***Open until filled***

The Teacher of the Visually Impaired and Mobility Specialist is responsible for evaluating and providing educationally-based vision and/or mobility/orientation services to visually impaired students with Individual Education Programs in the schools.   

• Serves as a resource to school staff members in the development of a balanced program to promote visually disabled students’ social and academic skills for school success . 
• Provides an individualized education program to meet individual needs of visually disabled students. 
• Assists and guides teachers in the understanding of visual impairments and the use of appropriate classroom and environmental accommodations.   
• In conjunction with a medical eye doctor’s report, provides a thorough assessment and diagnosis of visual disabilities.  
• Assists in appropriate referrals of visually impaired individuals to agencies and specialists in the community as necessary.   
• Collaborates with classroom teachers and other school staff members to implement appropriate accommodations and intervention strategies in the classroom pertaining to visually disabled students’ social, visual, and academic enhancement.  
• Provides information, support, and counseling to parents and families when appropriate in a multicultural and multilingual setting.   
• Provides in-service education and serves as a consultant to teachers and school staff members related to promoting school success for visually disabled students.  
• Keeps thorough ongoing records, including a medical eye doctor’s report, for the individual students receiving educationally-based vision and/or orientation/mobility services.  
• Maintains lists of referred, screened, and eligible students, as well as a directory of outside agencies, consultants, specialists and related services.  
• Compiles case history date on those cases where additional family history, health history, early developmental history, and environmental history are deemed appropriate.  
• Assumes primary responsibility for requisitioning and maintaining needed  equipment and devices for visually disabled students who are Braille and non-Braille users and learners. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB:

(Minimum requirements)

• Maintains and manages a caseload comprised of visually disabled students in the schools.
• Works collaboratively with the Evaluation Team Leader and school team to develop educationally based IEPs for visually disabled students.   

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Masters Degree as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and/or Mobility/Orientation Specialist  
• State Certification as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and/or Mobility/Orientation Specialist

We encourage you to reach out to Valerie Williams (williamsv@springfieldpublicschools.com) if you have questions about the role or your qualifications. We are happy to help you feel ready to apply! 

Nondiscrimination Statement

The Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, age, disability or military service or marital status. The Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate in admission to, access or treatment in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation, disability or homelessness.

Title IX Notice of Nondiscrimination

Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex in admission, administration of its educational programs or activities or employment.  Springfield Public Schools is required by Title IX and its implementing regulations at 34 C.F.R. Part 106 not to discrimination on the basis of sex in admission, administration of its educational programs or activities or employment.  The Senior Administrator of Human Resources, Kathleen O’Sullivan, Springfield Public Schools, 1550 Main St. Springfield MA, 01103, 413-787-7100,  ext. 55428, has been designated as the employee responsible for coordinating Springfield Public Schools efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under Title IX.  Inquiries concerning the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations at 34 C.F.R. Part 106 to Springfield Public Schools may be referred to Kathleen O’Sullivan or to U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, DC 20202-1100, telephone 800-421-3481.