SPED Self-Contained Teacher Assistant (Grades: 9-12)

About the role

Assist teachers with instructional material preparation, classroom organization, inventory, record‑keeping, and substitute orientation. Provide direct support to students with physical disabilities and personal care needs, assist with curriculum, manage student behavior, supervise students throughout the school day, maintain confidentiality, participate in training, and perform other assigned duties. Regular and punctual attendance is required; the role involves moderate noise levels and travel throughout the district, with no remote work option. Primary work location is Thomas Jefferson High School.

Responsibilities

• Help teacher prepare instructional materials and classroom displays
• Help maintain a neat and orderly classroom and prepare classroom according to student needs
• Help with inventory, care and maintenance of equipment
• Help teacher keep administrative records and prepare required reports
• Provide orientation and assistance to substitute teachers
• Assist students with physical disabilities according to their needs, including transferring to and from wheelchairs, lifting or positioning
• Assist students with physical needs and personal care, including feeding, bathroom needs and personal hygiene
• Assist with classroom curriculum
• Help manage behavior of students which includes intervening in crisis situations and restraining disruptive or dangerous student behavior as needed
• Assume responsibility for learning and adapting to each student's special medical, physical, communicative and emotional needs
• Work with individual students or small groups to develop motor skills and conduct instructional exercises assigned by teacher
• Help supervise students throughout the school day, inside and outside the classroom which includes lunchroom, bus and playground duty
• Keep teacher informed of special needs or problems of individual students
• Maintain confidentiality
• Participate in staff development training programs, faculty meetings and special events as assigned
• Perform all other tasks and duties as assigned
• Regular and punctual attendance at the worksite is required for this position

Requirements

• Accredited Senior High School Diploma or equivalent (U.S.A. equivalency), plus one of the following: Associate degree, 48 college credit hours, pass an academic assessment
• Paraprofessional certificate required from State Board of Certification
• Successful completion of a specific training program for teacher assistants or six months of knowledge and skills acquired through work experience preferred

Skills

• Demonstrated general knowledge of child growth/development and behavior characteristics
• Demonstrated ability to work with people from diverse ethnic groups
• Demonstrated organizational and interpersonal skills required to meet the goals of the position
• Demonstrated initiative and a willingness to follow verbal and written instructions
• Demonstrated effective communication skills both in oral and written form
• Demonstrated ability to work with children with disabilities
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred
• Demonstrated flexibility to cope with the challenges of a rapidly changing world
• Demonstrated willingness to remain current with the latest developments in the profession

Pay

Minimum Salary $31,282.00; Median Salary $39,113.00

Schedule

Full-time