Teacher Aide

SUMMARY:
To ensure that the education program is operated in response to each student’s benefit and in compliance with relevant regulations.

Hourly rate of pay $19.50. Teacher Aide Shift is Monday through Friday, 7:45am - 3:15pm.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

• Carries out the planned daily schedule of activities under the direction and guidance of the special education teacher and teacher assistant.
• Participates in the process for program planning and implementation of staff assignments.
• Gives total personal care to student’s when necessary
• Ensures the safety and welfare of the assigned students.
• Consistently works on established goals with students.
• Follows established programs when working in the classroom.
• Attends scheduled in-services.
• Attends departmental meetings and other meetings as required by the Principal.
• Participates in comprehensive orientation program and follow up staff development programs.
• Is knowledgeable of all emergency procedures regarding the students, staff and facility.
• Participates in the physical management and maintenance of classroom supplies and equipment.
• Assists with all morning routines including: completing breakfast/ ADLs/ getting dressed for school, helping to find a lost item.
• Working with a behaviorist or other colleague regarding a support plan/ strategy, or management plan.
• Involvement with challenging behaviors up to/ including Code Blue incidents.
• On early release days (typically Wednesdays) teacher aides will continue their day at the residence with their assigned students until their residential staff arrives at each hall.

RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS
• Has a good attitude/team spirit
• A good role model for students
• Demonstrates a high level of professionalism with co-workers and supervisors
• Demonstrates respect for individuals
• Demonstrates the ability to work as a team with co-workers
• Demonstrates respect for supervisors and a willingness to learn

QUALIFICATIONS
• A minimum of high school diploma or GED
• A clean and valid NYS driver’s license preferred
• Experience working with people with developmental disabilities.
• Working knowledge of OPWDD regulations.
• Familiarity with Justice Center requirements
• Ability to handle emergencies in a professional manner.

WORKING CONDITIONS
• Maintains standard of high quality work
• Maintains high quality productivity
• Demonstrates good judgment and decision-making

SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITY

The Teacher Aide reports for work at the residential building clocked-in and on the floor at 7:45am. There will be a crossover of residential and school staff during the critical transition time, and this is important. Teacher Aides will be reporting to assigned locations (and maybe resident subgroups in the hall) across each of the four halls. The Teacher Aide must have a “total approach” to the work of helping the residential staff to complete the process of preparing for school and helping to bring residents to the bus for travel to school. Teacher Aides should have specific supervision assignments on the bus and as they travel to/from the bus and assigned locations (classroom/hall, etc.). A total approach means some or all of the following (and more) may be required immediately upon arrival and in preparation towards getting the residents ready for the bus:

• Completing breakfast/ ADLs/ getting dressed for school, helping to find a lost item,
• Working with a behaviorist or other colleague regarding a support plan/ strategy, or management plan,
• Involvement with challenging behaviors up to/ including Code Blue incidents even though they’re happening at the residence and not in the school at the time,

In the afternoon, residential staff are to be on-site and on the floor ready to receive residents as they return home from school. Staff are to be clocked-in, preparing common and individual spaces for residents, and helping school Teacher Aides to ensure that all are accounted for and supervised at all times from bus to bedroom/ hall. Teacher Aides are responsible for supervising residents through arrival at each resident’s hall, with her/his staff as assigned.

The job responsibilities of the Teacher Aide in the afternoon DO NOT end when the bus doors open for residents to disembark at the residential building.