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• Salaried position with typical hours 8:00-3:00 Monday to Friday in relationship-based, no physical restraint trauma informed therapeutic day school.
• Amazing opportunity to work in a one-of-a-kind trauma informed school utilizing developmental language model and DIR® Floortime principles versus behavioral methods. (On site hours may vary depending on necessary prep and paperwork both before and after school)
• Work 46 weeks of year with 6 weeks of non-student attendance paid vacation breaks.
• Competitive Salary commensurate with hours/weeks worked and experience.
• 12 PTO days.
• BCBS medical, dental and vision.
• Short-term/long-term disability and a life insurance.
• 403B retirement plan.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Reflective processing to support you in your work.
• Supervision/mentoring by a certified DIR® Trainer through the Occupational Therapy lens, with extensive experience in autism, sensory motor/movement and development, developmental language model and DIR® developmental thinking to support your teaching, lesson plan development and goal writing.

Make a difference in the life of a child with Autism!

Illinois Professional Educator License in Physical Education or Physical Education Endorsement required.

Seeking a candidate with experience teaching P.E. to students with ASD of varied ages and developmental levels in an elementary and/or secondary school environment where developmental thinking was utilized and an interactive style that is playful, affectual and engaging.

Soaring Eagle Academy, a not for profit, ISBE approved therapeutic day school in Lombard, IL serving students ages 5 through 22 years old, faced with the challenges of Autism, is seeking a full time P.E. TEACHER to serve kindergarten through transition (18-22 year old) classrooms to join our growing staff and student body teaching in person 5 full days.

The Academy was founded by three Speech Language Pathologists, with an accumulation of over 80 years experience serving children and families with Autism and other related disorders, and a passion to showcase the amazing capacities of students with Autism to interact, communicate, think and learn. SEA is the only school in the world to utilize a Developmental Language approach implementing principles of the DIR® Floor Time model, to understanding and supporting students’ social, emotional and academic development. This is a unique opportunity to do cutting edge work with dedicated support staff including SLP, OT, Mental Health, fellow teachers and 1:1 teacher assistants assigned to each student, who understand and support developmental language, sensory motor processing strategies, emotional development, and how they impact children with autism. We believe that the “behaviors” others see as impacting education for these students are a result of their lack of comprehension, inability to communicate, challenges in processing sensory information from their environment and staying regulated around a broad range of emotions.

We are a hands-off school utilizing proactive strategies to interpret the actions and behaviors of students, versus using behavioral methods of time out, consequences and rewards or physical restraint/carry/holds. With our appropriate interpretation of their intentions, appropriate language-based strategies, emotional and sensory supports, and an individualized, multi-sensory, engaging and meaningful curriculum, our students are soaring. Join our team! Our Teachers have a central role in the support of our students. For more information, please visit our website at www.soaringeagleacademy.org

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must have Illinois Professional Educator License in Physical Education or Physical Education Endorsement

• Experience in an elementary and/or secondary school environment where developmental thinking was utilized with a strong capacity to engage students and adapt your teaching/curriculum to students of varied ages, learning styles and developmental levels.
• Knowledge and expertise in child development and movement. Knowledge and experience leading teacher assistants, working within a collaborative team including staff and students’ families.
• Interactive style that is naturally playful, affectual and engaging.
• Experience with children with special needs and/or Autism Spectrum Disorders.
• Willingness to gain knowledge and participate in direct coaching/training in Developmental Language Models and DIR® methodology.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

As a PE Teacher, you will utilize your knowledge, experience, and training to engage your students and spark their passion for learning and movement. Most of your time is spent planning, preparing, and teaching from your lesson plans. During your planning, you consider the individual needs of each student and adapt teaching strategies suited to their educational and physical needs. As you effectively manage the classroom, you work to establish a safe and secure learning environment for your students.

• Provide direct physical education instruction to students K-22 with autism and/or other disorders of relating and communicating, according to ISBE requirements and DIR® and developmental language model methodology practices, in a variety of settings including full classroom, groups or individual session.
• Support development of health and well-being through physical activity with emphasis on supporting students to be able to acquire movement and motor skills working as individuals and as members of teams, to promote social and emotional development.
• Create, implement and adapt developmentally based curriculum and lesson plans for students of various ages, learning styles and developmental levels using a variety of instructional strategies, consistent with the IL Common Core and ISBE learning standards, SEA’s developmental methodology, student goals and the school’s college prep curriculum for PE. Submit such plans to the PE Supervisor in a timely manner.
• Utilize Differentiated Instruction establishing precise objectives for every lesson, unit and project.
• Maintain control and organization of the Sensory Motor/PE Gym and Physical Education equipment used for classes. 
• Ensure a safe, healthy and clean environment for students.
• Provide assessment/evaluation, daily instruction, and collaboration with classroom teachers and related service providers.
• Assess current motor skills and fitness levels at identified benchmarking periods.
• Perform and report physical fitness testing assessment and data collection in accordance with IL requirements in a timely manner.
• Administer formal, informal, benchmarking, classroom, and state assessments.
• Use data-driven evaluation and reflective teaching practice to improve instruction and increase academic achievement of students.
• Act and respond to each student’s behavior according to the strategies developed in the student’s Individual Regulatory Support Plan and in accordance with SEA policies.
• Work closely with special education, support staff and administration to provide carry out educational requirements and assessment making necessary accommodations and modifications for students as specified in the IEP.
• Develop and lead PE related groups including but not limited to: daily recess, running club, sports club.
• Consult and work cooperatively with teachers and related service/therapy staff to meet student needs.
• Identify, obtain and utilize appropriate materials to effectively teach individuals with autism and other related disorders.
• Provide updates to teachers, parents/guardians, case managers, and other team members as appropriate.
• Supervise paraprofessionals or teachers/staff acting as paraprofessionals during physical education.
• Participate in ongoing professional development to ensure certification/licensure remains current
• Build and maintain safe, fair, and respectful learning environments that celebrate the diversity of the student population.
• Adhere to administrative policies and rules mandated by the Illinois State Board of Education related to physical education.
• Maintain daily notes and record grades/quarterly progress.
• Prepare progress and report cards and conduct parent-teacher conferences four times a year. 
• Make contributions to school culture outside of the classroom through leadership participation in field trips, special events and other school functions.
• Monitor classroom regarding policy and procedures for safeguarding student’s privacy and dignity including self-help, hygiene, and toileting.
• Assist and facilitate student directed play, interaction, and classroom work to sustain interactions, problem solving and learning within the PE environment.
• Acknowledge and reflect on student’s feelings and behavior in a caring and respectful manner.
• Act and respond to each student’s behavior according to the strategies developed in the student’s Individual Regulatory Support Plan and in accordance with SEA policies.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members and parents to maximize services and support to each student.
• Take direction and coaching from therapists and consultants.
• Schedule and facilitate parent involvement and classroom observation and participation.
• Report to parents as appropriate regarding student progress, daily activities and issues/conflicts.
• Assist in developing and maintaining Individual Education Plan goals and create a progress monitoring system for data collection on goals as needed.
• Maintain record of daily attendance and other relevant data for students.
• Attend parent conferences and IEP meetings when asked, prepared with progress summaries, goal updates, and data to support your findings.
• Establish a system of documentation that is professional, efficient and accountable and conforms to state and the Academy policy.
• Express and report difficult situations and concerns to your supervisor and/or Executive Director in a timely manner
• Participate in regularly weekly professional development meetings planned by the DIR® Expert Clinicians and other such SEA staff.
• Coordinate and supervise students when needed during the lunch period/recess.
• Participate in arrival and departure of students.
• Participate in weekly pod/team and teacher meetings as appropriate.
• Ability to kneel, sit (on a chair or the floor) and stand moving easily and quickly from kneel to stand, sit to stand and stand to walk positions.
• Ability to wear a face mask when required in the school building as needed.
• Ability to walk up to a mile in distance.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds easily.
• Ability to engage in and support physical activities initiated by students including but not limited to, jumping, running, climbing, rolling, sitting/lying on the floor, swinging.
• Ability to act and respond to a student’s dysregulation/behavior/combative and aggressive actions (which may include unpredictable physical conduct by the student against you) according to the strategies developed in the student’s Individualized Regulatory Support Plan and Safety Plan.
• Ability to quickly move away from and avoid combative/aggressive actions or behaviors of students.
• Ability to physically follow in close proximity and support student(s) when he/she flees (runs) from an activity, an interaction or the learning environment.
• Ability to physically support students on indoor/outdoor therapeutic equipment.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

BENEFITS: Eligible for medical and ancillary benefits for this full-time position. Benefits can include BCBS medical, with SEA contributing a portion of the total cost, employee funded dental and vision insurance benefits. Short-term, long-term disability insurance and a life insurance benefit are offered at no cost. 12 paid sick and personal days to be utilized by employee. Receive $250 reimbursement annually for continuing education. Eligible for Teacher Retention Bonus Program. Supervision and mentoring provided by DIR® Expert Clinician/DIR® Trainer with extensive experience in autism, sensory motor development and movement, developmental language thinking, as well as reflective processing offered. Participation in our 403B retirement plan. Work in an environment with state-of-the art materials and equipment and cutting-edge curriculum/methodology.

SALARY: Competitive salary aligned with work hours/weeks and commensurate with experience and qualifications.