Special Education Paraprofessional (Kelly Day Program)

About Us

CAPS Collaborative works in partnership with districts to provide programs and services of the highest quality. Our values include:

• Committing every aspect of the organization to providing exceptional educational opportunities for students.
• Demonstrating quality and responsiveness to become the first choice of districts for programs and services.
• Being a customer-focused organization that constantly evaluates district needs.
• Integrating quality, integrity, respect, and teamwork into every aspect of the organization.
• Demonstrating accountability through constantly evaluating results and progress toward goals.
• Implementing programs and services in the most cost-effective manner and exercising due diligence in financial decision-making.
• Ensuring students transition to the least restrictive environment in their home school district.

About The Role

The paraprofessional will assist a certified teacher with providing specially designed instructional and non-instructional activities for students. This position requires working in small groups and one-to-one with students to provide academics and emotional support.

Responsibilities

• Carry out instructional programs to meet individual learning needs of students.
• Implement and model intervention/instruction designed to meet the needs of students with intensive special needs.
• Carry out data collection per lead teacher instructions.
• Advocate on behalf of students' needs.
• Communicate effectively with students, staff, and team members.
• Walk and move about the classroom and school environment to provide individual and small group instruction.
• Stoop, bend, squat, and kneel for significant amounts of time to provide instruction to students in positioning equipment (e.g., standers, bolsters, wedges, sidelyers, therapy balls, tumbleforms).
• Change diapers and dress/re-dress students throughout the day.
• Take off/put on equipment (e.g., body jackets, AFOs, swash braces, splints).
• Carry out therapy carryover skills with students.
• Assist students with self-care needs.
• Exercise universal precautions and tolerate constant management of body fluids (e.g., urine, feces, drool, vomit, stoma & tracheae care).
• Lift and carry objects and/or classroom equipment:
  • 0-20 pounds, constantly
  • 21-50 pounds, often
  • 51-60 pounds, rarely
• Lift and move students for repositioning several times a day:
  • 20-50/60 pounds, 1-person lift
  • 51/61+ pounds, 2-4 person lift (dependent on exact weight and student's tone)
• Push and pull students in wheelchairs on flat surfaces and inclines (20-200 pounds, 1-2 person required dependent on exact weight and angle of incline).
• Physically handle students weighing 20-200 pounds by oneself during emergency situations.
• Assist ambulatory students with visual impairments and/or unsteady (ataxic) movement.
• Assist students daily in all activities of daily living, as needed.
• Reach, grasp, and handle objects using upper extremities.
• Demonstrate excellent reading, writing, and mathematical skills.
• Make sound judgments and decisions.
• Deal with people in a variety of situations.

Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Respect and maintain student and family confidentiality.
• Cooperate successfully as a team member.
• Communicate effectively with other team members, including giving and receiving feedback (written and oral).
• Maintain regular attendance.
• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to learn new skills, carry out assignments, and put in essential time and effort.
• Perform delegated duties with a level of expertise and assume responsibility for own professional development.
• High school diploma required; Associate’s degree or two years of college highly preferred.
• Experience working with students with multiple disabilities, medically fragile students, and/or students with moderate to severe disabilities (including autism) is preferred.
• ABA/behavioral background is a plus.

Physical Requirements

• Able to demonstrate physical control and restraint positions when necessary due to an individual's dangerous behavior.
• Able to navigate all areas of the school quickly, including indoor and outdoor areas.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.