Teacher

Job Details

Are you interested in working with our dynamic and progressive school division to pursue excellence in education for students, professional learning opportunities, a flexible health benefits package, and a workplace that embraces diversity? Then we are the place for you

Who we are and what we value:

Parkland School Division (PSD) is a large progressive school jurisdiction serving Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Fort Chipewyan and Parkland County. PSD meets the diverse educational needs of over 12,000 rural and urban students among 23 sites, including outreach schools and alternative education programs.

Our values are what guide us. We assure supportive learning environments, meaningful experiences and healthy relationships that create opportunities to develop resilience, to gain diversity in perspectives and to achieve enduring success for both staff and students.

The Parkland School Division currently has a Probationary/Continuing Full-time (1.0 FTE) teaching position at Prescott Learning Centre in Spruce Grove, Alberta. The successful applicant will teach Kindergarten (0.5 FTE) and Elementary Music (0.5).

Function and Purpose of Position
Our teachers collaborate and engage with students, parents and our communities to create learning environments to promote student success. You value the inclusion and diversity in our schools along with supporting student well-being, integrity and fairness to contribute to all students.

Teachers will:
• Work under the supervision of the Principal
• Work one-on-one, in small groups and/or in a classroom setting with students
• Work with a particular special needs student or a group of students within a class or in a special program
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Work as a member of a Professional Learning Community
• Work outside of class time preparing lessons, lesson materials and assessing student work

As a teacher, you are responsible to demonstrate the competencies and indicators of the Alberta Teachers’ Association Quality Standards. You will work with students to teach the programs of study and have the ability to differentiate and adapt the curriculum for all learners. As a member of the school, you will collaborate with staff to enable a welcoming, safe and respected environment for students.

Instructional Support
• Apply effective planning, instruction, and assessment practices to meet the learning needs of every student.
• Able to provide evidence to support student learning by using a wide range of assessment tools and strategies.
• Able to use and integrate technology as a tool for teaching and learning for students to meet learning outcomes.
• Able to use a variety of teaching and learning strategies that can accommodate the learning needs of all learners.
• Able to integrate experiential and/or inquiry-based learning opportunities into the curriculum.
• Continuously enable students to develop literacy and numeracy skills
• Provide timely feedback on student learning.
• Able to differentiate, modify and adapt the program for individual students.
• In collaboration with the student support team, implement Individual Program Plan (IPP).
• Apply foundational knowledge about First Nations, Métis and Inuit for the benefit of all students.

Behaviour
• Prepare, observe, document and monitor individual student progress and behavior.
• Maintaining a safe and secure environment for both students and staff through the application of behavioural management strategies such as de-escalation methods and nonviolent crisis intervention techniques.
• Deal with student behaviour and determine classroom discipline, if required.

Student Assistance and Personal Care
• Assist student with walking (e.g. holding their hand, stabilizing them, guiding on stairs).
• Respiratory therapy interventions, physiotherapy interventions and other medically related tasks.
• Administer medication as required.
• Assist and or participate in exercising, implementing adaptive physical education, range of motion programs, fine and gross motor skills development, individualized or group communication techniques and life skills management.
• Monitor feeding, tube feeding and breathing apparatuses, seizure management (e.g. monitor and assess severity of seizure through the use of medical equipment and administer oxygen if required), and catheterization.
• Operate specialized equipment to support instruction for students with physical care needs (e.g. wheelchairs, mechanical lifts, walkers, transfer belt, FM and/or communications systems and hearing aid equipment).
• Lifting and carrying students into and out of specialized equipment (i.e., gym equipment, sensory equipment, walkers, wheelchairs, toilets, commodes) to carry out program requirements as well as personal hygiene care.

Speech Therapy/Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy
• Help student with speech language difficulties, as instructed by Speech, Physical and/or Occupational Pathologist.
• Update progress on a daily basis for Individual Program Plan purposes.
• Provide physiotherapy, speech and/or occupational program as directed.
• Model and practice speech program.
• Liaise with members of Therapy Team to monitor student progress and use of Assistive Technology / Devices.

Communication and Reporting
• Able to establish and maintain positive relationships with students, staff, parents, and the greater community
• Maintain up-to-date records of assessments, attendance, planning, reports and communication to parents.
• Maintain a home-school communication using various techniques i.e. paper agenda, google classroom, emails, verbal conversation, etc.

Classroom Preparation
• Able to develop a positive learning environment in the classroom for students
• Effective time and classroom management strategies to encourage positive environment along with opportunities for student leadership
• Able to collaborate with students to encourage problem solving, critical thinking skills and develop a sense of classroom community and trust.

Supervise Students
• Supervise and assist students in preparing for field trips and/or special activities (preparation for swimming lessons, skating, etc.).
• Able to work in a variety of environments and conditions (e.g. swimming, playground equipment, community facilities).
• Able to provide active supervision and support with students in typical school related physical activities for full work hours (including gym, playground equipment, track and field, classroom and hallways).
• Supervise small groups during field trips or special activities.
• Assist students boarding and disembarking from buses, if needed.

Community Living and Vocational Skills
• Assist students to be integrated into the regular classroom.
• Facilitate the development of social skills.
• Assist students in recreation activities (crafts, preparing meals).
• Travel with individuals or small groups to community outings.

Student Personal Development
• Promote building positive self-esteem and self-confidence of students.
• Encourage students to participate in classroom activities to build social skills.
• Provide and encourage routine and repetitive personal care to students.
• Administer first aid as required.

Education and Experience

a) Education:
i) Bachelor of Education Degree with a Music Major or extensive experience in Music Education
ii) Valid Alberta Teaching Certificate
iii) Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, First Aid and Mental Health First Aid would be an asset.

b) Experience:
i) Teaching Kindergarten and Music to a wide range of grade levels is an asset
ii) Training in Music instruction (choral, instrumental, performance)
iii) Ability to connect with Middle Years students to engage them in developing skills and competences needed to explore, create and preform through a variety of Musical experiences.
iv) Experience with Band Program for Middle Years Students
v) Related teaching experience is an asset.
vi) Differentiating instruction experience is an asset

Equivalencies will be considered.

Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• A good sense of humour
• Good health and physical fitness
• The ability to take direction and work independently
• Flexibility, patience, sensitivity, tolerance, enthusiasm, creativity and imagination
• The ability to deal with the emotional and mental stress of working with children/group of children/school setting.
• Courses or training in Attention Deficit Disorder, Special Needs Disorders, English as a Second Language, Behaviour Management, Crisis Prevention, Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, and Food Handling and Preparation, would be an asset