Communication Aide - Hawaii District, North Hawaii Regional Special Education Office

About the role

This posting is being used to fill Communication Aide positions that provide services to students at various schools within the Hawaii District as needed and assigned by the Hawaii District Administration Office.

Responsibilities

• Provides reinforcement lessons and repetitive drill activities in speech and/or language correction to students, in accordance with an educational/treatment plan developed by a Speech Pathologist;
• Receives specific instructions from the Speech Pathologist with regard to remediation activities that are to be provided to the student;
• Instructs students in the correct usage of the mouth, jaw, lips, tongue, teeth, and diaphragm in a controlled manner;
• Corrects student's misunderstanding of communication (i.e., production of sounds and language);
• Teaches students how to attend and react to verbal communication;
• Assists in teaching correct usage of socially appropriate language with regard to time, place, situation and person(s) involved;
• Records all pertinent data and information related to speech and/or language activities, as directed by the Speech Pathologist;
• Makes arrangements for remediation sessions with school personnel involved;
• Participates in conferences with parents, designated school personnel, and the Speech Pathologist;
• Adapts and devises materials and activities to meet individual students' needs;
• Provides follow-up home activities and materials relevant to students' specific needs;
• Gathers information and data regarding students' progress in tutorial sessions, in addition to any significant behavioral observations;
• Scores appropriate responses for remediation as indicated by program guidelines;
• Assists Speech Pathologist in preparing and developing materials and activities for strategies of intervention;
• Attends training sessions and workshops;
• May provide clerical services for the Speech Pathologist and/or the diagnostic team.

Requirements

• Basic Education Requirements: High school diploma, GED, or equivalent AND one of the following minimum education requirements, which have been established within the parameters described by the Federal Government's No Child Left Behind Act of 2001:
• 48 semester credits, baccalaureate level courses, from an accredited institution of higher education recognized by the Hawaii Department of Education. The forty-eight (48) credits may be from various program or academic subject areas. In addition, of the 48 credits from baccalaureate level courses, 3 must have been for math and 3 for English courses.
• An Associate in Arts (AA) or Science (AS) degree or higher from an accredited institution recognized by the Hawaii Department of Education. The credits earned for the degree must include a minimum of 48 credits for courses that are baccalaureate level.
• Successful completion of the ParaPro Assessment provided by the Education Testing Service (ETS).
• Experience Requirements: Two (2) years** of work experience which involved providing supportive services to professional personnel directly engaged in the academic, personal, social and/or vocational development of children. The experience must have involved direct interaction with individuals, and at least one (1) year of this experience must have included some involvement in assisting in the learning activities of children (e.g., assisting children in drills and in learning specific skills; observing and reporting on children's difficulties and progress; assisting in reading exercises, etc.).
• One (1) year** of progressively responsible work experience which involved assisting a Speech Pathologist in implementing educational/treatment plans for individuals with speech and language disorders and/or problems. This experience must have involved providing remedial activities (e.g., reinforcement lessons and repetitive drills) in speech and language correction, under the direct and close supervision of the Speech Pathologist. Further, such experience must have provided the applicant with knowledge of common speech and language problems and disorders; basic goals and objectives of speech and language services; basic child development, as it related to speech and language; basic instruction/remedial techniques used in speech and language correction; and the ability to adapt and devise materials and activities to meet individual needs.

Qualifications

• Must demonstrate the ability to hear and speak (i.e., articulate and enunciate sounds, words, phrases and sentences clearly) the English language properly, in order to effectively perform the duties and responsibilities of the class.

Skills

• Ability to communicate effectively with students, parents, and school personnel.
• Knowledge of speech and language disorders and remedial techniques.
• Ability to organize and prioritize tasks.
• Computer literacy, including proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Benefits

Salary: The advertised salary is based on full-time employment and includes shortage and school year differentials, if applicable.

Requirements: Applicants must meet all the requirements for the position they are seeking as of the date of the application, unless otherwise specified.

Unless specifically indicated, the required education and experience may not be gained concurrently.

Calculation of experience is based on full-time, 40-hour workweeks. Part-time experience is pro-rated.

Pay

Payday: New employees can expect their first paycheck within the first 3 pay periods of their start date. Payday is on the 5th and 20th (or previous business day) of every month.

Benefits

• Holidays, Personal Leave, and Sick Leave: Many employees enjoy paid holidays, personal leave, and sick leave during the school year provided that all conditions under the respective collective bargaining agreement are met.
• Health Insurance: If eligible, the State pays a part of the premiums for each employee's enrollment in a State sponsored Medical, Drug, Vision, and Adult Dental Plan.
• Group Life Insurance: The State provides a free life insurance policy for employees and retirees.
• Premium Conversion Plan: Participating employees may increase their take-home pay by having the State deduct the cost of health care premiums before payroll taxes are withheld.
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Eligible employees can reduce their federal and state income taxes and social security taxes through a tax-savings benefit program called Island Flex.

Equal Opportunity

The Hawaii State Department of Education does not discriminate in its educational policies, programs, and activities on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, and disability in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991. The Department does not discriminate in its employment policies, programs, and activities on the basis of sexual orientation, arrest and court record, and National Guard participation, as well as on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, and disability, in accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991, Equal Pay Act of 1963, and Chapter 378, Part I, Hawaii Revised Statutes.