SPED Teacher Assistant, Teacher Aide, Paraprofessional

 

Qualifications:

 

1. Associate’s Degree
2. A minimum of forty-eight (48) hours of college coursework
3. Met state standard on a rigorous assessment (ACT Work Keys)
4. Such additions to the above qualifications as the Superintendent and Board of Trustees may determine to be appropriate and useful

 

Job Goal:

To assist the teacher or other certified educator in providing a well organized, effective functioning learning environment to enable students to make optimum progress toward achieving appropriate educational goals; assisting in the supervision and instruction of special needs students, severely special needs students; observing and documenting student progress; implementing plans for instruction; and assisting students by providing for special health care needs.

 

Performance Responsibilities:

     1.  Adapts classroom activities, assignments and/or materials under the direction of the supervising teacher for the purpose of supporting and reinforcing classroom objectives

     2.  Administers immediate first aid and medical assistance as instructed by a health care professional (e.g. diapering, tube feeding, colostomy bags, medication, etc.) for the purpose of meeting immediate health care needs and/or developing children's daily living activities and behavioral skills.

     3.  Applies and removes physical therapy appliances as instructed (e.g. body braces, leg braces, etc.) for the purpose of ensuring the student has the proper equipment according to the IEP plan.    

     4.  Assists students by enabling them to access their electronic communicators, switches, pointers, feeders, etc, for the purpose of ensuring equipment is hooked up properly and functioning properly. 

     5.  Alerts the teacher to special needs of individual students.

     6.  Assist student in and out of wheelchairs; loading and unloading on the bus; transporting students in their wheelchairs in and around school and on field trips for the purpose of ensuring the student gets to and from school and to the proper places safely.

     7.  Assists with pre-lunch and lunch activities (e.g. heat food, grind food, feeding, etc.) for the purpose of helping the teacher and lunch personnel get the student fed.

     8.  Attends meetings and in-service presentations (e.g. first aid, CPR, emergency procedures, behavior management, CPI, IEPs, etc.) for the purpose of acquiring and/or conveying information relative to job functions.

     9.  Communicates with supervising instructional staff and professional support personnel for the purpose of assisting in evaluating progress and/or implementing IEP objectives.

    10. Design bulletin boards for the purpose of helping make the room and areas more attractive and for conveying information.

    11.  Monitors students during assigned periods within a variety of school environments (e.g. lunch, bus stops, playground, classroom, restroom,field trips, public transportation, assemblies, etc.) for the purpose of maintaining a safe and positive learning environment.

    12.  Participates in the implementation of IEP goals for the purpose of meeting IEP goals and/or district benchmarks.

    13.  Participates in the implementation of student behavior plans for the purpose of ensuring effective and safe student learning.

    14. Perform clerical tasks (e.g. making copies, filing, etc.) for the purpose of helping the teacher get instructional materials ready.

    15.  Provides instruction, under the supervision of the teacher, to the students in a variety of individual and group activities (e.g. academic subjects, social skills, daily living skills, giving oral tests, etc.) for the purpose of reinforcing instructional objectives; implementing IEP plans, and ensuring students' success in school.

  16.   Perform duties as supervising teacher or principal may assign from time to time (in accordance with Every Student Succeeds Acts, 2015).

  17.  Perform other related duties as assigned for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of the work unit. 

 

Working Environment:

 

The usual and customary methods of performing the job's functions require the following physical demands: significant lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling; some climbing and balancing; significant stooping, kneeling, crouching, and/or crawling; and significant fine finger dexterity. Generally the job requires 20% sitting, 40% walking, and 40% standing. The job is performed under minimal temperature variations and under conditions with exposure to risk of injury and/or illness.

Terms of Employment:

Salary and work year are determined by the Board.

Evaluation:

Performance of this job will be evaluated by the Principal in accordance with provisions of the Board’s policy on Evaluation of Professional Personnel.