Paraprofessional Educator – Special Education Special Programs Secondary
Location: ACT
Bargaining Unit: TOTEM
Work Year: 9 months
Work Day: 7.0 hours per day
FTE: Full time, .875 FTE
Salary: T-10, $20.53 to $21.40 per hour, DOE (plus an additional $1.00 per hour worked, not to exceed 8 hours per day)
Job Summary
The Secondary Special Programs Paraprofessional Educator implements special education services and supports under the direction of a special education teacher. The paraeducator provides instruction assistance to special education students primarily in special education classrooms, as well as in other settings within the schools. The position has a retirement association with the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS).
Job Requirements
* High school diploma or equivalent, or current enrollment in a GED program.
* Must meet paraprofessional requirements for the state of Alaska through one of the following methods: 48 college semester credits from a regionally accredited institution, OR a passing score of 459 or greater on the ETS Paraprofessional Assessment exam, OR passing the WorkKeys by ACT assessment, OR passing the ASD provided Master Teacher paraprofessional training.
* Basic literacy skills in reading, writing, and math.
* Excellent communication and customer service skills.
* Ability to establish and maintain a professional relationship with staff, parents, students, administrators, and the public.
* Ability to maintain confidentiality and inspire confidence and cooperation of staff, parents, students, administrators, and the public.
Preferred Qualifications
* Knowledge of first aid.
* One year of experience working with children with significant disabilities.
* Basic experience with office equipment and computer literacy skills including word processing, printing, and e‐mail.
* Ability to read and interpret documents such as Individual Education Plans (IEPs), behavior plans, and lesson plans under the direction of a special education teacher.
* Ability to readily implement details of individual students' behavioral support plans.
* Ability to remain calm and maintain a professional demeanor during times of conflict and make effective decisions under pressure.
* Ability to share essential information appropriately with fellow team members to aid in the development of individual student programs.
* Ability to read and interpret information from a variety of professionals, including psychologists, behavioral specialists, counselors, and mental health specialists, and under the direction of these specialists and the special education teacher, appropriately use the information to support students.
* For programs in neighborhood schools: Overall physical conditioning and ability to provide physical support for students in a variety of settings within the classroom or school. Ability and willingness to be trained on a variety of topics, including Positive Behavioral Supports, positive reinforcement techniques, appropriate behavioral interventions and de‐escalation techniques.
* A valid Alaska driver's license. ASD required vehicle insurance and willingness to use personal vehicle for department business.
Essential Job Functions
* Provides special education services and support for students individually or in small groups under the supervision of a special education teacher.
* Prepares or modifies instructional materials including assistive technology devices for student use.
* Collects data in accordance with student IEP goals and objectives as directed by certified special education staff.
* Collaborates and works cooperatively with colleagues and staff.
* Follows written and oral instructions and independently follows through on teacher‐directed programming/strategies.
* Implements and provides special education services and support for students as detailed in the IEP—planning and implementing accommodations and modifications, behavioral and social interventions, individual behavior improvement plans, providing instructional services, and assisting students to and from the bus.
* Attends to and provides for student's daily hygiene, personal, and health‐related care including dressing, feeding, toileting/diapering, etc. as directed by certified special education staff.
* Provides detailed, explicit information on students' functioning and progress that will assist teachers and related service personnel in developing appropriate learning and behavioral support.
* Assists in positioning/range of motion tasks for students such as lifting, repositioning, physically assisting, and transferring between apparatus.
* Assumes safety responsibilities for students when providing community‐based instruction and vocational training. Assists students in participating in community, recreational, school, and leisure activities.
* Supports the Anchorage School District's position of valuing diversity, promoting respect, and maintaining standards of confidentiality.
* Implements ASD approved de‐escalation techniques as required by district behavioral programs.
* Provides primary support in special education or regular education classroom environments. Provides additional support in other school settings per individual student need, including during lunch periods, breaks, and recesses as specified in the IEP.
* For Life Skills and Structured Learning classrooms: Provides support in special education classroom environments and also other school settings such as regular education classrooms, corridors, lunch room, gym, library, etc. Provides additional support in the community, providing community‐based and vocational instruction and participating in recreational activities.
Physical / Mental Demands
The physical demands of this job require frequent standing, walking, sitting, speaking and hearing. Specific visual abilities are also required. The employee is regularly required to reach with hands and arms and occasionally lift items weighing less than 40 lbs. Additionally, the employee must be able to understand vague and implicit instructions, be able to readily recall facts and details, handle conflict and make effective decisions under pressure. The employee must effectively manage the stress of working with students, parents, and other employees representing diverse cultures, personalities, and work styles in a dynamic work environment.
Work Environment
Work is performed in a professional environment with a wide variety of individuals having differing functions, personalities and abilities, including working with diverse groups of people in a variety of different settings. The employee may be exposed to a video display and outdoor weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
Additional Job Information
This job description does not state or imply that these are the only duties to be performed. Employees will be required to follow any other job‐related instructions and perform any other job related duties as requested by an authorized person.
Anchorage School District employees must possess the ability to read and write in English and communicate in English with staff, co‐workers, and the public. This includes the ability to comprehend and carry out oral and written directions and understand and follow English instructions and written documents.
Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a satisfactory criminal background check.
For certificated positions, the background check includes the certification process through the Alaska State Department of Education and Early Development (DEED).
This position may be required to work in ASD facilities on the military installations (JBER).
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The Anchorage School District is an equal employment opportunity employer.
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