Special Education Paraprofessional

Special Education Paraprofessional

PRIMARY FUNCTIONS: 

Under supervision, special education paraprofessional III assists the teacher with implementing educational programs for students with disabilities in infants through adult special education programs, and performs other related duties, responsibilities, and expectations as needed.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: ● Work with students individually and/or in small and large groups ● Implement academic lessons under the guidance of the classroom teacher ● Assist with keeping a clean classroom environment ● Supervise students on the yard, in the classroom, and other school campus locations to ensure that students are safe at all times ● Facilitate students' social interactions with peers in age appropriate ways during recess, lunch, and other social times ● Help with bus drop off and pick up ● Assist students with transitions between daily activities ● Provide positive behavioral supports and implement behavior intervention plans ● Help prepare instructional materials for teachers ● Maintain confidentiality of student records and information ● Interact professionally and respectfully with students, staff, and families ● Assist teacher and students with fieldtrips and community based instruction ● Attend required trainings and job-related meetings ● Assist teacher and support staff in collecting student data ● Assist students with basic self-care needs ● Assist students with snack and lunch ● Take guidance and direction from district staff such as psychologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, behaviorists, and other providers to implement programs for students ● Adhere to district policies and regulations

ADDITIONAL DUTIES: ● Assist with toileting and personal hygiene on an on-going basis for students who do not have the capacity to perform these skills independently ● Assist with specialized lifting and transferring as indicated in IEP or health plan ● Provide intensive behavioral supports and interventions ● Conduct specialized data collection procedures beyond the basic data collection expected of all paraprofessionals ● Implement specialized medical procedures per students' IEPs such as catheters, suctioning, gtube feeding, ostomy bags, Dias tat, etc.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Knowledge of: ● Appropriate subject matter, program guidelines, and communication procedures; ● Correct English usage, spelling, grammar, punctuation; ● Reading and writing communication skills; ● Basic mathematics skills; ● Interpersonal skills including patience, tact, empathy, and courtesy; ● General classroom procedures, practices, and equipment; ● General needs of students with disabilities and understanding of related challenges; ● Basic child development; ● Basic First Aid

Skills in: ● Following special instructions and communication procedures; ● Following oral and written directions; ● Communicating clearly both orally and in writing; ● Recordkeeping and providing clerical support duties; ● Establishing and maintaining cooperative working relationships with school staff, students, and parents; ● Reading, writing and arithmetic; ● Using computers, technology, and online/virtual learning platforms

Ability to: ● Perform the duties of the position with or without accommodation; ● Learn, apply and interpret rules, policies, regulations and procedures; ● Act calmly and appropriately in emergencies; ● Work cooperatively and communicate effectively with those contacted during the course of work.

Education: ● High school diploma or the equivalent, and ● Two years of college (48 units), or ● A.A. degree (or higher), or ● Pass a local assessment of knowledge and skills in assisting in instruction.

Physical Requirements: ● Must pass a district strength test prior to employment commencing

District Provided Training Requirements: ● Introduction to Working with Students Receiving Special Education Services (required within three months of employment) ● Behavior Intervention (required within six months of employment and on the district training schedule) ● Three training classes from a provided menu (required annually) ● Crisis Prevention and Intervention - CPI (required on the district CPI training cycles) ● Autism and Evidence Based Practices (required within six months of employment and then on district training schedule) ● Student specific training provided by psychologist, behaviorist, nurse, or other provider.

PHYSICAL EFFORT / WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Environment: ● Indoor school rooms such as office, classrooms, multipurpose rooms, and therapy rooms ● Outdoor school environments such as playgrounds, courtyards, hallways, and bus zones ● Noise level is consistently moderate with times of mild noise levels (e.g., library, reading time, etc.) and more severe noise levels (e.g., during fire drills, on the playground, assemblies, bus zones, etc.) ● Close working quarters with multiple students and adults in one classroom including ● Exposure to coughs, colds, and other germs

Physical Abilities: ● Finger dexterity to operate standard office and classroom equipment ● Safely navigate constant exposure to slip and trip hazards (e.g., wheelchairs, crutches, lifts, etc.) ● Hearing and speaking to exchange information in a timely and effective manner ● Seeing to read materials and monitor student safety ● Sitting and standing for extended periods of time ● Walking the length of hallways and school campuses in a timely fashion ● Bending at the waist, twist, punch, pull, climb, squat, crawl, kneeling or crouching to assist students Lifting classroom supplies in and out of storage containers ● Pushing wheelchairs

Additional Physical Abilities: ● Must be able to lift and transfer students in and out of wheelchairs and other equipment ● Must pass district strength test ● Must pass district CPI physical portion of the training or other crisis prevention or intervention training program's physical requirements ● Must be able to run after students who elope the length of the school or approximately 300 feet ● Must be able to quickly bend, duck, and dodge physical behaviors ● Must be able to quickly cross the length of the classroom to move objects out of reach ● Must have quick reflexes and reactions