Assistant Teacher

Overview

RELIABLE ASSISTANT TEACHERS NEEDED TO SUPPORT AMAZING STUDENTS WITH MODERATE SPECIAL NEEDS

The Gifford School is a small, therapeutic day school committed to helping students with social, emotional, and learning differences reach their full potential. We are committed to fostering fairness, equity, and inclusion to create a workplace environment where everyone can expect to be treated with respect and dignity. We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every qualification described;

our job requirements are non-negotiable. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may come from a less traditional background.

Our beautiful 27-acre campus is centrally located right off Route 128 in Weston with plenty of free parking. We offer competitive salary and benefits, free breakfast and lunch, extensive training, and pretty cool swag. If you have a desire to do work that is meaningful and changes the lives of kids and families, if you value a supportive company culture, good work-life balance, opportunities for professional growth and career progression, and colleagues that value teamwork and dedication, then The Gifford School might be right for you!

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Experience with children/adolescents in a special education setting preferred, but not required
• Ability to develop an understanding of the special needs population and therapeutic milieu
• Proven interpersonal skills
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently
• Ability to maintain professionalism and composure in stressful situations
• Strong communication skills

• 10 months/full time (40 hours, 7:30am-3:30 pm Mon-Thurs & 7:30-3:00 on Fri.)
• Annual salary of $47,780

• Provide in-class support to teachers and students
• Assist with homeroom and academic classes when needed; provide coverage when needed
• Assist teachers with lesson planning, grading, or prep work, as requested
• With guidance from a classroom teacher and at times independently, work with students on a one-to-one basis or in small groups
• With the support of the classroom teacher, become familiar with students’ goals as defined in the IEP
• Become familiar with standard educational accommodations and commonly used therapeutic supports, such as O.T. & behavior intervention strategies
• Respond to student behaviors in the classroom and throughout the milieu by utilizing Gifford’s behavioral systems
• Facilitate and lead students during transitions, lunch, electives, and group activities
• Provide one-on-one support to students in or outside the classroom to meet their needs
• Provide input into IEP and progress reporting as requested
• Integrate information about students’ interests and abilities into the development of clubs and Group Activities to provide new learning opportunities for students; help lead those clubs
• Assist with facilitating off-campus school trips
• Develop positive relationships with families and serve as case monitor (school/home communication) for assigned students

Please submit a cover letter and resume.

The Gifford School is a private coeducational day school located in Weston, Massachusetts that provides services to students with a variety of social, emotional, and learning challenges. The Gifford community supports not only the growth and development of students, but also of staff and families as well. The highly skilled and enthusiastic staff make it a place where learning happens in special ways every day.

We strongly encourage applications from people of color, LGBTQ+, or people from communities that are historically underrepresented in independent schools. We are committed to an inclusive school experience for all those who come to work at The Gifford School. Employees must be authorized to work in the United States. We are unable to provide sponsorship for employment visa status now or in the future.

The Gifford School is an equal opportunity employer. We consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, familial or marital status, or any other characteristic protected from discrimination under state or federal law.

• Bachelor degree (preferred)
• High School Diploma
• Citizenship, residency or work visa required
• Reliability, timeliness, and ability to adhere to the school’s policies & procedures regarding professional conduct
• Ability to lift 25 lbs and perform in a reasonably active environment
• Ability to work well with others
• Willingness and ability to work well with children