Durango School District 9-R is accepting application for an Elementary Gifted and Talented Teacher, .75 - 1.0 FTE, for the 2022/2023 school year. Includes benefits and beginsASAP.

Job Title: Gifted and Talented Elementary Teacher

Job Family: Licensed Staff

FLSA Status: Exempt

Department:  Student Support Services

Start Date: August 10, 2022

Typical Work Year: 183 days

Salary: Licensed Compensation System

SUMMARY:

Work collaboratively with all stakeholders to assist schools in ensuring gifted student social emotional growth and academic growth through systems of support, programming, and advocacy.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Travel to assigned elementary campuses, (2 or 3 assigned campuses per teacher), daily to provide inclusion services in a cluster model of gifted education.
• Work directly with gifted children during structured, grouped activities designed to meet neurodiverse learners’ needs.   
• Support general education teachers’ differentiation of the district instructional model through gifted inclusion services, which include team teaching, modeling, consultation services, and social emotional learning (SEL) pullout services to support the cluster model of gifted education.
• Write advanced learning plans with differentiation strategies for cluster classrooms, academic goals which can be served in partnership with general education staff, and SEL goals which can be supported by the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) team of the school on a daily basis.
• Serve on school based identification teams as the qualified gifted expert to review existing bodies of evidence. 
• Collaborate with district instructional coaches to use common language from the instructional model in a multitiered system of support for the benefit of all learners. 
• Coordinate with instructional specialists and teachers on acceleration services and goals within the cluster model of gifted education and within advanced/accelerated groups for reading, writing, and math instruction.

• Coordinate with instructional specialists to provide professional development, resources, and strategies for building staff on the cluster model of gifted education.  Coordinate with instructional specialists to increase the capacity of all teachers in Durango School District 9-R to support gifted learners.
• Administer universal screening in partnership with general education teachers to identify students for GT services.
• Plan and provide special activities and events that emphasize each area of giftedness.  For the 22/23 school year, there will be a minimum of four planned events that will be held district-wide. 
• Advocate for the needs of GT learners
• Assist the GT Coordinator in evaluating the gifted program annually for improvement 

ADDITIONAL JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Ensure the safety and welfare of students at all times.
• Demonstrate faithfulness and promptness in attendance at work.
• Submit required reports at the times specified.
• Demonstrate care of and protection of School District property.
• Report suspected child abuse or neglect as required by law.
• Use the District’s internet and E-mail system as specified in Policy.
• Fulfill other duties as assigned by the Principal, Superintendent or their designees.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Minimum: Bachelor’s degree from accredited university. Extensive education and/or training in working with gifted education. Highly qualified in gifted education or willing to work toward the Core Gifted Endorsement.

EXPERIENCE

Three to five years of successful teaching experience is required. Knowledge of, and experience with gifted learners, characteristics, identification techniques, learning strategies and program models.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, & REGISTRATIONS

Valid Colorado Teaching License.  Have a Colorado Gifted Endorsement, or willingness to work toward the Core Gifted Endorsement.  

\Valid Driver License or self-secured motor transportation

TECHNICAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, & ABILITIES

• Excellent interpersonal relations and oral and written communication skills.
• Strong decision making, analytical and organizational skills. 
• Ability to work with students with diverse needs at various levels.
• Ability to develop and implement lessons and programming for gifted students.
• Ability to lead others.
• Critical thinking and problem solving skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in all aspects of the job.
• Ability to promote and follow Board and District policies, Superintendent policies and building/ department procedures.
• Ability to communicate, interact and work effectively and cooperatively in a team setting
• Ability to recognize the importance of safety in the workplace, follow safety rules, practice safe work habits, utilize appropriate safety equipment and report unsafe conditions to the appropriate administrator.
• Ability to utilize formative and summative assessments to assess student learning.
• Ability to develop and implement Advanced Learning Plans.
• Ability to implement IEPs, 504s, and behavior support plans for students considered to be twice exceptional.

 MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT OPERATING KNOWLEDGE

• Computers and general office equipment.
• Microsoft Office applications.
• Student Information Systems.

Durango School District 9-R is an equal opportunity educational institution and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, age, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability or need for special education services in admissions, access to treatment, or employment in educational programs or activities which it operates, or any other applicable status protected by federal, state or local law. For information regarding civil rights or grievance procedures, contact Laura Galido, Compliance Officer, Durango School District 9-R, 201 E 12th Street, Durango, CO 81301, (970) 247-5411, lgalido@durangoschools.org, or the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 1244 Spear Boulevard, Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204-3582, (303) 844-5695.