WellPower provides you with the support you need to help you develop a career in helping others succeed. We innovate, adapt, and leverage the diverse perspectives of the people on our team and the people we serve in everything we do.

WellPower values and is strengthened by diversity. We are committed to ending bias and discrimination in our community and ensuring equity within all aspects of our organization. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, transfer, or promotion opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. 

Learn more about WellPower: 

The Special Education Teacher will provide appropriate special educational services to students with social-emotional disorders in a supported learning environment. Skyline Academy is a day treatment/ facility school program serving students ages 6 to 14-years old in grades 1^st through 8^th, at WellPower (formally known as the Mental Health Center of Denver). Skyline Academy provides year-round services, with specialty social-emotional programming during the Summer when the teachers are not present. The approach of the team is characterized by being strengths-based, family-centered, culturally proficient and community responsive. Skyline Academy students require Individualized Educational Plans within an adaptive and trauma-informed environment due to their specific learning and social-emotional needs. This position will be responsible for creating and implementing lesson plans for their classroom. Skyline teachers are responsible for completing all documentation required for their student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP), Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) and attendance records. They are responsible for the collective supervision and safety of the students in their classroom.

Salary Range:

• $34/hour or $70,720/year

WellPower is committed to fair and equitable hiring with salaries based on relevant factors, such as work experience, education, and certification/licensure (rather than wage history). Toward the principle of equal pay for equal work, we post and hire within defined hiring salary ranges.  We ask all applicants to carefully review the hiring salary range for each posted job opportunity, as we will not hire outside the predetermined range.

All full-time, benefits eligible employees will be eligible for WellPower’s benefits plan. For a full description of benefit offerings, please visit: https://wellpower.org/workplace-of-choice/.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Develop lesson plans and provide one-on-one and/or small group instruction in core content areas based upon the child’s IEP and curriculum requirements set by the Office of Facility Schools.
• Collaborate with the Special Education Manager to evaluate and update students’ IEPs, BIPs, and Re-evaluations.
• Create and document IEP goals, progress reports, and related documentation in Infinite Campus, with the support of the Special Education Manager.
• Attend and actively participate in IEP meetings.
• Assist the Special Education Manager and Clinicians to coordinate discharges and transfers with referring school districts.
• Maintain student records, including attendance, report cards, progress notes, and behavior reports.
• In partnership with the MHT, actively supervise and interact with students in the classroom and milieu according to structured daily schedule.
• Provide a supportive and structured educational environment for students in order to promote growth and ensure safety.
• Assess children’s educational, social, and life skills competencies.
• Communicate with parents/guardians regularly to ensure engagement and collaboration with students’ academic needs.
• Collaborate with clinicians, MHTs, and Unit Manager to support behavior modification interventions and support students on social, emotional and daily living skills in alignment with the clinical treatment plan.
• Maintain a teaching license in good standing with the Colorado Department of Education.
• Adhere to all regulations and documentation requirements set forth by the Colorado Department of Education, Office of Facility Schools, and Colorado Department of Human Services.
• Work with volunteers and interns as needed.
• Intervene with students in crisis, utilizing approved crisis prevention and intervention strategies and de-escalation techniques.
• Follow program guidelines for physical intervention to keep students, self, and others safe at all times.
• Maintain a trauma informed environment of wellbeing.
• Attend and actively contribute to all required team meetings and trainings.
• Other duties as assigned by the Program Manager, Unit Manager, or Special Education Manager.

Why else might you want to consider working at WellPower?

• Named Top Workplace - we have been named a Top Workplace by the Denver Post for ten consecutive years
• Champion Social Justice Causes - we are committed to ending anti-Black racism in our community
• 9 Paid Holidays – including Juneteenth, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and more
• Robust Benefits Package – our benefits start at 30 hours per week and include medical, dental, and vision insurance, and a retirement match
• Employee Resource Groups – our ERG’s offer a chance to connect, address workplace challenges and get support from individuals who share similar characteristics or life experiences
• Gainsharing – we offer a bonus to employees if the organization meets certain requirements for the year
• $50,000/year minimum wage for all employees – we believe that our employees should earn a livable wage conducive to the cost of living in Denver, Colorado
• Sports Leagues – we offer a variety of activities for our employees, including bowling, dragon boat racing, volleyball leagues, and more
• Tuition Assistance Program—Financial assistance for job-related college-level educational courses.
• Attendance at a 2-day professional development conference, expenses paid
• Due to the size of our program if/when teachers move in and out, we need to be able to support a quick turnover so the effect on students is minimal.

Tuberculosis (TB) screening, testing - TB screening and testing, is required and must be completed prior to hire (i.e., preplacement), and maintained during employment.

EDUCATION:  Bachelor’s degree in Special Education or Education, Masters strongly preferred. Current Colorado Professional Teacher License with Special Education Generalist (5-21) endorsement.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Letter of Recommendation.
• Physical and TB
• QMAP, CPR and First Aid Certifications within the first 60 days of employment.
• Therapeutic Crisis Intervention training within 6 months of employment     

EXPERIENCE:  Minimum one year of experience as Special Education Teacher in an Affective Needs, Center-Based, or equivalent classroom/school. Experience working within a facility school program or equivalent strongly preferred.              

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:

• Knowledge or ability to learn and practice trauma informed principles and practices.
• Ability to work with children with significant social-emotional needs.
• Ability to work with culturally diverse population.
• Ability to work with multidisciplinary team.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Good organizational and administrative skills

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:    None 

MACHINES AND EQUIPMENT TO BE USED:  Computers, calculators, fax machines, copiers, telephone and a variety of other office/clerical equipment.

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Requires sitting, standing, bending and reaching.  May require lifting up to 50 pounds.   Requires manual dexterity sufficient to operate standard office machines such as computers, fax machines, the telephone and other office and/or clinical equipment. Requires training and occasional implementation of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention with physical management.

WORKING CONDITIONS:  May require occasional evening hours.