VISIONS IN EDUCATION CHARTER SCHOOL ACADEMY OVERVIEW Visions In Education is a non classroom-based K-12 Charter School. VIE serves two distinct student populations, K-12 home school students and 9-12 independent study secondary school students, in Sacramento County and its eight contiguous counties. Students who attend VIE come to us in search of an alternative educational model that provides opportunities for greater flexibility in terms of time and delivery of instruction. The Home School Academy: Visions In Education supports the right under California law for parents/guardians to act as the primary educational provider of their K-12 children within the home. Parents/guardians provide 80% of the instruction; while visions certificated teachers (CTs) provide 20%. In support of this learning environment, Visions offers curriculum and instructional support to parents/guardians who choose to home school their children. California certificated teachers work with parents/guardians in selecting curriculum and monitor student assignments for compliance with California State Standards while validating attendance and assessing assignments. Furthermore, CTs assist parents/guardians in developing strategies for designing an instructional program that supports the individual student’s learning needs. The outcome of this support is an individual learning plan for each student and regular and ongoing evaluation of developmental progress. The 9-12 Independent Study Academy: The 9-12 Independent Study Academy is a non-classroom, standards-based independent study program open to students in grades 9-12. Students enrolled in the 9-12 Independent Study Academy receive their primary academic support from an assigned certificated teacher through face-to-face visits as established by the school calendar. CTs meet the students at the student’s home or a designated meeting location outside the home. CTs ensure that students receive appropriate materials, assignments, and learning facilitation in support of the California State Standards-based learning objectives. Further, CTs work with 9-12 students in preparation for standardized tests including those required for graduation. VISIONS IN EDUCATION CHARTER SCHOOL CREDENTIALED TEACHER JOB DESCRIPTION CLASS CODE: 3590 REPORTS TO: Assigned Administrator FSLA CATEGORY: Exempt (Professional Employee) LEVEL: Certificated CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CLASS: Under general supervision of an assigned academy or other instructional administrator, provides instruction to students, works cooperatively with parents and their children to determine educational goals and objectives, creates individualized curriculum/learning plans; assists the parents and/or students so that the students can meet or exceed educational standards and reach their full potential; performs other duties as assigned. SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS: Visions In Education is a K-12 home school and 9-12 independent study program in which parents have varying percentages of responsibility for the education of their children, dependent upon the academy to which their child is assigned, with the support of a credentialed teacher. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Any one position may not include all the duties listed nor do all the listed examples include all tasks which may be found in positions of this class. • Develops strategies to assess students progress toward mastery of state standards. • Engages students in extended assessment strategies, both oral and written. • Reviews all students work and evaluates students progress with suggested means for improvement in specific areas, especially the “testable content standard areas.” • Develops Individual Learning Plans and procedures according to VIE guidelines to ensure student achievement. • Assists parent educators and students with curriculum organization, planning, support and evaluation of student work. • Creates long/short-range plans with parents/students for meeting content standards, including means of assessment. • Uses materials, resources, technologies, and varied instructional strategies to make subject matter accessible to students. • Documents and communicates student progress regularly with students and parents/guardians and requests timely interventions. • Advises and offers guidance to both parents/guardians and students regarding academic issues. • Utilizes state-mandated test results as tools to assess student growth. • Works with families, students and community resources to maximize support for student achievement. • Meets with students and parents/guardians on a scheduled basis, and additionally as needed to meet the needs of students and parents, for face-to-face visitations in the home or other pre-determined meeting location. • Calls students and/or parents/guardians as needed and responds to their telephone calls and e-mails. • Writes student progress reports. • Supervises and completes state-mandated testing assignments. • Facilitates ordering of student textbooks and educational materials. • Monitors student check-in and check-out. • Monitors student account expenditures. • Works collaboratively with peers and other staff. • Plans, coordinates and prioritizes work activities to meet established objectives and deadlines. • May organize, conduct or participate in school promotional activities and/or events. • Attends mandated staff meetings and staff development days. QUALIFICATIONS: EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE: • Possession of a valid California teaching credential. • CLAD certification • Certification as a Highly Qualified Teacher (required by the No Child Left Behind Legislation) or have the education, training and/or experience to quality through the HOUSSE process. SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES: • Knowledge of or ability to learn, interpret and apply Visions In Education’s objectives, policies, procedures, rules, regulations and operations. • Knowledge of or ability to learn and use applicable sections of the California Education Code, Charter Law and other pertinent laws. • Ability to maintain positive and professional interactions with students, parents, peers, other staff and the public, and to work in sometimes stressful situations. • Skill and ability to work with flexibility, efficiency and diplomacy. • Skill and ability to use self-restraint and professional judgment and develop strategies to deal with a variety of people under varying situations and conditions. • Skill and ability to use written and oral communication requiring clarity and diplomacy in communication with a broad and diverse audience. • Familiarity with numerous curriculum options and resources. • Ability to act as liaison between the program and the family. • Effective communication skills initiating individual and group discussions, listening, facilitating interaction with students and peers, and speaking in public. • Ability to establish and maintain effective rapport and work relations with a wide variety of personalities contacted in the performance of required duties. • Ability to work independently and in a team environment, and be held accountable for results. • Ability to maintain a professional attitude and a strong customer service focus at all times, with a strong desire to succeed and solve problems. • Ability to work confidentially. • Knowledge, skill and ability to use a wide variety of office equipment including, but not limited to: personal computers, associated software programs (including Windows, word-processing, desktop publishing, spreadsheets, presentation, data base and web based applications), e-mail, Internet, copiers, faxes and phones. • Proficiency with online-instructional deliveries. • Skill and ability to motivate students to achieve educational success. • Knowledge and understanding of goal setting techniques including needs assessment and evaluation. • Skill in assessing, summarizing, and documenting the monthly progress of each student. • Ability to assess and summarize the progress of each student toward his/her goals and objectives on a regular basis. • Willingness and ability to participate in design teams and focus groups to support the organizational needs of the school. OTHER QUALIFICATIONS; • Possession of a valid California driver’s license, availability of a vehicle and evidence of vehicle insurance. • Willingness and ability to travel within the local area and surrounding counties to meet with students and/or parents/guardians/students in a variety of socioeconomic locations. WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL ABILITIES: The physical requirements below are necessary to perform the essential functions. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable a person with a disability to perform these functions. • Work environment requires frequent travel to various locations locally and in the surrounding counties to meet with students and/or parents. Requires willingness and ability to work in small work areas, varying temperatures and around noise and other people. • Sufficient physical mobility to enter/exit a vehicle and drive to various locations locally and to surrounding counties. to move about in sometimes crowded spaces, move over uneven ground, move in/about students’ homes and other public places, and access various floors in buildings. • Sufficient mobility to bend, stoop, push/pull, lift, stand, and walk on an occasional basis to file, move equipment and/or supplies or take work from one location to another. • Physical, mental and emotional stamina to work under sometimes-stressful conditions, with frequent distraction and interruptions and deal with angry/upset people in a calm and professional manner. • Ability to sit for at least an hour of time to work with students and/or parents. • Ability to transport books, instructional materials and a laptop computer from home to meetings and student homes/meeting places. • Sufficient dexterity to operate computers, printers, telephones, cell phones, faxes, and copiers. • Sufficient hand/eye coordination and manual dexterity to use a wide variety of office and computer equipment, to keyboard and write, file, and maintain records and reports. • Sufficient hearing to hear and understand students, parents, staff and the public, both in person and on the telephone. • Ability to speak in an understandable voice with sufficient volume to be heard in normal conversational distance, on the telephone and in addressing groups. • Sufficient vision to read fine print and figures; to grade and review paperwork; and complete required forms, reports and paperwork.