Paraprofessional

CESA 7 is seeking to hire Paraprofessional staff to support Sugar Maple Nature School.

The vision of Sugar Maple Nature School (SMNS) is to create an environment where students are connected to the outdoors every day. The school will accomplish this through the mission to serve as a laboratory for outdoor learning which amplifies the outcomes of public education, serves learners of all abilities and needs, fosters a deep connection to the environment, and prepares students for success in school and life. Sugar Maple Nature School will provide rich, diverse, and authentic learning experiences for students in K-8th grade through a nature-based, inquiry-based, and community-based learning environment.

The SMNS paraprofessional is part of a small team of this elementary charter school and will be primarily responsible to support students through the learning process and support learning into which academic work and our core values of curiosity, adventure, and community are infused. Through their daily work with students, families, and colleagues they embody the mission of the school.

A SMNS paraprofessional is passionate about learning, their students, and innovative teaching in the outdoors. The individual in this position will be a creative, flexible, spontaneous, professional who possesses the ability to excel in unstructured environments. This position will be collaborative in student-centered, nature-based education and be comfortable outdoors in all kinds of weather. In addition, an understanding of inquiry-based learning philosophy and child development principles are critical components of success.

The SMNS paraprofessional will work closely with the principal, teaching staff, and the administrative assistant to create a school community that reflects the vision of the Sugar Maple Nature School. Class sizes at SMNS are 18-22 students each.

Essential functions of this position include, but is not limited to the following:

• Participate on small school team.
• Support classroom management, small group lessons, preparation and organization.
• Support and participate in special activities for students.
• Support nature-based, inquiry-based, and community-based learning and integrate content standards.
• Attend appropriate conferences, workshops and in-services; participate in appropriate professional development as required by DPI.
• Communicate with parents using a variety of methods as needed.
• Assist in planning and delivering community open-house events and information nights.
• Participate in selecting and ordering equipment, classroom supplies, and other materials for SMNS.
• Other duties as assigned.

The individual hired for this position must be able to demonstrate the following skills and abilities:

• Model the core values of SMNS.
• Demonstrate enthusiasm for learning outdoors year-round in all types of weather.
• Demonstrate a strong desire to collaborate in nature-based learning, student-centered education, and the ability to make school look a lot less like school.
• Enthusiastic, positive, motivated and likes to have fun on the job.
• Strong desire to create the best learning culture possible for students.
• Strong belief that an inclusive, nature-based learning environment offers a more productive and personalized way of educating all students.
• Ability to support instruction incorporating workshops, immersion, field experience, and traditional delivery to ensure that all individual student needs are met in accordance with preferred mode of instruction.
• Ability to work effectively with groups and individuals of all ages and abilities.
• Creative and imaginative approach to problem-solving and ability/willingness to think outside of the box.
• Experience using educational technology.
• Exhibit a high degree of confidentiality of sensitive information and process, and handle confidential information with discretion.
• Computer skills; comfortable using internet, email and social media; proficient with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint; proficient with Google Docs, Google Drive and Google Calendar.
• Naturalist skills and knowledge of Wisconsin natural history.

Additional skills preferred for this position include experience in outdoor education and expertise and/or training in music, art, physical education and/or extracurricular activities.

Due to the nature of the work being performed and the environment for this position, the individual hired must be able to physically traverse the Hawthorne Hills County Park trails with ease, be comfortable working outdoors year round in all types of weather conditions. In addition, the individual hired must be able to occasionally lift or move equipment up to 40 pounds.