Job Description:
Position Title: Teacher of the Visually Impaired/Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS)
Department/Section: Exceptional Student Services (District Wide)
Supervisor: Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Support
1.0 FTE; benefits offered. Licensed Professional salary schedule; includes stipend for district-wide travel. Position begins August 5, 2024, and candidate must be available three days prior for new employee training. Candidates for this position must hold both of the following certifications:
*Please Note: While both a Teacher of the Visually Impaired position and a Teacher of the Visually Impaired/Orientation and Mobility Specialist position are posted, only one of these positions will be filled, depending on the qualifications and certifications of the applicants.
Summary of Function: To plan, organize, and implement an excelling learning environment, through an itinerant and collaborative model, for students with visual impairments that guides and encourages students to meet their educational potential. At FUSD, teaching and learning is centered on student’s diverse needs while ensuring a high level of student achievement. In our classrooms, diversity is understood, appreciated, and leveraged as an asset. We work collaboratively as teams to plan instruction that ensures vertical and horizontal alignment. Demonstration of commitment to learning, a growth mindset, and embracing a culture of innovation is expected.
Additional Responsibilities: Responsible for scheduling, planning, and implementing instruction for students with disabilities, in conjunction and collaboration with classroom teachers. The instruction could occur in a pull-out or as an inclusion model within the student’s education classroom. Other responsibilities may include: monitoring student progress, writing IEPs, and scheduling and training of staff.
Essential Functions
The itinerant teacher for students with visual impairments/certified orientation and mobility specialist travels to the students' assigned schools to provide direct and/or consultative special education services relating to vision loss. These services enable the students to learn in a variety of settings. The students range in age from 3 years through 21 and may have a visual impairment or additional disabilities. 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. These examples do not include all possible tasks in this work and do not limit the assignment of related tasks in any position of this class.
Instructional Strategies
Performs functional vision, learning media, and orientation and mobility assessments in accordance with Child Find and three-year evaluations.
Interprets eye medical reports as they relate to educational environments.
Provides instruction consistent with student Individualized Education Program (IEP), using strategies, methods, and materials appropriate to the learner’s abilities, needs, and learning styles.
Provides related services to qualified students with visual impairments that includes classroom orientation, school/community travel options and experiences, white cane techniques, transition, and technology when appropriate.
Provides orientation and safe travel skills at the developmentally appropriate level to students with visual impairments.
Develops and revises Individualized Educational Programs for students as necessary.
Recommends appropriate specialized evaluations as needed, such as low vision, clinical low vision evals, and orientation and mobility.
Assists in determining and procuring classroom equipment and materials necessary for the student with visual impairments to learn (Brailler, low vision devices, assistive technology, computers, canes), including ensuring necessary room modifications and lighting changes.
Provides the classroom teacher with information regarding the specialized strategies needed to teach a student with visual impairments.
Provides modified materials, Braille, recorded/enlarged materials, and tactual symbols as appropriate for each child.
Consults with other instructional staff to provide information to incorporate the expanded core curriculum into the entire instructional setting.
Consults with parents, staff, and outside agencies as appropriate or necessary.
Instructional Planning
Develops IEP for students with clear, measurable, and standards-based and/or IEP-based goals suited to student needs.
Develops activities suitable to student’s instructional and IEP goals and objectives.
Ensures that appropriate accommodations and services are presented and incorporated into the IEP.
Instruction
Demonstrates basic content knowledge.
Demonstrates understanding of the AZ Academic Standards.
Demonstrates understanding of the expanded core curriculum.
Indicates awareness of prerequisite learning.
Displays pedagogical knowledge.
Displays understanding of the AZ Professional Teaching Standards.
Instructional Environment
Prepares instructional environment to meet the individual needs of students.
Supports students to be appropriately engaged with materials and resources.
Demonstrates knowledge of assistive technology for students with visual impairments including Braille equipment.
Professional Responsibilities
Demonstrates the ability to properly identify children who qualify for visually impaired services in the District.
Completes clearly written and comprehensive reports which provide practical recommendations.
Submits all required paperwork within a timely manner, adhering to all federal, state, and district policies.
Assists in the interpretation of criteria for determination of eligibility.
Maintains student’s IEP and MET through e-IEP Pro, including the most current vision report.
Offers assistance to colleagues.
Provides resources and support to parents to help them enhance student’s learning experiences.
Maintains and respects confidentiality of students and school personnel information while maintaining the safety and welfare for all students and staff members.
Possesses knowledge of federal, state, and local laws, regulation, and policies regarding children’s special education eligibility and programming.
Qualifications
Valid Arizona Department of Education Visually Impaired Special Education, Birth - Grade 12 Certificate required; and
Orientation and Mobility Certification via the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Educational Professionals (ACVREP) required.
Bachelor’s Degree (Master’s Degree preferred) in education of learners who have a visual impairment including completion of an Orientation and Mobility professional preparation program or graduate degree that meets the ACVREP 13 Domain Knowledge Areas.
Prior job-related experience preferred, or any combination of experience and training which provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and ability required to perform the work.
Valid IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card.
Skilled with Microsoft Word, Excel, Google apps, Zoom, iPads/Mac computers, and email systems. Experience with e-IEP Pro student software system preferred.
Mental Tasks
Communicates verbally and in writing. Reads. Analyzes and evaluates student progress and course curriculum. Develops, implements, and evaluates plans. Manages classroom. Promotes learning and ensures safety. Performs functions from written and oral instruction and from observing and listening to others. Evaluates written materials to include written assignments and tests.
Physical Tasks
Work involves the performance of duties where physical exertion and movement is required to perform the aspects of the job. Assistance is available as required to perform physically demanding tasks. Work requires driving between school sites multiple times in one day. Work involves sitting and moving for extended periods of time, requires moving from one location to another, reaching, bending, stooping (moving to eye level of the student), holding and grasping objects. Verbal communication ability required.
Equipment, Aids, Tools, Materials
Uses blackboards, whiteboard, easel, bulletin board, computers, video projectors, chalk, markers, and office or instructional equipment. FUSD recognizes the ever-changing development of technology, but expects all staff to keep abreast of changing technology opportunities and use tools and devices provided to them.
Working Conditions
Indoor – classroom environment. Outdoor – all weather conditions and temperatures. Playground environment. Contact with public, employees, children, and parents. Exposure to noise, dust, gas, and fumes.
Control and Supervision
Monitors control of students, communicates with families frequently about strengths and areas for growth, volunteers and/or assistant aides and paraprofessionals in the classroom, field trips, lunchroom, library, school buses, and other areas.
Thank you for your interest in the Flagstaff Unified School District. Applicants must be appropriately certified. Arizona applicants, please include w/ your application, a current Arizona Department of Education Teacher certificate, current IVP fingerprint clearance card and unofficial transcripts.
Out of State: FUSD will consider out of state applicants. However, please attach a current teacher certificate for your state, as well as unofficial transcripts. Candidate must meet & show proof of being appropriately certified, before new hire appointment & beginning job assignment. Official transcripts & employment verifications required at time of hire for proper salary placement. It can take several weeks to obtain an AZ Fingerprint Clearance Card. We encourage you to begin the process of obtaining an Arizona Department of Public Safety IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card as well as the Arizona Department of Education Certificate as soon as possible. Arizona Department of Education Website http://www.azed.gov/. AZ Department of Public Safety IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card info: AZDPS Fingerprint Clearance Card Info
LETTER OF INTENT: If you choose to apply, but have not yet met the certification criteria as outlined above, your application may still be considered. If you are recommended for a position, you may be offered a “Letter of Intent to Recommend for a Contract” notification. Please note that a Letter of Intent is not a binding offer of employment and no employment contract between you and the District exists until such time as the District Governing Board approves the issuance of an employment contract at a public meeting. The Intent to Hire remains in effect until all certification requirements are met. (Deadline to meet all requirements: June 30, 2024). Should you not meet this deadline, administrators will be given the option to re-post the position to interview more candidates OR request an extension of the deadline date. Note: All who apply will automatically be put into "qualified" status to allow the site administrator the ability to review your application immediately. Therefore, you will not receive any verification email from HR, advising your application has been pushed through.
All employees are subject to a criminal background check. The Flagstaff Unified School District is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in relation to race, color, religion, gender expression, sexual orientation, military status, age, national origin, or disability. Offers of employment, contingent upon funding. Missing documents may result in your application not moving forward in the process.