Surround Care Paraprofessional - [Hennigan] (SY26-27)

Early Education and Early Learning Centers provide an innovative, high-quality, full-day early education program designed to meet the needs of young children and their parents in the Boston Public Schools. School staff collaborate to create an educational environment where quality and continuity are key. Ongoing staff development supports and reinforces the curricula and philosophy.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with classroom teacher to implement enrichment activities that reinforce daily instruction of developmentally appropriate early childhood experiences.
• Implements agreed-upon activities, as evidenced in daily lesson plans, using a variety of materials for children ages 3 to 7 which integrate the curriculum areas.
• Provides opportunities for children to develop self-help skills including zippering, buttoning, tying shoes, using eating utensils, hand washing, and using the bathroom.
• Adheres to school-wide discipline and reporting procedures.
• Maintains a classroom climate conducive to learning.
• Works under the direction of the teacher/specialist to support the school's academic program.
• Fosters open communications with parents and staff.
• Provides supervision of routines: snack, rest, and outdoor/indoor play.
• Promotes personal hygiene (including changing children when necessary).
• Supervises bus boarding to ensure children are on the correct bus and belted safely in their seats.
• Participates in ten (10) hours of paid professional development beyond the workday.
• Performs other related duties as requested by the Principal.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Forty-eight (48) Credit Hours of College Coursework or an Associate's Degree, or a passing score on one of the following assessments:
  • ParaPro Assessment (http://www.ets.org/parapro/)
  • WorkKeys Certificate of Proficiency for Teacher Assistants (http://www.act.org/workkeys/profcert/index.html)
• Minimum of two years experience working with young children.
• Current authorization to work in the United States by the first day of employment.

Qualifications (Preferred)

• Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education.
• Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education.
• Fluency in one of BPS' official languages: Spanish, Creole (Cape Verdean), Creole (Haitian), Chinese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, or Somali.

Reports to: Principal/Head of Schools. This position is part of the BTU, Paraprofessional Unit, with a contractual hourly rate. For more information on salary and compensation, refer to the BPS website.