Special Education Paraprofessional

COSSA •Southwest / Boise •Special Education •Not Applicable •Full Time •Posted 2Y ago

About this job

CANYON-OWYHEE SCHOOL SERVICE AGENCY

Job Description


TITLE: Special Education Para-Professional


TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:


This position shall be considered in all respects “employment at will” and the employee
is subject to discharge by the Agency at any time without cause. The “employment
period” and other descriptions and terms set forth in this job description shall not create
a property right in the employee and such are set forth only to advise the employee of
when and what type of services will be required by the Agency so long as employment
continues.


The work schedule is to be determined by the calendar year.
Regular attendance is an essential function of this job.
As per Idaho Code 65-5-1/65-503: "Eligible veterans are
provided advantages in public employment in Idaho..."


The employee/employment is at all times subject to the rules, regulations, and policies
of the Agency as have been promulgated by the COSSA Board of Trustees and each
employee is held responsible for having knowledge of such rules, regulations, and
policies.


IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR:
Special Education Teacher & Director of Special Education


JOB SUMMARY:
The primary function of an employee in this class is to provide assistance to special
education teachers in the Resource Room (RR), Extended Resource Room (ERR),
Therapeutic Learning Classroom (TLC), Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE)
program, or Special Day Classroom; assisting in the implementation of students’
Individual Education Plans (IEPs). The Paraprofessional works with students with a
variety of mild to severe physical, emotional, and learning disabilities and may work with
an individual student or groups of students, both in a separate classroom facility or
facilitating inclusion into a regular classroom. The position is directly supervised by the
assigned COSSA Special Education Teacher with overall supervision by the COSSA
Director of Special Education. The primary duties of the position are performed in a
classroom environment and may include exposure to body fluids and some personal
injury risk from student behaviors. Days and hours shall be assigned by the Special
Education Director and District Office. Individual classroom hours shall be assigned by
the Special Education Teacher and may vary due to staffing needs.


QUALIFICATIONS

● High school diploma or GED equivalent required; college or other advanced
education or training is preferred; and
● Classroom or other instructional experience is preferred; and

● Experience with special needs children is preferred; or

● Any equivalent combination of experience and training providing knowledge and
abilities to perform the work.


ESSENTIAL DUTIES

● Provides assistance to special education teachers in the special education
program;

● Assists teachers in implementing students’ Individual Education Plans (IEPs);

● Assists teachers by preparing lesson plans and preparing, modifying, and
adapting materials and presentations used in the classroom;

● Assists teachers in administering diagnostic, skills, and level testing;

● Assists students with classroom and homework assignments, tutoring, or other
supplemental instruction;

● Assists students with socialization, personal hygiene, medications and physical
therapy, nutritional, and related personal tasks as needed;

● Assists students individually and/or in a group situation, both in a separate
classroom learning facility or by facilitating inclusion into regular classrooms;

● Assists regular classroom teachers by preparing, modifying, and adapting
classroom presentations and materials to assigned students;

● Assists teachers with classroom activities, classroom management, lesson
plans, grading papers, clerical and record-keeping duties, creating and updating reports and
files, and other documentation, as directed;

● Performs substitute teacher duties in the absence of the teacher;

● Assists teachers with clerical duties including, but not limited to, copying,
inputting records and data into a computer, faxing, text and document preparation, and
related duties;

● Assists in maintaining the classroom in a clean, neat, and orderly status,
prepares bulletin boards and displays, and maintains classroom supply levels;

● Assists with student supervision on field trips and related extracurricular
activities;

● Performs school grounds, bus, noon, and other monitoring and safety duties, as
assigned

● Participates in appropriate training, workshop, and in-service programs;

● Performs other related duties as assigned;

● Performs all work duties and activities in accordance with COSSA & District
policies, procedures and safety practices


KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES


Knowledge of:

● Basic educational procedures and objectives, including classroom instruction and
presentation, preparation of teaching materials and aids, behavior management and
modification, testing and grading, tutoring, and student -teacher relations and
interactions;

● Basic special education methods and procedures for dealing with students with
mild to severe physical, emotional, and/or learning disabilities;

● Operation of classroom instructional equipment;

● Operation of standard office equipment;

● Operation of a personal computer and job-related software.


Ability to:

● Follow written and oral instructions and observe District policies and procedures;

● Interpret and modify classroom instructions, materials, and presentations to the
appropriate learning level of the assigned student;

● Prepare and provide basic classroom services for special needs students,
including but not limited to, instruction, tutoring, student evaluation, lesson plans,
curriculum implementation, materials preparation, and classroom management;

● Maintain a calm personal demeanor and remain focused in situations of high
stress;

● Perform multiple tasks simultaneously, including handling interruptions, and
return to and complete tasks in a timely manner;

● Prepare and maintain required records, files, reports, logs, statistics, and
documentation;

● Operate classroom instructional equipment;

● Perform basic office tasks including keyboarding, copying, and filing;

● Perform time management and scheduling functions, meet deadlines, and set
task priorities;

● Establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, teachers
and staff members, and other District personnel;

● Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;

● Maintain student, school, and parental confidentiality;

● Demonstrate integrity, ingenuity and inventiveness in the performance of
assigned tasks.


ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL ABILITIES

● Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing, with or without reasonable
accommodation, which permits the employee to discern verbal instructions,
communicate effectively in person, and to hear sounds within the normal range of
conversation;

● Sufficient visual acuity, with or without reasonable accommodation, which
permits the employee to comprehend written work instructions and comprehend,
prepare, and review a variety of written and text documents and
materials;

● Sufficient manual dexterity, with or without reasonable accommodation, which
permits the employee to physically interact with secondary -level students with a variety
of disabilities and operate classroom instruction equipment and office equipment,
including a personal computer;

● Sufficient personal mobility, agility, strength, and reflexes, with or without
reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to bend, stoop, kneel, stand,
walk, run or sit for long periods of time, lift a minimum of 40 pounds, and physically
interact with and control students, including applying prescribed restraint techniques, in
a special education classroom environment.


EVALUATION

Yearly by Supervisor and/or Director of Special Education

Education required

High School Diploma or GED equivalent required

Experience required

Advanced education or training is preferred and classroom or other instructional experience with special needs children

Skills required

Ability to demonstrate basic competency in Reading, Math, and Writing by successfully passing the Paraprofessional assessment

Benefits

$9.19 - 15.38 per hour

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

COSSA is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.