As part of School District 8 – Kootenay Lake’s Inclusive Education Team, and reporting to the Assistant Superintendent, the district is looking for an experienced Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired to provide a full range of services to students. This 0.20 FTE term position includes travel which may be throughout the district, in all types of weather and varying road conditions. Expenses are paid for mileage.
The Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired supports and promotes inclusion for students in the most enabling environment within their school community and provides leadership in the provision of services for learners with visual impairments. The Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired, will participate as a member of a collaborative team with teachers, administrators, community partners, and parents/guardians to provide support for learners through: maintaining a current knowledge base of evidence-based/promising practices in learning, issues, trends and research developments in the field of blindness and visual impairment; maintaining a current knowledge base of programs and services of the Ministry of Education, Provincial Resource Center for the Visually Impaired (PRCVI) and Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB); and maintaining a liaison with CNIP and PRCVI.
SCOPE OF POSITION
- Key responsibilities of the Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired are in-service consultation, collaborative planning, and specific instruction;
- Facilitating district in-service and development for paraprofessionals, teachers, administrators, etc., regarding vision and vision loss;
- Partnering with and representing the district in relation to various provincial level resources including the Ministries of Health, Child & Family Development, and Education, as well as Provincial Outreach Programs and other community partners, to maintain current knowledge of issues, trends, and evidence-based interventions, and promote inclusion for students with blindness or visual impairment;
- Sharing program information with outside agencies and groups;
- Interpreting the nature and degree of the learner's vision loss and its educational implications for access;
- Assessing the level of student support required;
- Providing assessment support which may include curriculum-based assessment, criterion-referenced or norm-referenced assessments, systematic observation and collection of baseline data;
- Providing consultation with parents/guardians and community partners;
- Collaborating with the Classroom Teacher, Learning Support Teacher, and School Based Team to apply principles of universal design for learning, and to design or implement curricular content revisions, differentiated instructional strategies/materials, or the environment to facilitate learning;
- Participating as a member of an interdisciplinary problem-solving team, during school-based team, integrated case-management, and other meetings;
- Supporting educational teams when facilitating transitions for students who have diverse abilities or disabilities;
- Working closely with school-based teams to plan for and organize support for students with blindness or visual impairment, including those with diverse abilities or disabilities;
- Encouraging and supporting innovations in evidence-based/promising practices in inclusive education (e.g., student independence and self-direction, positive behaviour support);
- Coordinating/writing/co-writing Individual Education Plans (IEP's);
- Coordinating vision assessments, equipment, repair, etc.;
- Teaching braille or coordinating with braille specialist;
- Teach orientation & mobility (O&M) or collaborate with orientation & mobility specialist;
- Identifying and ordering materials and equipment through the Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired (PRCVI) and other sources;
- Modelling/demonstrating and supporting school teams in utilizing inclusive practices, specific materials and equipment;
- Teaching students to develop strategies for use in the classroom and other settings.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Valid B.C. Teaching Certificate;
- Master's degree in the education of students with visual impairments;
- In-depth knowledge of blindness or visual impairments and current issues in delivery of services to students who are blind or visually impaired;
- Familiarity with vision assessments and recommendations and their implication for educational programming;
- Minimum of two years satisfactory teaching experience and two years in a role working with students who are blind or visually impaired;
- Proficiency in braille;
- Familiarity with psycho educational and medical assessment recommendations and their implication for educational programming.
School District #8 (Kootenay Lake) (SD8) is located in the southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, serving the Lower Kootenay Band and the communities of Creston, Crawford Bay, Kaslo, Meadow Creek, Nelson, Salmo, Slocan, South Slocan, Winlaw, Wynndel, and Yahk, and the surrounding rural areas. The district’s areas are beautiful, vibrant, fantastic places to raise children, with world-renowned arts and entertainment, and easy access to a variety of excellent outdoor pursuits.
SD8 serves the learning needs of approximately 4500 students in several diverse communities and in an array of learning environments throughout the Kootenays. Our visionary, creative team of approximately 800 staff focuses on providing the best opportunities for students and their families. Our mission is to inspire and support each learner to thrive in a caring learning environment.
The school board office is located in Nelson, B.C. SD8 schools are dispersed geographically and range in size and composition:
- Online learning and blended programs (Elev8)
- An extensive array of program options, including Indigenous Education, Late French Immersion, English Language Learning program, Outdoor Programs, and an International Program.
The annual pay range for a full time teacher is $68,589 - $114,833, with placement on the range based on experience and qualifications in accordance with the collective agreement.
