Paraprofessional - Tier II

About the role

Provides support to lead teacher and gives assistance to students with individual physical, social, academic and other needs.

Responsibilities

• Provide support to a child with a disability in the classroom, other educational settings (e.g., playground, hallway, restroom, nurse's office, gymnasium, other specified areas on a school campus, and transportation situations), or in community-based educational settings.
• Assist teachers or other related service personnel in implementing the Individualized Education Program (IEP).
• Assist in the personal care of the child (i.e. toileting, diaper changes, personal hygiene, restroom care, tube feedings, and catheterizations) and participate in specific trainings related to each medical procedure, as the need arises.
• Ensures safety of the child.
• Provides support necessary because of physical, health or behavioral concerns to enable a child to access educational programs.
• Works with individual students or small groups of students to reinforce learning of material or skills initially introduced by the teacher.
• Assists the teacher in devising special strategies for reinforcing material or skills based on an understanding of individual students, their needs, interests and abilities.
• Operates and cares for equipment used in the classroom for instructional purposes.
• Assists with the supervision of students during emergency drills, assemblies, play periods and field trips.
• Conducts learning exercises and assists with small and large group activities.
• Participates in daily and long-range lesson and classroom activity planning.
• Alerts the teacher to special needs of individual children.
• Provides escort and assistance to children as necessary.
• Helps maintain individual records for each child.
• Assists teacher in maintaining neat work and study areas.
• Assists students with adaptive behavior skills and personal care.
• Assists students with transition activities.
• Develops cooperative and functional relationships with district staff and the public; maintains consistent and punctual attendance; ensures job responsibilities are met competently and within established deadlines.
• Follows the legal and ethical standards of confidentiality of information.
• All other duties assigned by the supervisor.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Associate Degree or higher OR 48 hours of college credit OR passed the ParaPro (paraprofessional test) OR passed the OGET (Oklahoma General Education Test) OR passed the WorkKey.
• One year of experience in a closely related field preferred.
• Maintain CPR, First Aid, and CPI certification.
• Complete 6 hours of continuing education for paraprofessionals annually.

Skills

• Basic knowledge of disabilities.
• Computer literate; excellent written and oral communication ability.
• Strong knowledge of rules, regulations, policies and laws applicable to education and special education.
• Ability to follow all district policies and procedures.
• Good organizational skills.
• Ability to be flexible and multi-task.
• Ability to work independently, be a self-starter, and have enthusiasm for the tasks being done.
• Strong communication skills, orally and in writing, with faculty, staff, team members, and administrators.
• Ability to work without supervision and as a team player.
• Ability to document records accurately.
• Ability to manage confidential information in a manner that respects students, families, and employees.
• Ability to listen effectively.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret English.
• Ability to perform basic math functions such as addition and subtraction.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out written and oral instructions.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here 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.

• Regularly required to stand, talk, or hear.
• Frequently required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, or crouch.
• Lifting of students for proper positioning to prevent deformity and enhance comfort and stability, as well as transferring of students to toilet, floor wedge, bolster ball, and other therapeutic equipment.
• Frequently walk the hallways the length of the school.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The work environment can, at times, be very stressful but is usually calm.
• There can be many interruptions in routine due to student behavior or making accommodations.
• Must have own transportation to sites.

Schedule

Full-time / 176 days

Pay

Salary follows the Paraprofessional II schedule.