Special Education Transition Teacher

Job Description

As a Special Education Transition Teacher at The Menta Group, you will have the freedom and ability to educate a small group of students in a unique, open-concept work-space environment. Our social-emotional learning environments offer engaged and inquiry-based academics combined with a P.B.I.S. structure.

• Teach a curriculum to prepare 17-21 year old students for their next stage in life
• Provide a differentiated learning environment
• Work collaboratively with staff, including curriculum and clinical staff to yield positive results for the students
• Gain support on-campus from other teachers, administrators, curriculum staff, clinical staff, and various support staff that are Menta employees Have the freedom and ability to personalize learning
• Provide a social-emotional learning environment

• IL PEL (Professional Educator's License; out-of-state applicants will need to apply for IL certification) with LBS1 Certification or Other Teacher Certification (Non-Substitute) with willingness to obtain LBS1
• Must be flexible in the ability to teach multiple grade levels as student populations change
• Ability to teach a classroom of students within all basic instructional areas
• Ability to work with youth with emotional/behavioral/academic difficulties
• Ability to be flexible, work in teams and creatively problem solve
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with demonstrated ability to speak and write clearly and persuasively

• Benefit options include: Medical, Dental, Vision, and Supplemental Insurance Programs
• Medical Insurance enrollment is available to full time employees on their date of hire. No waiting period.
• 10 Month School Position with 12 Month Semi-Monthly Pay
• Generous Paid Time Off Benefits 
• 403(b) Investment Options
• Direct Employer Hire
• Negotiable Sign-On Bonus for Certified Special Education Teachers 

Menta Academy Oak Park

Our unique, innovative learning environment provides the ideal instructional formula in  Menta’s focus on personalized learning, which allows students to have some level of voice and choice on what they learn, the pace at which they learn and to some extent where they learn. Tailoring the learning experiences via a student’s Individual Educational Plan, with an emphasis on student inquiry and interests increases engagement and optimizes learning.

Menta Academy Oak Park is one of the most unique educational settings around.  The school was designed to look like a Google office since the learning environment mirrors that of a business setting. Students, facilitated by highly skilled educators, learn in a blended learning environment using digital online media, group problem solving, and individual self directed learning.  Our methods are steeped in highly recognized scientific research which is designed to provide data driven outcomes. The students will work in any number of spaces created to provide structure, consistency and predictability, all necessary ingredients for a successful educational experience. Areas of learning may include  CEO conference table for group work and analysis, a Think Tank where students collaborate in small groups learning to be productive team members, and Socratic Discourse Bleachers where larger groups meet with teacher facilitators to address challenges that require development and critical thinking skills.

Students Served: High School-21

More About The Menta Group

The Menta Group’s mission is “To provide innovative solutions to critical problems in education and human services.”  Menta brings a framework of educational practices that have been designed and are supported through evidence based practices. Menta’s collaborative process with various school and community stakeholders has resulted in programs designed to educate, support, challenge, empower and celebrate students who present with a range of academic, social and emotional needs.  At the beginning of a student’s experience with Menta, a collaborative meeting is held that includes the student, significant people in their lives, Menta staff and other professionals as appropriate. During that meeting, a comprehensive assessment of the student’s past, present and future desires is used to establish a student centered plan (MAP) that serves as a foundation of the student’s Menta programming.   A guiding principle of Menta is ‘we do not give up’, while also holding our students and staff to high expectations. The educational offerings at a Menta program provides students with a quality education that is designed to nurture and enhance the skills and maturity needed to meet the challenges of being productive adults and citizens in a rapidly changing 21st century world. 

 Menta’s programs utilize a unique curricular framework that relies on the Expanded Menta Method and Trauma Informed Practices as the foundational principles for the teaching, counseling and mentoring work done by our highly trained staff. Personalized learning is the hub of our strategic curricular design intended to meet the needs of every student. Starting with the end in mind (learning targets and academic goals), a leveraging of current technologies coupled with highly trained instructional facilitators creates a rich learning environment supporting all student needs.  Menta’s learning spaces are unique and specially designed to combine traditional teacher/student interaction with state of the art technology and learning innovations. Those learning spaces are flexible and can accommodate a variety of learning activities, such as inquiry learning and project based learning. Our spaces are designed to mimic productive spaces learners would find in business and/or corporate environments, thereby helping students achieve a mind-set designed for adult learning and work.

Professional Associations and/or Partnerships

The Menta Education Group affiliates are members/partners with CEC, CASE, Autism Speaks, ASBA, AAPSEC, AASA, CCSSO, SEAA, ASCD, and many more associations that focus on the education of children with disabilities.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Menta Education Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Menta Group ensures equal employment opportunities regardless of race, creed, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or disability. The District has a policy of active recruitment of qualified minority teachers and non-certified employees. Any individual needing assistance in making application for any opening should contact the district office.