Retiree-Teacher of Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

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Job description

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 600 schools and employing approximately 40,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments - student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning. The mission of the Office of Diverse Learner Supports and Services (ODLSS) is to provide high quality and specially designed instructional support and services for all diverse learners within their least restrictive environment. We work collaboratively with several units, specifically schools and Networks with the goal of improving the academic achievement of all diverse learners by ensuring diverse learners receive meaningful and relevant access to grade level core instruction within their neighborhood school, school of choice, or the school closest to their residence. Job Summary: Citywide teachers of students with visual disabilities are responsible for providing direct instruction and consultative services to students with visual disabilities, as written in student IEPs. Other duties include attending and participating in student annual review and 3-year re-evaluation meetings, conducting functional vision assessments and learning media assessments, preparing reports as required for FIE/IEP conferences, developing student IEPs as integral members of IEP teams, providing strategies to adapt and modify the curriculum, physical setting, and assessments to meet student needs, training students and staff members on the use of assistive technology devices for students with visual disabilities, referring students for low vision clinics, training students to use low vision devices, maintaining weekly instruction plans and consultation logs, collecting data to document student progress toward mastery of IEP goals, completing quarterly IEP progress reports, collaborating with classroom teachers and paraprofessional staff members to provide strategies to ensure student success in the least restrictive environment, teaching and evaluating student skills in the nine areas of the expanded core curriculum for students with visual disabilities, attending and participating in citywide professional development sessions and meetings, implementing and/or sharing new strategies learned during professional development sessions, providing services to school staff as assigned, submitting weekly schedules and monthly summaries on time, and adhering to all mandated CPS and ODLSS policies and procedures. The Retired-Teacher of Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired the will be held accountable for the following responsibilities: Provide direct instruction and consultative services for a caseload of students who have been identified as having visual disabilities. Collaborate with classroom teachers on implementation of strategies, accommodations, and/or modifications that will facilitate access to the common core state standards for students with visual disabilities. Teach and assess students in the nine areas of the expanded core curriculum for students with visual disabilities. Collect data toward mastery of IEP goals as outlined in student IEPs. Conduct functional vision assessments and learning media assessments to prepare for three-year re-evaluation meetings. Participate in annual IEP meetings and three-year re-evaluation eligibility conferences for students on caseload. Consult with parents of students with visual disabilities on student progress and how they can reinforce skills learned at school. Provide direct instruction on using high tech and low tech equipment specially designed for the use of students with visual disabilities. Participate in ongoing CPS and/or outside professional development opportunities and be able to impart knowledge acquired to fellow team members. Comply with all central office requests for data collection regarding student achievement and teacher accountability. In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Retired Citywide Teacher of Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired must possess the following qualifications: Education Required: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university Licensed in the state of Illinois to teach students who are blind or who have visual disabilities Experience Required: Minimum of two (2)years as a teacher of students who are blind or have visual disabilities. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Proficiency in the literary braille code. Knowledge of the Nemeth code. Proficiency in teaching students to use screen reading software, screen enlarging software, braille note takers, magnifiers, monocular telescopes, and other low and high tech devices or apps specifically designed to provide access for people who are blind or have visual disabilities. Proficiency in the use of key commands and teaching of keyboarding skills. Knowledge of the common core state standards. Knowledge of and ability to design lessons on the nine areas of the expanded core curriculum for students who are blind or have visual disabilities. Ability to work as a member of several teams in several schools throughout a designated area of the city. Excellent spoken and written communication skills. Conditions of Employment As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to: Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois. Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 - Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. "Up-to-date" on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters. '388095

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