Special Education Teacher – Autism Base – Lakeside Middle School – 2026-27 Schoo
Nichols College, Dudley, MA, United States
Special Education Teacher – Autism Base – Lakeside Middle School – 2026-27 School Year
Recruitment began on February 27, 2026 and the job listing expires on April 30, 2026.
Desired Candidate Qualities
Innovative, self-reflective, collaborative, knowledgeable in content area and instructional practices, and continually growing and improving
Passionate about closing equity and achievement gaps
Essential Functions
Teach students content to meet the standards outlined in Virginia’s Aligned Standards of Learning and the Virginia Standards of Learning using research-based curriculum, strategies & materials correlated with other approved learning activities and adjusted to suit each student’s needs;
Assist children with multiple disabilities, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, intellectual disabilities, emotional disabilities, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments, orthopedic impairments, visual impairments, autism, combined deafness and blindness, traumatic brain injury and other health impairments;
Implements Individualized Education Plans, as written, for students with disabilities;
Use various teaching methods to promote learning, including intensive individualized instruction, problem‑solving assignments, and small‑group work;
Ensure appropriate accommodations are available in class and when a student needs to access the environment, curriculum and assessments;
Develop lesson plans and instructional materials and provide individualized and small group instruction;
Translate lesson plans into learning experiences to best utilize the available time for instruction;
Provide culturally responsive instruction to students who are linguistically diverse;
Establish a caring, loving, and warm yet structured atmosphere for our most complex and at‑risk students;
Modify regular and aligned education curriculum to meet the individual children’s needs;
Provide and maintain a safe and supportive environment in the classroom, on the school campus, and on field or community experiences;
Establish and maintain standards of pupil behavior needed to achieve a functional learning atmosphere in the classroom and develop an individualized behavioral plan when needed;
Provide an effective program of instruction;
Function as Case Manager for students eligible for special education and related services;
Assist in the identification/child‑find process to appropriately identify students that require special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act;
Model professional standards when dealing with students, parents, peers, and community;
Schedule and facilitate IEP meetings as defined in the Virginia Regulations;
Utilize strong oral and written communication skills with students, parents, and staff;
Utilize effective problem‑solving, organizational, multi‑tasking, and time‑management skills;
Organize and supervise the work of paraprofessionals that includes and is not limited to developing a schedule of duties, monitoring the fidelity of intervention plans implemented by assistants, guiding and mentoring in the areas of parent communication, data collection, and use of evidence‑based practices;
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with pupils, parents, school staff, district staff, and patrons;
Evaluate pupils’ academic and social growth, maintain appropriate records, and prepare progress reports;
Communicate with parents through conferences, telephone calls, e‑mails, student planners, school web site, and other means, to discuss the pupils’ progress;
Maintain and uphold school and county policies and procedures;
Administer and score standardized assessments;
Establishes / designs, implements and monitors personalized goals for each child;
Maintain student records as required by the Code of Virginia and Virginia Regulations;
Assure confidentiality of all students’ information;
Understand and adhere to all laws, Special Education policies and procedures, and District policies and procedures;
Maintain professional competence through staff development education activities provided by the school district and self‑selected professional growth activities;
Knowledge and use of materials and resources in accordance with the adopted curriculum and consistent with the physical limitations of the location provided;
Attend and participate in faculty, department, and Division‑wide meetings;
Assist in the selection of books, equipment, and other instructional materials;
Establish and maintain cooperative professional relations with others;
Perform related duties as assigned by the administration in accordance with the school/system policies and practices.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
This professional must possess a strong understanding of the instructional needs of children with significant educational disabilities, as well as a strong understanding of the special education process, strong organizational skills, and the ability to facilitate paraprofessionals in the classroom and community. The teacher in this role must be a team player, energetic, enthusiastic, patient, and willing to work collaboratively with children of any age. Experience teaching students with intellectual disabilities and physical impairments is preferred. Possess a belief that all students can learn and are best served when they are included with their peers to the greatest extent possible. Possess an understanding of the state curriculum standards as they apply to students with intellectual disabilities. Knowledgeable in research‑based programs. Demonstrates knowledge in implementing positive behavior plans and data collection. Possess an understanding of IDEA, and associated timelines. Possess an understanding of the requirements of the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program.
Education and Experience
Candidates for this position must hold or be eligible for a Virginia teaching certificate with endorsement in Special Education.
Physical Conditions and Nature of Work Contacts
Duties performed typically in school settings include: classroom, gym, cafeteria, auditorium, community and recreational areas. Daily personal and close contact with students to provide classroom management and learning environment support is required. Regular contact with other staff members and parents is required. Occasional contact with medical professionals may be required. Frequent contact with parents by phone and in person is necessary. While performing the duties of this job, the teacher is regularly required to speak and/or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, and stoop, bend at the knees and/or hips, kneel, or crouch. The teacher is occasionally required to use hands to handle or feel and must occasionally climb or balance. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision and depth perception. The teacher must be able to respond to the unique educational needs of students with disabilities in a stressful setting. This job may emphasize intervention with and management of aggressive and self‑abusive students, angry students, emotional students, students with infectious diseases, and personal physical abuse.
Position Type and Job Categories
Full‑Time
Special Education > Severe/Profound Disabilities
Student Services > School/Guidance Counselor
Job Requirements
Citizenship, residency or work visa required
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Recruitment began on February 27, 2026 and the job listing expires on April 30, 2026.
Desired Candidate Qualities
Innovative, self-reflective, collaborative, knowledgeable in content area and instructional practices, and continually growing and improving
Passionate about closing equity and achievement gaps
Essential Functions
Teach students content to meet the standards outlined in Virginia’s Aligned Standards of Learning and the Virginia Standards of Learning using research-based curriculum, strategies & materials correlated with other approved learning activities and adjusted to suit each student’s needs;
Assist children with multiple disabilities, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, intellectual disabilities, emotional disabilities, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments, orthopedic impairments, visual impairments, autism, combined deafness and blindness, traumatic brain injury and other health impairments;
Implements Individualized Education Plans, as written, for students with disabilities;
Use various teaching methods to promote learning, including intensive individualized instruction, problem‑solving assignments, and small‑group work;
Ensure appropriate accommodations are available in class and when a student needs to access the environment, curriculum and assessments;
Develop lesson plans and instructional materials and provide individualized and small group instruction;
Translate lesson plans into learning experiences to best utilize the available time for instruction;
Provide culturally responsive instruction to students who are linguistically diverse;
Establish a caring, loving, and warm yet structured atmosphere for our most complex and at‑risk students;
Modify regular and aligned education curriculum to meet the individual children’s needs;
Provide and maintain a safe and supportive environment in the classroom, on the school campus, and on field or community experiences;
Establish and maintain standards of pupil behavior needed to achieve a functional learning atmosphere in the classroom and develop an individualized behavioral plan when needed;
Provide an effective program of instruction;
Function as Case Manager for students eligible for special education and related services;
Assist in the identification/child‑find process to appropriately identify students that require special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act;
Model professional standards when dealing with students, parents, peers, and community;
Schedule and facilitate IEP meetings as defined in the Virginia Regulations;
Utilize strong oral and written communication skills with students, parents, and staff;
Utilize effective problem‑solving, organizational, multi‑tasking, and time‑management skills;
Organize and supervise the work of paraprofessionals that includes and is not limited to developing a schedule of duties, monitoring the fidelity of intervention plans implemented by assistants, guiding and mentoring in the areas of parent communication, data collection, and use of evidence‑based practices;
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with pupils, parents, school staff, district staff, and patrons;
Evaluate pupils’ academic and social growth, maintain appropriate records, and prepare progress reports;
Communicate with parents through conferences, telephone calls, e‑mails, student planners, school web site, and other means, to discuss the pupils’ progress;
Maintain and uphold school and county policies and procedures;
Administer and score standardized assessments;
Establishes / designs, implements and monitors personalized goals for each child;
Maintain student records as required by the Code of Virginia and Virginia Regulations;
Assure confidentiality of all students’ information;
Understand and adhere to all laws, Special Education policies and procedures, and District policies and procedures;
Maintain professional competence through staff development education activities provided by the school district and self‑selected professional growth activities;
Knowledge and use of materials and resources in accordance with the adopted curriculum and consistent with the physical limitations of the location provided;
Attend and participate in faculty, department, and Division‑wide meetings;
Assist in the selection of books, equipment, and other instructional materials;
Establish and maintain cooperative professional relations with others;
Perform related duties as assigned by the administration in accordance with the school/system policies and practices.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
This professional must possess a strong understanding of the instructional needs of children with significant educational disabilities, as well as a strong understanding of the special education process, strong organizational skills, and the ability to facilitate paraprofessionals in the classroom and community. The teacher in this role must be a team player, energetic, enthusiastic, patient, and willing to work collaboratively with children of any age. Experience teaching students with intellectual disabilities and physical impairments is preferred. Possess a belief that all students can learn and are best served when they are included with their peers to the greatest extent possible. Possess an understanding of the state curriculum standards as they apply to students with intellectual disabilities. Knowledgeable in research‑based programs. Demonstrates knowledge in implementing positive behavior plans and data collection. Possess an understanding of IDEA, and associated timelines. Possess an understanding of the requirements of the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program.
Education and Experience
Candidates for this position must hold or be eligible for a Virginia teaching certificate with endorsement in Special Education.
Physical Conditions and Nature of Work Contacts
Duties performed typically in school settings include: classroom, gym, cafeteria, auditorium, community and recreational areas. Daily personal and close contact with students to provide classroom management and learning environment support is required. Regular contact with other staff members and parents is required. Occasional contact with medical professionals may be required. Frequent contact with parents by phone and in person is necessary. While performing the duties of this job, the teacher is regularly required to speak and/or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, and stoop, bend at the knees and/or hips, kneel, or crouch. The teacher is occasionally required to use hands to handle or feel and must occasionally climb or balance. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision and depth perception. The teacher must be able to respond to the unique educational needs of students with disabilities in a stressful setting. This job may emphasize intervention with and management of aggressive and self‑abusive students, angry students, emotional students, students with infectious diseases, and personal physical abuse.
Position Type and Job Categories
Full‑Time
Special Education > Severe/Profound Disabilities
Student Services > School/Guidance Counselor
Job Requirements
Citizenship, residency or work visa required
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