SPED Instructional Assistant - Sieden Prairie

Elementary

School

District

159

Job

Description

TITLE:

Instructional

Assistant

DEPARTMENT:

Student

Services

EFFECTIVE

DATE:

Immediately

POSITION

SUMMARY

Special

education

paraprofessionals

assist

students

with

special

needs

under

the

direction

of

a

certified

teacher.

Paraprofessionals

generally

work

in

a

class

room

all

day,

but

may

serve

as

a

one-on-one,

transitioning

and

supporting

students

in

common

areas

of

the

building.

The

special

education

paraprofessional

assists

the

teacher

in

general

daily

classroom

activities,

helps

students

with

special

needs,

and

cares

for

their

physical,

social-emotional

wellness,

health

and

safety;

affirming

their

abilities,

striving

to

promote

dignity

in

all

relationships.

One

of

the

primary

job

functions

of

a

special

education

aide

is

to

provide

support

to

the

teacher

in

a

classroom

setting.

Though

the

other

duties

of

an

aide

may

vary

depending

on

the

needs

of

the

students,

all

aides

can

expect

to

work

directly

with

teachers

on

tasks

like

lesson

preparation,

materials

and

paperwork.

The

nature

of

working

with

special

needs

students

requires

aides

to

calmly

handle

difficult

and

stressful

situations

daily.

In

addition

to

compassion,

patience,

and

understanding,

aides

must

be

able

to

easily

adapt

and

closely

listen

to

detailed

instructions

provided

by

teachers,

since

numerous

teaching

methods

are

used

in

special

education

classrooms.

Organization

and

initiative

are

necessary,

as

well

as

above-average

communication

skills-including

speaking

and

writing

skills.

Knowledge

of

different

cultural

backgrounds

is

a

plus,

especially

if

an

aide

plans

to

work

in

an

urban

area.

Experience

with

medical

equipment

such

as

wheelchairs,

braces,

feeding

tubes,

diapers,

translation

tools,

catheters,

tracheal

tubes,

and

hygiene

products

could

be

needed.

ORGANIZATIONAL

RELATIONSHIPS

Reports

to:

Building

Principal/Director

of

Student

Services

Supervises:

N/A

ESSENTIAL

DUTIES

AND

RESPONSIBILITIES

1.

Assisting

students

in

achieving

academic

success.

2.

Working

with

students

who

may

be

dysregulated

in

class.

3.

Behavior

support

which

includes

physical

management

(training

provided

upon

hire).4.

Personal

care,

social

integration

and

being

proactive

in

matters

relating

to

health

and

safety.

4.

Special

ed

aides

are

also

relied

on

to

help

students

in

the

classroom

with

physical

requests,

such

as

eating,

grooming,

and

toileting.

5.

Most

importantly,

aides

ensure

a

safe

environment

and

prevent

students

from

hurting

themselves

or

others.

6.

Other

duties

as

needed

could

include

preparation

of

classroom

materials,

lunch

or

bus

duty,

meetings,

conferences

with

parents,

or

one-on-one

tutoring.

7.

Consultation

and

collaboration

with

Special

Education

and

related

service

staff,

as

well

as

coordinator.

8.

Assist

in

the

lunchroom

supervision.

9.

Support

the

Mission

Statement

of

Elementary

School

District

159.

10.

Behave

and

speak

in

a

professional

manner

at

all

times.

11.

Set

a

good

example

in

terms

of

dress,

punctuality,

and

attendance.

12.

Attend

staff

and

team

meetings.

13.

Any

and

all

other

duties

as

may

be

assigned

per

the

ESD

159

Policy

and

Procedure

Handbook

and

Evaluation

Plan.

QUALIFICATIONS

To

perform

this

job

successfully,

an

individual

must

be

able

to

perform

each

essential

duty

satisfactorily.

The

requirements

listed

below

are

representative

of

the

knowledge,

skill,

and/or

ability

required.

Reasonable

accommodations

may

be

made

to

enable

individuals

with

disabilities

to

perform

the

essential

functions.

EDUCATION

AND/OR

EXPERIENCE:

High

School

Diploma

or

equivalent.

Minimum

of

2

years

of

college

experience.

CERTIFICATES

AND

LICENSES:

Must

possess

a

valid

First

Aid

Card,

CPR

Certificate,

and

CPI

card.

Must

possess

a

valid

Illinois

Paraprofessional

Educator

License

MATHEMATICAL

SKILLS:

Ability

to

add

and

subtract

two-digit

numbers

and

to

multiply

and

divide

with

10's

and

100's.

Ability

to

perform

these

operations

using

units

of

American

money

and

weight

measurement,

volume

and

distance.

LANGUAGE

AND

WRITING

SKILLS:

Ability

to

read

and

interpret

documents

such

as

safety

rules,

IEP's,

lesson

plans,

and

another

classroom

procedure

manual.

Must

be

able

to

write

complete

and

grammatically

correct

English

sentences.

REASONING

ABILITY:

Ability

to

independently

problem-solve

unique

student

and

employer

situations.

Ability

to

understand

and

carry

out

detailed

written

and

oral

instructions.

PHYSICAL

DEMANDS:

The

physical

demands

described

here

are

representative

of

those

that

must

be

met

by

an

employee

to

successfully

perform

the

essential

functions

of

this

job.

Ability

to

supervise

children,

maintain

effective

working

relationships

with

children

and

staff.

Reasonable

accommodations

may

be

made

to

enable

individuals

with

disabilities

to

perform

the

essential

functions.

While

performing

the

duties

of

this

job,

the

employee

is

continuously

required

to

sit

and

occasionally

required

to

walk

or

stand.

The

employee

will

frequently

bend

or

squat,

twist

at

the

neck

and

trunk

while

performing

the

duties

of

this

job.

The

employee

frequently

uses

hands

to

write

notes

and

documentation,

and

is

continuously

monitoring

students

on

the

job.

The

employee

must

occasionally

lift

and/or

move

up

to

75

pounds

such

as

students.

Specific

vision

abilities

required

by

this

job

include

distance

and

close

vision,

color

vision,

depth

perception

and

peripheral

vision.

The

work

environment

characteristics

described

here

are

representative

of

those

an

employee

encounters

while

performing

the

essential

functions

of

this

job.

Reasonable

accommodations

may

be

made

to

enable

individuals

with

disabilities

to

perform

the

essential

functions.

While

performing

the

duties

of

this

job,

the

employee

occasionally

works

in

temperatures

above

100°

and

below

32°

and

occasionally

will

walk

on

slippery

surfaces.

The

employee

must

be

able

to

meet

deadlines

with

severe

time

constraints

and

interact

with

the

public

and

other

workers.

The

employee

has

direct

responsibility

for

the

safety

and

well-being

of

others.

The

noise

level

in

the

work

environment

is

frequently

loud

to

where

you

have

to

raise

your

voice

to

be

heard.

CLEARANCES:

Criminal

Justice/Fingerprint

Clearance

TB

Clearance

SALARY/HOURLY

PAY:

Based

upon

Support

Staff

Agreement

The

salary

for

this

position

will

be

in

accordance

with

the

salary

schedule

in

the

support

contract.

WORK

ENVIRONMENT

AND

CONDITIONS

Work

environment

characteristics

and

physical

demands

described

here

are

representative

of

those

that

must

be

met

by

an

employee

to

successfully

perform

the

essential

functions

of

this

job.

Reasonable

Accommodations

may

be

made

to

enable

individuals

with

disabilities

to

perform

the

essential

functions.

Elementary

School

District

159

is

an

equal

opportunity

employer

that

is

committed

to

diversity

and

inclusion

in

the

workplace.

We

prohibit

discrimination

and

harassment

of

any

kind

based

on

race,

color,

sex,

religion,

sexualorientation,

national

origin,

disability,

genetic

information,

pregnancy,

or

any

other

protected

characteristic

as

outlined

by

federal,

state,

or

local

laws.

This

job

description

should

not

be

interpreted

as

all-inclusive

or

as

an

employment

agreement

between

the

employer

and

employee.

It

is

intended

to

identify

the

essential

functions

and

requirements

of

this

job

and

is

subject

to

change

as

the

needs

of

the

employer

and

requirements

of

the

job

change.

Incumbents

may

be

required

to

perform

job-related

responsibilities

and

tasks

other

than

those

stated

in

this

specification.

Any

essential

functions

of

this

position

will

be

evaluated

as

necessary

should

an

incumbent/applicant

be

unable

to

perform

the

function

or

requirement

due

to

a

disability

as

defined

by

the

Americans

with

Disabilities

Act

(ADA).Reasonable

accommodation

for

the

specific

disability

will

be

made

for

the

incumbent/applicant

when

possible.

TERM

OF

EMPLOYMENT:

10

Months

EVALUATION:

Performance

will

be

evaluated

in

accordance

with

Board

policies

and

procedures

on

the

evaluation

of

professional

staff.