The Birchtree Center is searching for our next great staff member! This is a full-time position in our center-based program in Portsmouth, NH. The qualified person will provide direct instruction to a student with autism, utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis principles. One day per week, this candidate will be the Physical Education teacher and will help ensure that The Birchtree Center’s program maintains a standard of excellence within the field of special education and supports our mission, specifically in the context of students’ individualized academic programming.  In addition to maintaining their responsibilities as a clinical instructor, The Physical Education Teacher will have a leadership role with classroom teams through their teaching of physical fitness concepts, choosing curricular materials and resources, and facilitating appropriate fitness activities according to the unique learning styles and capabilities of all students.

Some of the responsibilities include:

• One on one instruction and conducts, as appropriate, small group instruction
• Collects, tracks, graphs, and analyzes data for assigned student(s)
• Assists with the development of student programming
• Prepares and implements teaching materials for assigned student(s)
• Communicates and works with designated families regarding educational concerns and opportunities and home and serving, for these families, as a communication link to the student(s) instructional team at Birchtree through daily communication logs, weekly phone calls and home visits
• Becomes knowledgeable and maintains an awareness of the contents of assigned students’ Individual Educational Plans (IEP) and all other related reports and evaluations
• Works closely with the Management Team to enhance curriculum development with appropriate fitness activities for all students
• Plans instruction and leads its implementation, providing the instructional team with fitness concepts and activities to which the students should have access (i.e., which skills, within the context of autism, need to be addressed by individual students in keeping with age-appropriate sequences)
• Ensures activities are aligned with student IEP goals and objectives and the Birchtree Center Curriculum for all students
• Coordinates, facilitates and sometimes models one –to one and small group instructional sessions within the assigned rotation

Qualifications: Undergraduate Degree, or significant active progress in a degree program in education or Physical Education; N.H. Department of Education Certification in Physical Education or Adapted Physical Education; ability to work effectively on a team; experience in teaching individuals with autism; basic computer literacy; excellent communication skills (written and spoken); and comprehensive fluency with varied and appropriate fitness materials, equipment and curricular resources.

To perform essential functions of the job, must be physically capable of standing, stretching, bending, walking, running, and lifting/transporting a minimum of 60 lbs. Must be capable of moving and thinking quickly under stressful situations and able to function in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits: Join a great team of dedicated individuals! We live/work by our schools simple but significant Philosophy… Be There, Be Kind, Have Fun, Promote Positivity!

We offer a competitive salary, a great benefits package with FREE dental and long-term disability insurance, and 97% of the health insurance costs are covered by Birchtree. In addition, our staff start with 6.5 weeks of vacation in their first year. 

We provide training and supervision for all staff to become a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT). 

To Apply: Please submit cover letter and resume to Sarah Ouellette, Human Resources Director at sarahouellette@birchtreecenter.org.