
  • Demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness
• Professionalism
  • Communicating with families
  • Participating in a professional community
  • Reflecting on teaching
  • Demonstrating professionalism
  • Growing and developing professionally

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

• Follow board policies and administrative rules and regulations
• Assist the district in making appropriate referrals for vision services.
• Review ophthalmologic reports, assess student’s functional vision, media and mobility.
• Submit appropriate information and reports to determine educational impact.
• Participate as a district team member for all children whose visual impairment may impact their educational performance.
• Assess student's functional vision and prepare written reports with information for district use.
• Assist district personnel to develop individual student goals and objectives for Individual Education Program (IEP).
• Locates or provides the district with information to locate adaptive materials.
• Teach district personnel skills needed to instruct or assist visually impaired students.
• Provide direct services for pre-Braille readiness, Braille reading and writing, orientation and mobility instruction, and adaptive equipment instruction.
• Provide other vision services as deemed appropriate by the student's IEP.
• Maintain written records, secure updated ophthalmologists’ evaluations and provide reports for each student assessed and/or served.
• Manage time appropriately
• Maintain accurate and complete records of grades and attendance as required by the school district
• Report progress or lack thereof to parents in a timely manner
• Attend and participate in faculty, professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops.
• Complete duties (hall, bus, etc.) as assigned
• Leave adequate preparations for a substitute
• Take precautions to protect equipment, materials, and facilities
• Actively and appropriately participates and collaborates in school teams/committees
• Support district initiatives
• Demonstrate public relations skills
• Use and apply appropriate conflict resolution skills
• Use diagnostic data to improve instructional programs
• Be available to parents, students, administration and peers outside the school day
• Attend and sponsor extracurricular activities
• Report suspected child abuse and neglect
• Complete Safe Schools training as directed by the District.
• Be responsible for students on field trips
• Act as a good role model within the context of the school
• Supervise educational assistants, practicum students, student teachers, and high school vocational lab/volunteer students
• Follow district and school procedures
• Accept other responsibilities as deemed necessary by the principal

Qualifications:  A BA degree, valid New Mexico teaching license with endorsements as needed.  Certified/Licensed by the New Mexico Public Education Department to teach the Visually Impaired.

Physical Requirements: Ability to perform the job and access the environment for which you are hired.  The following may be required: Sitting, standing, lifting, moving about the room or school, carrying (up to 50 pounds), reaching, squatting, kneeling, prolonged typing, physical ability to type on a keyboard terminal, and moving light furniture.

Equipment/Technology Handled: Must know how to properly operate or be willing to learn to operate all multimedia equipment including current technology. 

Work Environment: Must be able to work within various degrees of noise, temperature, and air quality.  Interruptions of work are routine.  Flexibility and patience are required.  Must be self-motivated and able to complete job assignment without direct supervision.  After hour work may be required.

Terms of Employment: Salary and work calendar established yearly by the district.

All GMCS schools are eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF).

All applicants must upload copies of official transcripts or evaluations of foreign transcripts from any and all accredited colleges/universities attended by you for review in order to be considered for this position.

Three letters of reference written within the last twelve months (one must be from current supervisor. (If this is not appropriate due to one’s employment status, please contact GMCS Personnel Office 505-721-1000).