Middle School/High School Academic Assistant/Para

Who We Are

Since its founding in 2010, Challenge Preparatory Charter School (Challenge Prep) has provided students and families with a successful academic program in Far Rockaway, Queens. We currently serve over 1200 scholars from Kindergarten to 12th grade across 3 sites. Our school's mission is to prepare students from the greater Far Rockaway community to excel academically, to demonstrate mastery of the NY State Learning Standards, and to achieve their career aspirations. Challenge cultivates and supports the intellectual, aesthetic, social, emotional, and ethical development of its students and prepares them to be responsible 21st century citizens. To accomplish its mission, Challenge offers a rigorous instructional program in a safe, supportive, technology-infused and data-enriched and social-emotional learning sequence, authentic field experiences, career counseling, and college coursework. It is understood that we are one organization with multiple sites, and it is expected that all members of the team collaborate to support all of our scholars.

Understanding the Role:

The Academic Assistant assists the teachers and scholars in the classroom and also in extracurricular activities if required. The Academic Assistant will also act as a source of information to the students. The main aim is to enable the scholars to pursue their academic goals and also allow the instructors to carry out the instructional activities efficiently while maintaining operational excellence. The Academic Assistant will help the instructors in preparing and revising instructional material and also distributing the same to the students in the classroom. The Academic Assistant will perform several tasks on the job and maintain a smooth flow of tasks and communication in a classroom, as well as various operational duties. The Academic Assistant will work out of the Main Office, but also be on the move throughout the school day as they will be assigned to various duties and tasks that take them out of the Office. They will still be one of the primary points of contact for families, maintaining high levels of customer service, and should staff the Office during peak visiting hours. This role reports to the Principal of their assigned grade span (i.e., K-5, 6-8, or 9-12).

Overall Job Goals and Responsibilities:

The staff of Challenge Preparatory School is committed to teaching scholars the values of scholarship, respect, honesty, courage, and balance in a collaborative, technology-infused, inclusive family-like environment. It is the responsibility of the Academic Assistant to:

• Prepare instructional materials, test papers, scorecards, handouts, and other materials necessary for tutoring and evaluation of students
• Mark attendance of students and prepare weekly and monthly attendance reports for every student
• Inform the students about the classroom schedule, upcoming tests and assignments, assessment results, extracurricular activities, or any other events on the premises
• Set up and operate audiovisual types of equipment such as a projector
• Participate in community service activities, after-school and family events, or any other activities aimed at social betterment.
• Supervise student arrivals, dismissals, and late arrivals
• Monitors students during assigned periods within a variety of school environments (classroom, restroom, hallway, recess, busing, field trips, lunch, playground, etc.)
• Assisting operational and teaching staff with tasks that include, but are not limited to:
• Maintaining storage and supply areas,
• Assisting with unpacking/checking of materials
• Updating bulletin boards throughout the building
• Making copies and distributing materials to classes or students
• Manages tasks associated with emergency preparedness (i.e., updating emergency clipboard and evacuation routes, and sending out approved communication to families during or after emergencies; understanding all emergency protocols; and being a content expert for staff)
• Take shifts covering the Main Office as necessary
• Ensure that the space is always beautiful and welcoming for parents and visitors
• Critical forms and information for families should always be on display, and desks and floors should be free of clutter and boxes
• Responsible for responding to the Main Office email and voicemail within 24 hours of receiving
• Responsible for reiterating school attendance policies when families arrive late or are absent
• Supporting accurate attendance, compiling daily reports to send school-wide.
• ••Other duties as assigned

Who We Seek

• We will consider candidates who can demonstrate:
• Commitment to and alignment with the CPCS mission, vision, program goals, and curriculum
• Teamwork, organizational skills, and dedication.
• Strong communication skills with scholars and staff.
• Positive experience in taking the initiative, assuming accountability, and being productive.
• Ability to create a positive school culture that is welcoming, fun, and conducive to learning.
• Evidence of commitment to continuous professional growth

Qualifications

• Have a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma
• Completion of at least 2 years of study at an institution of higher education is preferred
• NYS Level 1 Teacher Assistant Certification required
• Teaching experience in an urban school setting preferred

$45,000 - $50,000 a year

The salary is based on experience and qualification.

Work Year

This is a full-time, twelve-month position.

School Sites

Grades K-1: 1279 Redfern Avenue, Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Grades 2-5: 710 Hartman Lane, Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Grades 6-8: 1520 Central Avenue, Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Grades 9-12: 1520 Central Avenue, Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Recruitment Process

Phase I - Phone interview with a member of the recruitment team

Phase II - In-person Interview with the Middle/High School Leadership Team

Phase III Reference Checks

Final - Offer and Contract with a tentative start date

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.