WELCOME TO INDIANAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS!
At IPS, we believe in the transformative power of education. We work collectively every day to prepare our students for success in the classroom and in life by providing equitable, high-quality educational experiences across our family of schools. IPS is a place to make an impact, grow your career, and ensure every student has access to a high quality education, all while earning a good living in a district on the move. While the work is challenging, it is deeply meaningful and impactful. We seek innovators and trailblazers who bring varying experiences and expertise and share our belief that every child deserves access to an exceptional education. As part of TeamIPS, you’ll create lasting connections, find a sense of belonging, and feel supported to make a meaningful difference in students’ lives.
In return, no matter your role here, we expect a commitment to excellence and accountability. You’ll be held to high standards. Resilience and passion are key—you must be adaptable, handling adversity with flexibility while putting students at the heart of everything you do. Ethical conduct, clear communication, and mutual respect are fundamental. Being a dependable, collaborative team player who builds meaningful relationships is essential.
Together, we are Proving What’s Possible by building a community where everyone belongs and each student has the opportunity to fulfill their potential.
A TEACHING CAREER IN IPS OFFERS…
Purpose and Impact:
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Students First: Teaching for IPS is a rewarding opportunity to support bright, curious students as they shape their futures. We hold ourselves to the highest expectations of excellence, focusing on students’ holistic needs during their educational journey with us.
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Community: Working in a school means it is your home away from home, and you have a school family who supports you and leads with empathy and vision.
Professional and Personal Growth:
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Grow Your Career: We offer professional development and career advancement opportunities, including dedicated mentorship programs for early career teachers.
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Access to Financial Benefits: Working in IPS makes it possible to benefit from federal programs such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) or Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF), helping reduce the financial burden of student loans.
Work-Life Balance and Well-being:
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Comprehensive Health Insurance: Access top-tier health plans covering medical, dental, and vision needs, plus IPS offers a private clinic for staff and their families through our partners at Ascension St. Vincent.
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Flexible Wellness Leave: Take the time you need to care for yourself and your family with our generous leave policies. Teachers receive 70 hours of sick leave in their first year (56 hours annually after) for illness, family, or mental health, plus three personal days, two floating holidays, and school breaks. Unlimited accumulated sick leave adds flexibility, supporting teachers’ health and work-life balance.
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Incentivized Discounts through IPS Wellness Program: Opportunities to earn hundreds of dollars off your medical premium by participating in proactive and simple health screenings, plus discounted group fitness classes, health and fitness assessments, personal training, and more.
Commitment to Excellence:
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High Standards: Strive for the very best in all you do, maintaining high standards for yourself, your students, and your colleagues. Embrace lifelong learning and adapt to new teaching methods and challenges.
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Educational Equity: IPS is deeply committed to breaking down systemic inequities. We do this by “walking the walk” on new policies and practices, building diverse and inclusive classrooms and staff teams, and ensuring our environments are grounded in our values of respect, inclusivity, and educational equity.
Resilience and Passion:
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Dedication to Students: Put students at the heart of your work. Be passionate about their success and well-being.
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Adaptability: Handle adversity with resilience and flexibility. Be prepared for a dynamic work environment.
Professional Integrity:
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Ethical Conduct: Uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. Act responsibly and respectfully toward all individuals, communicate with candor and care.
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Team Player: Be dependable, punctual, and collaborative, contributing positively to our supportive work environment.
Indianapolis Public Schools is more than a workplace; it’s a community where purpose, impact, and belonging come together to help Prove What’s Possible – in your career and in your school. If you’re ready to embrace challenges, strive for excellence, and make a meaningful impact, IPS is the place for you.
SUMMARY OF ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
SITE stands for Skills for Independence, Transition, and Employment and is an IPS transition program provided to students on the IUPUI campus and City of Indianapolis. These IPS students are ages 18-21 and on a Certificate of Completion Course of Study. They audit IUPUI classes and are not working toward a college degree. The SITE team is led by two IPS teachers and includes an employment training specialist, an instructional assistant, and IUPUI work-study students. The purpose of the program is to build self-reliance and provide learning experiences that prepare these young adults for a successful well-rounded adult life. The program strives to create a personally meaningful day for each individual which can be sustained when they complete their education services.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
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Comfortable and able to maneuver the IndyGo bus system. Meet students downtown at Transit Center at the beginning and ending of each day to triage students safely to and from the program. Start and end the work day at the IndyGo Transit Center.
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Provide assistance to students to plan and structure their time in a meaningful way.
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Take initiative to seize learning opportunities as they come up or create opportunities to move students toward greater self-reliance and independence.
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Attentive to safety issues for each student.
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Provide safeguards based on individual profiles and knowing each student well.
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Accountability to and close communication with the SITE TORs and ETS.
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Assist in data collection and documentation of student progress. Attend professional meetings, maintain records.
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Adhere to the IUPUI SITE program schedule; follow daily schedule as established and assigned by the SITE teachers
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Act independently of teachers, consistent with established student plans. Accompany students on campus and in the city, independent of the SITE teachers’ presence consistent with established student schedules.
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Assist and support students in IUPUI classes as determined by SITE teachers.
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Support students on career internships in community businesses.
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Comply with students’ IEPs and BIPs.
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Assist students as needed with personal care needs, such as hygiene, student transfers from wheelchair, feeding, restroom needs.
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Present as an ambassador of the SITE program on the campus.
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Maintain positive communication and interactions with IUPUI faculty and students.
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Participate in monthly SITE Team meetings.
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Participate & support the Case Conference process as needed
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Coordinate & attend Manifest Determination conferences as needed
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Work collaboratively with teams to develop Classroom Management and Behavior Intervention Plans
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Perform other duties assigned.
Core Competencies
Critical core competencies for successful performance in this role are:
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Highly-developed communications skills (written/verbal) and interpersonal savvy
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Results/action-orientation; project management skills
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Organizational agility; developed negotiation skills
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Flexible and strong planning skills
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Unquestionable personal code of ethics, integrity, diversity and trust
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Able to successfully navigate within varying degrees of ambiguity in a fast-paced environment around the community of Indianapolis.
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Strong strategic analysis skills
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Understand specific disabilities and their potential effect on students (e.g. autism, cognitive disabilities…etc.)
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Aware of larger program goals and specific needs of each student.
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Adaptive to immediate and dramatic changes in schedules and routine.
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Comfortable, calm, and effective in addressing student behaviors.
QUALIFICATIONS:
This role provides privileged access to the inner workings between the IPS Special Education Department, IUPUI, and partner organizations. The successful candidate will be discrete, high-energy, agile-minded, strategic, proactive, a direct communicator, highly-organized and committed to the vision and values of Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) and the IPS Unified Student Supports Department. In addition, the following standards will generally define the successful incumbent:
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Broad knowledge of the theories, principles, practices and methodology of special education;
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Broad knowledge of Indiana and IPS special education policies, procedures and programs;
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Ability to be creative in developing alternatives to meet special education needs on SITE campus and in the community;
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A track record of developing and maintaining strong working relationships with and among a diverse group of students;
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Excellent communication skills and strong analytical and writing capabilities;
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Close attention to detail coupled with the ability to exercise good judgment;
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Strong organizational, oral and written communication, and interpersonal skills;
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Proactive nature; able to anticipate conflicts before they arise;
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Ability to work well independently as well as collaboratively;
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Ability to execute meetings, calls and emails with professionalism, courtesy and accuracy;
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Personal qualities of maturity, humility, strong work ethic, sense of humor, and diligence; and
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Ability to effectively allocate and prioritize time to several tasks to ensure completion of all.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
None
PERSONAL WORK RELATIONSHIPS:
The individual in this position works with a wide range of IPS staff, partners, administrators and service providers on routine and diverse problems encountered to fulfill its special education duties. The individual must possess and employ a variety of personal and interpersonal skills in the discharge of the position’s responsibilities. This position requires a positive attitude when dealing with staff and IUPUI/IPS constituents. Good judgment, discretion and individual initiative are necessary for the effective discharge of the position’s significant responsibilities.
LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one, small group, and large group situations.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
REASONING ABILITY: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: None.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to sit; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. The employee is required to ride the Indy Go Bus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions. The employee will be required to work on rain, snow, etc. if school is in session. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
DISCLAIMER:
The above job description is designed to denote the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications of employees assigned to this job.
