SPECIAL EDUCATION PARAEDUCATOR (3-5) WISE PROGRAM

Preschool:

Preschool

paraprofessionals

are

responsible

for

all

students

within

the

preschool

classroom.

They

perform

duties

required

by

the

teacher

to

provide

students

with

the

support

they

need

in

toileting,

self-help

skills,

social

skills,

readiness

skills

and

play.

It

is

important

for

the

individuals

who

fill

this

position

to

be

patient,

positive,

comfortable

sitting

on

the

floor,

and

possess

the

love

of

play,

singing

and

dancing.

Individuals

in

this

position

are

required

to

perform

toileting

duties

as

needed

by

individual

students.

On

rare

occasions,

the

individual

in

this

position

may

need

to

display

swift

feet

to

catch

a

fleeing

child

as

well

as

training

in

emergency

physical

restraint

techniques.

WISE

and

ARTS

Fritz/Highland/DAG/Moran/LHHS/Sheehan

Elementary:

K-12:

This

program

services

special

education

students

in

grades

K-12.

The

emotional/behavioral/mental

health

needs

in

the

regular

setting

are

so

significant

that

there

has

been

a

documented

negative

impact

on

their

education.

The

program

provides

a

small,

highly

structured

environment

with

a

behavior

modification

program

to

assist

in

developing

prosocial

behaviors.

There

is

also

a

part-time

school

social

worker

and

school

psychologist

for

all

mental

health

and

behavioral

needs.

Paraprofessionals

in

this

position

are

required

to

implement

specific

behavior

plans

with

all

students

in

the

classroom.

The

paraprofessional

will

follow

guidance

from

the

mental

health

providers

in

regard

to

the

most

effective

strategies

to

use

with

individual

students.

It

is

important

for

the

individuals

who

fill

this

position

to

be

patient

and

positive,

willing

to

accept

feedback,

and

able

to

follow

behavior

plans

with

fidelity.

Individuals

in

this

position

should

also

have

training

in

emergency

physical

restraint

techniques.

S.T.A.R.S.

(Succeed

Together

and

Achieve

with

Responsive

Support)

Stevens/Pond

Hill/Dag:

STARS

is

Wallingford

Public

Schools'

specialized

autism

program

supporting

the

needs

of

students

with

autism

who

exhibit

significant

concerns

with

language,

behavioral

and/or

adaptive

skills.

This

is

an

ABA

(applied

behavioral

analysis)

based

program

designed

to

support

each

individual

students'

needs,

while

systematically

and

explicitly

increasing

language,

behavioral

and/or

adaptive

skills.

The

STARS

preschool

program

for

students

who

are

3

and

4

is

housed

at

Cook

Hill.

The

primary

program

for

students

in

grades

K-2

is

housed

at

Stevens,

and

the

elementary

program

for

students

in

grades

3-5

is

located

at

Pond

Hill.

Paraprofessionals

in

this

position

are

required

to

implement

specific

behavior

and

academic

plans

with

all

students

in

the

classroom.

The

paraprofessional

will

follow

guidance

from

the

BCBA

and

teachers

in

regard

to

the

most

effective

academic

strategies

to

use

with

individual

students.

It

is

important

for

the

individuals

who

fill

this

position

to

be

patient

and

positive,

willing

to

accept

feedback,

and

the

ability

to

follow

behavior

and

academic

plans

with

fidelity.

Individuals

in

this

position

should

also

have

training

in

emergency

physical

restraint

techniques.

INSPIRE

(Dag

Hammarskjold

Middle

School

and

Lyman

Hall

High

School):

INSPIRE

is

for

students

who

need

intensive

support

to

be

successful

in

the

public

school

setting.

Students

may

be

diagnosed

with

a

variety

of

exceptionalities

including

autism,

intellectual

disability,

or

multiply

handicapped.

They

typically

work

on

their

own

individualized

programs,

one-to-one

with

a

paraeducator

throughout

their

day.

These

students

are

primarily

non-verbal

and

attend

select

encore

and

core

classes.

Staff

make

efforts

to

ensure

that

students

attend

classes

with

their

grade

level

general

education

peers

whenever

possible.

Students

are

accompanied

by

a

paraeducator

for

core

social

studies

and

science

classes

and

in

certain

encores,

based

on

student

needs.

They

go

on

multiple

field

trips

to

learn

how

to

shop

efficiently

and

budget,

run

an

Inspire

Café

two

days

weekly,

and

work

on

a

supply

replenishment

list.

Life

skills

and

social

skills

are

taught

daily

through

both

small

groups

and

"on

the

spot"

training,

with

multiple

opportunities

for

"re-dos'

'

until

they

understand

and

master

the

skill.

Real-life

experiences

help

students

to

apply

learned

social

skills

and

life

skills

in

community

settings.

Wallingford

Transition

Academy:

This

is

a

transition

program

for

students

ages

18-21.

Paraprofessionals

in

this

role

will

provide

support/job

coaching

to

students

in

the

community

within

local

businesses.

While

in

the

WTA,

staff

will

also

assist

students

in

mastering

life

skills

such

as

banking,

cooking

and

maintaining

a

checkbook.