Special Education Teacher-Tri County Connections Academy

Special Education Teacher – Tri County
Connections Academy

About Us

The TriCounty Connections Academy is a therapeutic day school designed for K-12 students
whose complex social-emotional and behavioral needs require intensive support beyond what
traditional settings can provide. We serve students others may have given up on—and we
believe deeply in their capacity to heal, grow, and succeed.

Our approach is grounded in:

● Trauma-informed care
● Restorative practices
● Positive behavior support
● Reflective, collaborative problem-solving
● Unwavering belief that all behavior is communication and all students are capable of
growth

We are not a behavioral management program. We are an educational community committed
to teaching the skills students need—emotional regulation, social connection, academic
progress, and resilience—while honoring their dignity and humanity every single day.

Who We're Looking For:

We are seeking a Special Education Teacher who is:

✓ Deeply Relational – You know that connection comes before curriculum, and that students

learn best from adults who genuinely see and believe in them
✓ Trauma-informed and curious – You approach behavior with "What's getting in the way?"
not "What's wrong with them?"
✓ Reflective and ego-free – You're willing to examine your own practices, admit when
something isn't working, and problem-solve collaboratively without defensiveness
✓ Committed to skill-building over compliance – You teach regulation, social skills, and
coping strategies with the same intentionality you bring to reading or math
✓ Calm in the storm – You can stay regulated when students can't, responding with
consistency and compassion even in crisis
✓ Flexible and adaptive – You thrive in dynamic environments, adjusting instruction and
supports based on what students need in the moment
✓ A true collaborator – You value every voice on the team—paraprofessionals, therapists,
families—and approach problem-solving with humility and collective wisdom

If you believe students deserve dignity, not consequences; curiosity, not judgment; and
relationships, not reward charts—this role is for you.

What You'll Do

Build Relationships and Foster Safety

● Prioritize connection and trust-building as the foundation for all learning
● Create a classroom environment where students feel safe, seen, valued, and capable
● Use co-regulation strategies to help students develop self-regulation over time
● Respond to dysregulation and crisis with calm, predictability, and compassion

Design and Deliver Meaningful Instruction

● Develop engaging, differentiated lessons aligned with IEP goals and students' academic,
social-emotional, and functional needs
● Teach the whole child—integrating academics with social skills, emotional regulation,
problem-solving, and relationship-building
● Incorporate movement, sensory supports, brain breaks, and opportunities for regulation
into daily routines
● Adapt instruction based on students' emotional and sensory readiness, not just
academic level
● Celebrate effort, growth, and courage—reframing mistakes as essential steps in learning
Collaborate Without Ego
● Work interdependently with paraprofessionals, related service providers, behavior
specialists, and leadership to support each student's success
● Engage in reflective problem-solving when students struggle—asking "What's the
student trying to communicate? What skill are they missing? What can we do
differently?"
● Participate in regular team debriefs after crises or challenges, focused on understanding
patterns and adjusting supports (not blame)
● Value and incorporate input from every team member, recognizing that collective wisdom
drives better outcomes

Partner Authentically with Families
● Communicate proactively, transparently, and with compassion
● Lead with strengths and progress, even when challenges persist
● Listen deeply to families' knowledge, culture, and concerns—they are experts on their
child
● Share strategies and data so families can reinforce skills at home
● Build trust through consistency, follow-through, and genuine partnership

Use Trauma-Informed and Restorative Practices

● Approach all behavior as communication and respond with curiosity
● Implement positive behavior supports focused on teaching skills, not managing behavior
● Maintain predictable routines, clear expectations, and consistent responses to create felt
safety
● Use restorative practices when harm occurs—prioritizing repair, accountability, and
learning over punishment
● Separate the student from their behavior; protect dignity always

Monitor Progress and Adapt

● Collect meaningful data on academic, behavioral, and social-emotional progress
● Use data to drive decision-making and adjust supports proactively
● Write and implement IEPs that reflect the whole student—not just academic deficits
● Participate in IEP meetings, contributing insights and collaborating with districts and
families
● Support transition planning—whether students are preparing to return to less restrictive
settings or transition to adult life

Engage in Continuous Growth

● Participate in ongoing professional development in trauma-informed practices,
de-escalation, restorative practices, and positive behavior support
● Reflect on your own triggers, biases, and responses—this work requires self-awareness
and humility
● Stay open to feedback, new strategies, and evolving best practices
● Take care of yourself—your wellness directly impacts your students

Qualifications
Required:
● Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) with LBS1 endorsement
● Commitment to trauma-informed, restorative, and relationship-based practices
● Ability to remain calm, consistent, and compassionate in dynamic and challenging
situations
● Willingness to work collaboratively, reflectively, and without ego
● Belief that all students are capable of growth when provided the right supports
● ISBE Restraint & Time Out Training
● Willingness and physical ability to participate in a district provided crisis management
training program

Preferred:
● Experience working with students with complex trauma, autism, emotional disabilities,
ADHD, or significant behavioral needs
● Training or experience in positive behavior support, restorative practices, de-escalation,
or therapeutic models (e.g., CBT, DBT skills)
● Experience teaching across multiple grade levels or in alternative education settings
● Understanding of sensory needs and regulation strategies

Essential Dispositions:

● Curiosity over judgment – You approach struggles with "What's missing?" not "What's
wrong?"
● Humility and reflectiveness – You're willing to admit when something isn't working and
change course
● Resilience and patience – You understand that progress is not linear and setbacks are
part of learning
● Cultural responsiveness – You honor and affirm the identities, cultures, and lived
experiences of students and families
● Commitment to equity – You believe every student deserves dignity, access, and
opportunity

What This Role May Involve

● Teaching across multiple grade levels (elementary through high school/age 22)
● Supporting students with a wide range of needs—including emotional disabilities, autism,
ADHD, trauma histories, and other complex learning profiles
● Responding to crisis situations with de-escalation, co-regulation, and safety planning
(physical intervention only as a last resort to ensure safety)
● Working in a highly collaborative, cross-district setting with students referred by multiple
school districts
● Helping to build and shape a developing program—your voice and insights will matter

Why This Role Matters

Our students have often been told—implicitly or explicitly—that they are "too much," "too
difficult," or "not worth the effort." You will prove otherwise. You will be the adult who stays,
who believes, who adapts, who sees potential where others saw problems.

This is hard work. It will stretch you, challenge you, and require everything you have some days.
But it is also deeply meaningful work. You will change lives—not through behavior charts or
consequence systems, but through relationships, skill-building, and unwavering belief.

If you are ready to do this work with integrity, humility, and heart—we want to meet you.