Adams 12 Five Star Schools is hiring a Teacher - Affective Needs

Adams 12 Five Star Schools is seeking a dedicated Special Education Teacher – Affective Needs to join the team at Independence Academy. You will provide comprehensive academic and social/emotional instruction to students with disabilities within a separate school program, demonstrating core competencies in advocacy, assessment, collaboration, and regulatory compliance.

What You'll Do

• Advocate for students with disabilities to ensure equitable access to learning opportunities and discipline processes.
• Model and promote inclusive language in all settings.
• Assess students and determine eligibility for services.
• Develop and monitor progress of SMART learning goals for each student.
• Conduct Functional Behavior Assessments and develop, implement, and monitor Behavior Intervention Plans.
• Develop and oversee incentive plans, point sheets, and data collection systems.
• Supervise, schedule, and monitor Registered Behavior Technicians.
• Collaborate with classroom teachers, school psychologists, speech/language pathologists, school social workers, and other service providers to create integrated student plans.
• Collaborate with families to ensure regular communication about student strengths, needs, services, and progress.
• Partner with outside entities to support student growth.
• Implement IDEA and ECEA regulations.
• Develop and implement legally compliant, instructionally sound IEPs.
• Ensure consistent IEP implementation across all educational settings.
• Abide by all district policies and procedures.
• Identify students' current social-emotional instructional levels and develop ambitious trajectories toward CASEL standards.
• Plan lessons incorporating evidence-based practices and identify instructional resources.
• Implement specially-designed instruction.
• Differentiate instruction for learners with diverse needs.
• Demonstrate and model effective student behavior and classroom management structures.
• Participate in ongoing professional development sessions.

What We're Looking For

• A Bachelor's degree or higher.
• Must be a minimum of 18 years old.
• Ability to pass a criminal background check required for hire.
• Must possess, be able to obtain, or be in process with the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) for a valid Colorado Educator License with the required endorsement within 30 days of hire.

Nice to Have

• Background in Science is preferred.
• Preference given to candidates with ELL Training and/or an ESL or Linguistically Diverse Education (LDE) Endorsement.

Team & Environment

You will collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team including classroom teachers, school psychologists, speech/language pathologists, school social workers, and other special education service providers.

Benefits & Compensation

• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• Employee assistance program.
• Voluntary life insurance through PERA.
• 401(k), 403(b) & 457(b) plans available to all employees immediately.
• Paid time off.
• Compensation follows the Certified Salary Schedule, with placement dependent on education and/or work experience. Special programs teachers receive experience credit for each full year of previous experience.

Work Mode

This role is onsite at Independence Academy in Thornton, CO.

Adams 12 Five Star Schools is deeply committed to a community of excellence, equity, and inclusion in everything we do. We commit to eliminate the predictability of who is included in excellence and who is not, putting students first to elevate student success for every student every day in every classroom.