Paraprofessional - Special Education - Kentwood Public Schools

Essential Job Functions

• Assists and guides students in education and social development with students individually and in small groups to reinforce essential learning skills.
• Assists professional staff in administering classroom assignments and assessments.
• Affords support in classroom preparations and strategies for differentiating instructional materials and skills according to individual student needs, as evidenced by constructing, copying, distributing, and using educational materials as needed.
• The ability and willingness to complete the district provided Nonviolent Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) training and maintain certification on schedule with the district's expectations.
• The ability to assist in working within data tracking systems to document student learning, progress, and performance aligned with student’s Individual Education Program (IEP), Personal Care Services (PCS), and Positive Behavior Support Plans (PBSP).
• Affords support in non-instructional areas, such as supervising the student lunch programs, bus duty, playground duty, corridor, study hall, and other non-instructional areas.
• Affords support, as needed or as an alternate in times of assigned staff absence, in students' medical, grooming, and self-care needs, including eating, tooth brushing, toileting, and diapering as needed per student’s individualized Personal Care Services (PCS).
• Affords support, as requested by the teacher, with parent contact to foster effective and participatory parent involvement in student education.
• Affords support with students with disabilities in all aspects of classroom instruction to maximize inclusion, learning, achievement of IEP goals and objectives, etc.
• Participates in the IEP process and serves as a resource for the student evaluation team as needed.
• Affords support with students with physical or mental disabilities with activities of daily living to maximize their ability to participate in school, social, and learning activities.
• Follows all applicable safety rules, procedures, and regulations governing the proper manner of assistance for all students, including those with disabilities or other special needs.

Additional Duties

• Perform any other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Two years of study at an institution of higher learning (equal to 60 credits) OR Obtain an associate's degree (or higher) OR Pass an approved formal state academic assessment.
• Prior experience working with students with disabilities.
• Knowledge and training in proper classroom management techniques, such as verbal de-escalation skills and physical interventions, including Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (CPI), may be required.
• Willingness to participate in professional development as identified by the principal, the special education department, or the school district.

Physical And Mental Demands, Work Hazards

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, talk, hear (in a quiet or noisy environment), taste and smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.

ADA Requirements

• The physical demands, work environment factors, and mental functions described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment

• The noise level in the work environment is usually loud to moderate.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually loud to moderate.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually loud to moderate.

Application Information

Submit an application, individual cover letter and resume through the online applitrack applicant center, no hard copy applications will be accepted via mail or hand delivery. All application materials must be uploaded and submitted no later than 5:00 PM on the specified posting deadline. Visit the district website: Click here. Kentwood Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, or any other protected status in its employment decisions or the provision of services.