Personal Care Aide - Oak Grove Elementary School

Reports to: Principal. Receives guidance from Principal, Lead Teacher, and Administration. Overtime status compliant with position, salary, and FLSA regulations.

About the Role

To assist in maintaining an appropriate classroom environment and provide toileting assistance so that students may learn effectively. Under general supervision, provides individual assistance that allows a student to remain in school with access to the curriculum and educational environment. The employee accompanies the student for the entire school day, maintaining the student's safety and assisting with basic human functions such as breathing, toileting, eating/feeding, as well as any behavioral management needs. The employee collaborates with the supervising teacher to administer and/or monitor any therapy, medication, and/or special treatment required by the student. Assists students with mobility needs, including transferring students to and from wheelchairs/toilets and handling individual equipment. Personal Care Assistants may also perform secondary job responsibilities on teacher workdays or during student absence, such as assisting teachers with clerical duties.

Responsibilities

• Assists teacher in duties of diaper changing.
• Assists with supervision of children as requested by the teacher.
• Supports and assists in feeding of assigned students (with and without feeding tubes).
• Provides escort and assistance to assigned children as necessary.
• Works on assigned student or students' individual skills and self-help skills supervised by the teacher.
• Operates and cares for equipment used in the classroom for personal care and instructional needs.
• Assists with washing hands and toiletry needs of assigned student(s).
• Maintains confidentiality and ethical behavior as expected of highly qualified teachers.
• Performs other duties regarding personal care of students as assigned by the supervisor.
• Performs duties assigned by the building administrator, including before and after school duties.
• Follows all rules, policies, procedures, and state and federal regulations pertaining to school issues.
• Constantly monitors the safety and well-being of the student; encourages self-esteem.
• Assists with supervision of the student during emergency drills, assemblies, play periods, field trips, lunch, recess, specials or electives, hygiene routines, and snack time.
• Works with individual students to reinforce learning of material or skills initially introduced by the teacher.
• Strives to maintain and improve professional competence and participates in the development and support of the broad school vision.
• Alerts the teacher to any problem or special information about an individual student.
• Maintains the same high level of ethical behavior and confidentiality of information about students as expected of teachers.
• Serves as the chief source of information and help to any substitute teacher assigned in the absence of the regular teacher.
• Performs related duties as requested by the teacher and/or principal.
• Regular, dependable, punctual, in-person attendance is an essential function of this position.
• Reads, understands, and abides by Employee Conduct Policy, district, state, and federal policies, and the Mississippi Educator Code of Conduct.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent; previous work experience may also be considered.
• Ability to lift 40 pounds (regularly lifts and moves up to 35 pounds and occasionally up to 75 pounds).

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Regularly required to talk or hear.
• Frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands for fine manipulation, handle or feel, and reach with hands and arms using equipment such as a keyboard and video display panel.
• Occasionally required to stoop, kneel, reach, crouch, or crawl.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision.

Work Environment

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

• Not a standard office setting; encompasses the entire active school campus, both inside and outside facilities.
• Noise level is usually low to moderate and occasionally high.