Special Education Paraprofessional

At City Garden Montessori School, we pride ourselves on giving students a vibrant learning experience in a welcoming environment. Our teachers count on paraprofessionals to bring the best to the classroom every day. We’re searching for a qualified paraprofessional to join us in delivering the high-quality learning experiences we’re known for. They will build on a student-centered environment which fosters relationships and promotes continual growth for students and staff.

• Provide instructional reinforcement under the direction of the classroom teacher in executing lesson plans

• Serve as a positive, nurturing guide for students

• Model professional and ethical standards when dealing with students, parents, staff, and community, following and upholding school rules and standards

• Safely supervise students in both instructional and assessment activities in and out of the classroom

• Participate in planning sessions with the learning team, communicating with parents and school officials as needed

Responsibilities

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities

• Co-teach lesson components as determined by the teacher, leading small-group or individual instruction and discussion, and reviewing classwork material

• Attend to students' physical, personal, academic, and emotional needs; help with translation and hygienic needs when necessary

• Organize classroom and teaching materials; verify and track student attendance

• Perform clerical duties such as data-entry, filing, and photocopying; grade tests and homework, recording the results

• Establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with students, parents, and staff to enhance the instructional environment; participate in parent-teacher and faculty meetings and events

Professional Responsibility

City Garden believes all employees must take an active role in their development as professionals and in developing City Garden as an institution of learning.

• Actively participates in a regular evaluation process including classroom observations, feedback conferences, and an annual self-evaluation toward yearly goals which are established with the school principal
• Participates in professional development activities (both within the school community and attendance at conferences, workshops, etc.)
• Participates in collegial activities designed to make the entire school a productive learning environment, for example, age level meetings, curriculum discussion groups, working committees, mentoring, etc.
• Attends all scheduled meetings and professional days as appropriate
• Responsible for reading and adhering to the guidelines and school policies as established in the employee handbook

The ideal Paraprofessional will...

• Have a degree in education, early childhood development, or one of the social sciences

• Have at least one year of experience working with special needs students

• Be flexible to adapt to the changing nature of the demands of the class

• Be deeply committed to whole-child education, having proven success and outcomes in meeting children’s needs holistically

• Have a grounding in anti-bias education and antiracist values and principles, and is

excited to be part of a school that is reimagining education through these lenses

• Current First Aid and CPR certification

• Current Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Paraprofessional certification

Requirements

• An Associate's degree

** OR **

• At least 12 Hours of Post-Secondary education and Paraprofessional certification from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
• At least 2 years of experience working with students
• Have prior experience in the role of Paraprofessional
• Effective communication skills; oral, written, and visual with adults and children
• Understanding of basic principles of childhood development
• Demonstrated success working with a diverse student population