Job Title: Special Education Paraeducator I

Department: Special Services

Reports To: Building Principal

FLSA Status: This is a 7-hour-per-day position following a ten-month work schedule. The role does not include a benefits package, it offers one sick day per month and four personal days annually. Compensation is based on the classified salary schedule.

Contact Information:

Danelle Stutzman
Phone: (208) 679-2400
Email: dstutzman@minidokaschools.org

JOB SUMMARY:
The Special Education Paraeducator provides assistance to special education teachers, assisting in the implementation of students’ Individual Education Plans (IEPs). The position works with students with a variety of 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 may be assigned to either an elementary or secondary school. The principal 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.

QUALIFICATIONS:

High School Diploma or its recognized equivalent;
Associates degree, or two years of study at an institution of higher education (48 credits), or ParaEducator State Test Certificate;
Red Cross First Aid and CPR certification preferred.

Knowledge of:

Basic educational procedures and objectives, including classroom instruction and presentation, preparation of teaching materials and aids, behavior management and modification, testing, tutoring, and student-teacher relations and interactions;
Basic special education methods and procedures for dealing with students with a variety of 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, curriculum implementation, materials preparation, and classroom management;
Maintain a calm personal demeanor and remain focused in situations of high stress;
Prepare and maintain required records, files, reports, logs, statistics, and documentation;
Perform basic office tasks including keyboarding, copying, and filing;
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, parents, teachers and staff members, and other District personnel;
Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
Perform multiple tasks simultaneously, including handling interruptions, and return to and complete tasks in a timely manner;
Perform time management and scheduling functions, meet deadlines, and set task priorities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES: (or other duties assigned by the Superintendent or Board).
Provides assistance to special education teachers in a separate or regular classroom environment;

Assists teachers in implementing students’ Individual Education Plans (IEPs);
Assists teachers by preparing, modifying, and adapting materials and presentations used in the classroom;
Assists teachers in administering 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, grading papers, clerical and record-keeping duties, creating and updating reports and files, and other documentation; and performing student observations, as directed;
Assists teachers with clerical duties including, but not limited to, copying, inputting records and data into a computer, inputting IEP data, 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;
Participates in appropriate training, workshop, and in-service programs;
Maintains student and District confidentiality;
Performs all work duties and activities in accordance with District policies, procedures and safety practices;
Performs school grounds, bus, noon, and other monitoring and safety duties, as assigned;
Performs other duties as assigned.

EVALUATION:
The performance of this position will be evaluated annually in accordance with provisions of the Board’s policy on the Evaluation of Classified personnel.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: (Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.). The physical demands and work environment indicated below are examples of the physical aspects this position classification must perform in carrying out essential job functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to communicate effectively on the telephone and in person and hear sounds within the normal range of conversation; prepare and review documents and process them in a prescribed order and organize documents and materials; comprehend situations involving the care and safety of special needs students requiring an appropriate response; to perform feeding, bathroom assistance, personal hygiene, and other operations required for the care of special needs students; operate a keyboard or type, handle materials, and operate standard office equipment; lift or move objects that weigh up to 50 lbs and team-lifting up to 100 lbs; physically restrain a student; and to work in a special needs and classroom environment. Jobs in this class require performing repetitive hand movement in gripping, finger and hand/wrist/arm movements. Related job tasks may require, with or without reasonable accommodation, walking, standing, sitting, lifting, stooping, squatting, kneeling, bending, crouching, pushing, grasping, and reaching.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:
All classified employees of the Minidoka County School District #331, including those in this position, are “at will” employees, meaning employment may be terminated by either the employer or employee at any time for any reason, consistent with applicable state or federal law. This job description/classification specification does not constitute an employment agreement and is subject to change as the needs of the District and position requirements evolve. Employment is contingent upon Board approval, successful completion of a federal background check, and a pre-employment drug-free workplace screen. The “at will” policy can only be altered if authorized in writing and approved by the Board of Trustees of District 331.

SPECIAL EDUCATION PARAEDUCATOR I