Teacher for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NATURE OF WORK:

This is a professional position to provide direct educational services and/or consultative services to deaf/hard of hearing students and related staff.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Ability to professionally relate to and collaborate with co-workers, students, and community members
• Ability to understand and maintain confidentiality
• Ability to use technology effectively to complete tasks
• Ability to report to work daily and on time
• Ability to organize, supervise, coordinate and establish priorities of tasks to be completed
• Ability to work independently in the absence of detailed instructions and to follow complex oral and/or written instructions
• Ability to communicate orally or in writing, courteously and tactfully, with staff, students, parents, and the community in a timely manner
• Ability to work under pressure
• Possess excellent time management skills and the ability to take initiative and make decisions within assigned responsibility in a challenging, fast-paced professional environment and be flexible in work responsibilities and hours
• Possess knowledge of the programs, policies, and procedures of the St. Mary’s County Public Schools
• Ability to provide instruction in sign language to students and staff 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides support in building the capacity of staff and students in regional program sites to learn sign language to support peer and adult interaction with students who are deaf/hard of hearing
• Meets with general education teachers at the beginning of the school year to discuss the educational implications of hearing loss as well as necessary accommodations and modifications to help deaf and hard of hearing students have full access to instruction
• Provides specific instruction to help bridge the gap between American Sign Language and English
• Collaborates with general education staff and provide necessary supports to enable students with hearing loss to access the general education curriculum
• Provides direct services, including but not limited to:
  • Language and vocabulary development
  • Auditory training
  • Resource teaching in academic areas
  • Self-advocacy and equipment maintenance skills
  • Sign language instruction
• Provides consultative services, including but not limited to:
  • Ongoing support to staff working with deaf/hard of hearing students
  • Work in coordination with the audiologist to train necessary staff with hearing equipment
  • Perform basic equipment maintenance on auditory equipment
• Develops and implement Individualized Education Programs for students who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Monitors and report student progress through regular data collection
• Consults with teachers and parents regarding the various aspects of communication skills development and the impact on achievement
• Serves as a resource person to school personnel in the development and selection of materials to address the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students in the area of communication skills development
• Completes and maintain Medical Assistance logs
• Performs other related and nonrelated job duties as assigned 

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Proficiency and experience using multiple communication modalities

Preferred:

• Eligibility for professional certification/licensure of the appropriate grade and or content, with a MSDE certification in deaf education
• Experience in a variety of school settings 

TERM OF EMPLOYMENT:

Full-time, ten-month position