Paraprofessional (Special Education)

Special Education Para

Contract: 190 Days

Position Purpose

- Under the direct supervision of a certified staff member, to assist certified professional staff with students in the classroom to meet instructional goals and objectives, and to free certified professional employees from non-professional duties such as proctoring study halls to enable them to make a contribution to other aspects of the educational program, such as curriculum development.

Essential Job Functions

• Work with individual students or small groups of students to reinforce learning of materials or skills initially introduced and outlined by teacher.
• Work with students who may require behavioral management support.
• Assists the teacher in devising special strategies for reinforcing learning materials and skills based on a sympathetic understanding of individual students, their needs, interests, and abilities.
• Serves as the chief source of information and help to any substitute teacher assigned in the absence of the regular teacher.
• Performs clerical, classroom maintenance, and instructional duties as assigned by the teacher.
• Performs assigned supervision of students during meals, adaptive PE, extra-curricular activities, and other areas as assigned by the teacher.
• Performs assigned non-instructional classroom duties, such as personal care needs, transitioning, and transporting.
• Demonstrates ethical behavior and confidentiality of information about students in school environment and community.
• Participates in in-service training programs as approved.
• Perform all duties assigned.

Note: The above description is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities. It is not meant to be all inclusive of every task or responsibility.

Equipment

- Use standard office equipment, such as personal computers and copiers.

Travel Requirements

- Travel between schools, or between schools and central offices, may be required for certain positions.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

- Ability to carry out instructions furnished in written or oral form.

- Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide, and perform arithmetic operations as needed to assist students.

- Ability to understand, apply and use personal computers and software applications (e.g., Word, Excel).

- Ability to work with a diverse group of individuals.

- Ability to maintain confidentiality of information regarding students, employees and others.

- Ability to establish a supportive and compassionate relationship with students with special needs.

- Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with students, staff and others contacted in the course of work.

- Ability to report work orally or in writing to supervisor as required.

- Effective writing and verbal communication skills.

Physical and Mental Demands, Work Hazards

- Works in standard office and school building environments.

- Ability to work outdoors during outdoor student activities.

Qualifications Profile

• Associate's degree and/or 60 earned college hours and/or passed ParaPro Assessment with a score of 457
• Prefer prior experience working with special needs children
• Must be able to perform heavy lifting of students and equipment
• Possess a strong desire to assist students with special needs in a learning environment

FLSA Status: Non-exempt