Special Education Teacher

Darlington Elementary-Middle School (DEMS) is excited to welcome a compassionate, skilled, and collaborative Special Education Teacher to our team for the 2026-2027 school year. This full-time position offers a meaningful opportunity to support young adolescents with a wide range of abilities and learning needs within a cross-categorical service delivery model.

As an Elementary-Middle School Special Education Teacher focusing on high-needs learners, you may provide specialized instruction and comprehensive support to students in grades 4K-8 who require intensive academic, functional, behavioral, and social-emotional interventions. Operating primarily in specialized, self-contained, and low-ratio resource settings with modified curricula, you will also facilitate integrated, inclusive experiences when appropriate. You will lead a dedicated team of paraprofessionals and collaborate closely with special education peers, administration, and related service providers (OT, PT, Speech, Specialists) to help students build essential life skills, communication strategies, and progress toward individual goals.

In addition to supporting foundational growth, this position emphasizes fostering independence, self-regulation, adaptive skills, and functional communication. Instruction utilizes structured routines, specialized teaching methodologies, assistive technology, and positive behavioral supports. We are seeking an educator who brings empathy, resilience, and a strong collaborative spirit to build meaningful partnerships with students, families, and team members.

Qualified candidates will demonstrate:

• Deliver modified functional and academic curricula tailored to unique cognitive and developmental levels.
• Maintain a safe, predictable classroom supporting sensory processing, daily routines, and essential life skills.
• Direct and guide classroom paraprofessionals to execute individualized student supports consistently.
• Lead IEP development, perform evaluations, and track student progress per regulatory standards.
• Implement FBAs/BIPs and collaborate directly with OTs, PTs, SLPs, and behavioral specialists.
• Build strong, compassionate partnerships with families through open, ongoing communication.
• Proven background supporting students with significant intellectual, developmental, or behavioral needs.
• Expertise in modified curricula, AAC/communication devices, sensory strategies, and structured teaching methods.
• Proficient in de-escalation, trauma-informed care, FBAs, BIPs, and positive behavior supports (PBIS).
• Skilled in compliant IEP management, data collection, and student confidentiality.
• Strong leadership and communication skills to direct paraprofessionals and partner with multidisciplinary teams.
• Deep commitment to dignity, equity, inclusion, and the individual potential of every student.

The Darlington Community School District does not discriminate on the basis of: sex, color, race, religion, national origin (including limited-English proficiency), ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability.