Garfield High - Special Education Assistant (Extended Resource) - 1.0 FTE

This position is part of the extended Resource service pathway within the Special Education Department.

Responsibilities

• Adapts classroom activities, assignments, and/or materials under teacher direction to ensure all special education students can participate.
• Administers tests, homework, and graded materials to assist teachers in evaluating student progress and organizing individual student needs.
• Provides first aid and medical assistance as required to care for injured children.
• Assists students with personal care needs due to medical conditions or physical limitations, enabling them to function in the school environment.
• Attends meetings and in-service presentations (e.g., first aid, CPR, emergency procedures) to acquire and convey job-related information.
• Confers regularly with special education and/or mainstream teachers to assist in evaluating student progress and implementing IEP objectives.
• Communicates with teachers and parents (via phone calls, emails, meetings, or progress notebooks) to provide information on student progress as outlined in their IEP.
• Directs and implements behavioral plans for students with behavior disorders or other conditions to meet special education needs, ensure safety, and provide consistency.
• Instructs students individually and in groups (e.g., academic subjects, social skills, daily living skills) to reinforce instructional objectives, remediate deficiencies, and ensure student success in alignment with IEP goals.
• Maintains instructional materials and student files/records (e.g., adapting materials, checking papers, tracking attendance) to ensure availability and provide reliable information.
• Monitors students in various school environments (e.g., restrooms, playgrounds, hallways, bus loading zones, cafeteria, parking lots) to aid students and maintain a safe, positive learning environment.
• Performs other related duties as assigned to ensure the efficient functioning of the work unit.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent, plus at least one of the following:
  • Qualifying score on the Education Testing Service (ETS) paraeducator assessment as published by PESB; or
  • Associate degree or higher from an accredited college or university; or
  • Seventy-two quarter credits or forty-eight semester credits at the 100 level or higher from an accredited college or university; or
  • Completion of a paraeducator apprenticeship program registered with the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council.
• Valid Washington State Driver’s License or equivalent mobility.
• Ability to:
  • Perform basic math, including calculations using fractions, percents, and ratios.
  • Read manuals, write documents following prescribed formats, and present information to others.
  • Understand complex, multi-step written and oral instructions.
  • Adapt to changing work priorities and communicate with diverse groups.
  • Maintain confidentiality and work as part of a team with constant interruptions.
  • Use standard office equipment, including pertinent software applications.
  • Prepare and maintain accurate records.
  • Keyboard and learn to use personal computers (basic signing may be required).
• Knowledge of:
  • Instructional procedures and practices.
  • Age-appropriate student activities.
  • Safety practices and procedures.
  • Conflict resolution.
  • Stages of child development and behavior.
• Physical ability to:
  • Seldom lift up to 50 pounds (with or without assistance).
  • Perform tasks involving carrying, pushing, pulling, climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling.
  • Handle medically fragile children, attend to personal care needs (e.g., toileting, changing diapers, tube feeding, assisting menstruating students), and support structured learning and behavior shaping activities.
  • Sit (45%), walk (25%), and stand (30%) during a typical 7-hour workday.

Benefits

• Eligibility for benefits is determined by the number of hours worked during the school year (September 1 through August 31). Employees scheduled to work 630 hours or more in a year are eligible for benefits.

Pay

Refer to the salary schedule associated with this role and others like it.