Acting Teacher at Nexus Family Healing – Manteno, Illinois

Nexus Family Healing is hiring an Acting Teacher for Safe Harbor School at our Manteno, IL location! Enjoy small class sizes, full-time Teaching Assistants in every classroom, and support from Behavior and Residential Staff throughout the school day. Join a team that values collaboration, care, and student success. Apply today!

Nexus Family Healing is a national nonprofit network of mental health agencies with over 45 years of restoring hope for thousands of children and families through outpatient/community mental health services, foster care and adoption, and residential treatment.

Safe Harbor School (SHS) is our very own private school that serves youth receiving treatment at Nexus-Indian Oak in Manteno, IL. SHS serves grades 6-12, and students participate in a curriculum tailored to their unique needs and current grade level. The school provides a special education curriculum accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement and approved by the Illinois State Board of Education. Credits transfer to any school upon the client's discharge.

At Nexus Family Healing, we embrace diversity, promote equity, and foster inclusion. As a national mental health organization, we serve a diverse group of youth and families, and we strive for our workforce to support and represent that diversity.

Work Location, Schedule & Salary:

• Location: 101 N Bramble Street, Manteno, IL 60950
• Hours: Monday-Friday 7am-3:30pm. SHS follows a year-round academic calendar, including scheduled break weeks and holidays off.
• Salary: $45,000 - 50,000 annually based on credentials and years of teaching experience.

Nexus' Comprehensive Benefits Include:

• Four weeks paid time off (PTO) in the first year of employment
• Floating Holidays!
• Multiple options for health insurance coverage
• No-cost life insurance
• Short/long-term disability insurance
• 401k match
• NEW - Talkspace Therapy Benefit for the whole family
• NEW - Hinge Health Benefit for the whole family
• NEW – Carrot Fertility Benefit
• Tuition assistance, discounts, and professional training opportunities
• Advancement pathways and internal promotion
• Internships opportunities
• And much more!

Position Summary: Provide educational instruction through a variety of accepted teaching techniques while employing behavior management strategies that will ensure the effective and efficient implementation of assigned individual students’ IEPs on an as needed basis to complement the needs of the full-time teaching staff. Provide direct instructional supervision to any teaching aide or assistants as assigned.

Primary responsibilities:

• Provide classroom coverage for full-time teaching staff as needed, including sick leave, PTO, and schedule gaps with advance notice
• Deliver instruction and prepare lesson plans aligned with subject expertise, student age, and classroom needs
• Collaborate with the school team to assess student needs and track academic progress
• Provide individual support to students to assist with assignments, assessments, and academic goals
• Create a positive, structured classroom environment that supports learning and treatment
• Use approved crisis-intervention and de-escalation techniques; communicate concerns to treatment teams
• Recognize student progress and provide clear feedback while addressing behavioral challenges appropriately
• Communicate student academic and behavioral progress with education and treatment staff
• Support IEP development, attend required meetings and trainings, and remain flexible to classroom assignments
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with all policies, licensing, COA, and HIPAA requirements
• Demonstrate cultural awareness, professionalism, ethical conduct, and support the Nexus mission and values

Required Education and Licensure:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Current educator certification or eligible for a conditional certification
• Valid driver’s license required. Must meet state regulating agency and Home Office driving requirements
• Must successfully pass an IL DCFS criminal background check.
• Successfully participate and complete a three-part Therapeutic Crisis Intervention exam and training
• Must have the ability to build strong relationships with diverse individuals or communities and understand their unique needs and challenges.
• Must be open to meeting the cultural needs of individuals or communities, considering factors such as language, traditions, and values.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• 2+ years teaching experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in an educational discipline preferred.

ICARE Values & Behavioral Competencies:

• Innovation: Leading the way and implementing creative, cutting-edge ideas and approaches.
• Compassion: Listening, honoring differences, and showing respect, kindness, empathy care, and concern.
• Agility: Exhibiting flexibility and adapting quickly.
• Responsiveness: Being quick, positive, and accurate.
• Excellence: Demonstrating quality results that surpass ordinary standards.

Work Environment:

• Must be able to assist staff in physical and non-physical interventions with residents.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds unassisted and up to 100+ pounds with assistance.
• Must be able to stand and walk for extended periods of time (2-4 hours).
• Must be able to twist, bend and stretch in a manner conducive to the execution of daily activities within a school.

At Nexus Family Healing, our voices and actions are focused on recognizing, affirming and respecting people of every race, ethnic background, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender expression and faith.

APPLY TODAY TO BE CONTACTED BY OUR RECRUITING TEAM! When you work at Nexus, you have the opportunity to change lives — including your own!