Alternative Education Technician III
About the Upper St. John Valley Recovery High School:
At the Upper St. John Valley Recovery High School, we work with teens in recovery. We use a goal-oriented approach to support their recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) and/or co-occurring disorders. We help them identify and establish healthy, constructive habits so they grow personally, behaviorally and socially while also making progress toward a high school diploma. We offer an academic pathway to these teens while placing a clear focus on their recovery and their ability to maintain sobriety. We use an approach that blends substance misuse and mental health supports into their entire educational experience on a daily, weekly and on-going basis. Our supportive process is tailored to the individual needs of each participant. We also emphasize the development of a recovery community built on the critical elements of self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, social awareness and trusting relationships.
Maine School Administrative District #27 is seeking applicants for a certified Grades 9-12 Education Technician III with experience teaching English/Language Arts, Social Studies, Math and/or Science to work with students at our Upper St. John Valley Recovery High School - a specialized alternative high school program that serves teens recovery from substance use disorder and/or co-occurring disorders. Our mission is to create a safe, supportive, and structured environment where our students can progress through the initial stage of recovery to the point of stable recovery and leave our program with the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain sobriety, wellness and well-being. We are seeking a passionate and compassionate education professional to join our team.
Position Overview:
The Recovery High School Alternative Education Technician III will support the work of our Teacher, will work closely with and receive consultation from our Recovery Counselor (licensed clinical substance misuse counselor), will communicate with Dorm Parents, will be supervised by the Alternative Education Coordinator, and will interface with parents, family members and community-based service providers as we provide students an academic pathway to a High School diploma while also placing a clear focus on their recovery and their ability to maintain sobriety, wellness and well-being.
The ideal candidate will have experience in education, lived with or knowledge of substance misuse and/or co-occurring disorder recovery, a commitment to supporting teens in recovery, and the ability to help foster a supportive and engaging learning/recovery environment built on self-awareness, social awareness and trusting relationships within our student cohort and between our students and staff.
Key Responsibilities:
- Assist the Teacher in the development and management of engaging, standards-based lessons in all core subject areas.
- Together with the Teacher, provide a mixture of active, face-to-face, individual and small-group support to nurture students' ability to make progress through self-paced, independent learning while also nudging and supporting them to remain on pace with their daily and weekly assignments.
- Help facilitate blended learning experiences through which students access on-line learning content through custom-designed core and elective courses available on Edmentum PLE and other web-based teaching/learning platforms.
- Support students' academic, social, and emotional needs within the context of recovery by working with other team members to blend substance misuse and mental health supports into their learning experience on a daily, weekly and ongoing basis.
- Collaborate with the Teacher, Recovery Counselor, Dorm Parents, Program Coordinator, other staff, families, and community-based service providers to ensure student success in the classroom and in their recovery journey.
- Help foster a classroom environment that promotes respect, resilience, and trust.
- Adapt teaching methods to meet diverse learning needs and styles.
- Participate in ongoing professional development related to education and recovery support (i.e., required Recovery Coach training).
- Assist in the maintenance of accurate records of student performance, progress, and attendance.
- Uphold the mission and values of the school by creating a safe and sober learning environment.
- Assist in the supervision of students for both breakfast and lunch on a rotating basis with other team members.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Education or 90 credit hours in a related field.
- Valid Maine teaching or Education Technician certification or eligibility for conditional certification as an Education Technician III.
- Understanding of or experience with substance use recovery, addiction counseling, co-occurring disorder recovery, or trauma-informed practices.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Ability to work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team.
- Passion for supporting students in their academic recovery journeys.
Benefits:
- Competitive salary.
- Comprehensive benefits package including health insurance and Maine State Retirement.
- School-year calendar schedule.
- Opportunities for professional growth and development.
- A supportive and mission-driven work environment.