Instructional Paraprofessional

Academic Support Position This position is to provide academic support to students in the classroom. The qualifications include at least two years of college level coursework or an Associate's Degree in education or related field. Previous aide or teaching experience is preferred. Knowledge of child growth and the diverse needs of children with disabilities is required. Knowledge of appropriate special education classroom practices is necessary. The ability to work with students with academic, emotional, physical, and mental disabilities is essential. Ability to instruct students one-on-one and small group situations, at the direction of the General Education Teacher is required. Strong background in teaching methods and developmentally appropriate classroom activities is needed. Demonstrated knowledge of subject matter and effective teaching methods is required. Knowledgeable about word processing, data bases, spread sheets, and reports is necessary. Ability to maintain a learning environment is essential. Works well with students, staff, and the public. Excellent organizational skills are required. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are necessary. Able to work under pressure and deadlines. Maintain confidentiality of staff and students. The primary responsibility is to the Assistant Principal and/or Classroom Teacher. The job summary involves assisting the classroom teacher in achieving the goals and objectives through individual, small group, or whole group instruction. Major duties and responsibilities include working with students to maintain high academic standards and expectations, repeating lessons to Title I students who were absent, providing tutorial help to students following lessons prescribed by the teacher, providing immediate feedback on student performance, responding to students' questions and requests for assistance, observing students' work and study habits, assisting students in locating prescribed instructional materials and starting their assignments, assisting the classroom teacher in the delivery of an effective instructional program, working with individual students or small groups of students to reinforce learning of material and skills introduced by the teacher, helping students master equipment or instructional materials assigned by teacher, providing individualized instruction activities using materials and sequences selected by the special education teacher and other related services personnel, identifying pupil needs and providing instruction appropriate to those needs, following modifications and accommodations as specified in IEPs, administering informal assessments to accommodate students' specific modifications at the direction of a certified teacher, assisting with large group activities such as drill and practice, reading aloud, and storytelling, guiding independent study, enrichment work, and remedial work assigned by the teacher, assisting students in the library or media center, checking notebooks, correcting papers, and supervising testing and makeup work as assigned by the teacher, assisting with the supervision of students during emergency drills, assemblies, play periods, and field trips, administering, scoring, and recording achievement and diagnostic tests as the teacher recommends for individual students, encouraging students to strive to meet their highest potential, communicating classroom rules, and encouraging students to set and maintain standards of classroom behavior, assisting the teacher in devising special strategies for reinforcing material or skills based on an understanding of individual students, their needs, interests, and abilities, alerting the supervising teacher to any problem or special information about an individual student, serving as the chief source of information and help to any substitute teacher assigned in the absence of the regular teacher, keeping the supervising teacher informed of activities and any issues that may arise, operating and caring for equipment used in the classroom for instructional purposes, distributing and collecting workbooks, papers, and other materials for instruction, engaging children in conversation to encourage language development, taking all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, materials, and facilities, meeting the personal needs of children with disabilities including toileting, feeding, locomotion, and health needs, assisting, where appropriate, in loading and unloading the special education pupil from transportation buses or vans, keeping accurate records and maintaining individual records for each student, becoming familiar with basic special education knowledge as covered by the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act with an emphasis on due process procedures and confidentiality of information and records, completing clerical duties as assigned by the supervising teacher, attending faculty meetings as required, keeping immediate supervisor informed of activities and problems, assuming responsibility for his or her continuing professional growth and development through such efforts as reading professional journals and other publications, seeking assistance should emergencies arise, representing the school district in a positive manner, knowing and following school district policy and chain of command, and performing other duties as assigned.