Vision Teacher

Continuing 0.50 FTE District Vision Teacher

About New Westminster Schools

Serving the community of New Westminster, the New Westminster School District provides high quality educational programs to over 7,000 students in a variety of learning environments. Located in the geographic centre of Metro Vancouver, New Westminster is a compact and growing urban centre with all the benefits of both city and small town life ready access to a rich array of recreational and cultural pursuits, high quality public services, and the neighborly feel of a small community. Commitment to the success of its students and its staff makes New Westminster School District a great place to learn and to work.

New Westminster School District has a rich tapestry of cultures, backgrounds and needs. Together, we are a caring, inclusive, and committed learning community dedicated to supporting each of our unique learners.

The candidate will be part of, and work closely with, a collaborative team of teachers. An understanding of the BC Curriculum, effective teaching and learning practices, and a commitment to professional development are essential.

This position is effective September 3, 2024.

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.;
• Be proficient in braille;
• 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;
• Familiarity with psycho educational and medical assessment recommendations and their implication for educational programming.

COMPENSATION

• Salary as per Teachers' Collective Agreement. Current salary range is $57,984.00 to $107,490.00 annually plus comprehensive benefits package.
  
  

Application Process:

To apply for this position, click on the APPLY ONLINE button at the bottom of the page. Please include your cover letter, resume, transcripts, copies of certificates or diplomas, practicum and/or teacher evaluation report, and references.

School District No. 40 (New Westminster) has been given approval from the Human Rights Tribunal for a Special Program under s.42(3) of the Human Rights Code. Under this special program, New Westminster Schools seeks to preferentially hire Indigenous persons to a variety of teaching positions. Therefore, each applicant may wish to provide, on a voluntary basis, whether they self-identify as a First Nations, Metis, or Inuit person.