[Hiring] Severe Needs Para Educator @Cherry Creek School District

Role Description

Under the guidance of licensed special education staff, assist students with severe special education needs by helping individuals or small groups of students with curriculum, implementing programming, generalizing learned skills, and implementing behavior strategies. Assist licensed special education staff by preparing materials, monitoring students, and recording student achievement and progress. Provide technical physical care for students. Maintain a clean and hygienic work environment where appropriate. When working in an online/remote environment, provide support to students by assisting them with access to remote learning, re-teaching curriculum, implementing programming, setting up executive functioning strategies, generalizing learned skills, and completing assignments. Assignments include:

• Autism
• Behavior Development (BD)
• Early Childhood Education
• Homebound (FAPE) Program
• Integrated Learning Center (ILC)
• Serious Emotional Disability (SED)
• Transition Programming

Qualifications

• High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma
• Criminal background check and fingerprinting required
• Mandatory biennial Crisis Prevention Intervention training provided by the District for staff working in an Autism, Behaviorally Disordered, or ILC assignment
• Medication administration training provided by the District as needed
• Basic knowledge of typical office equipment such as telephones, copiers, fax machines, email, etc.
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Intermediate verbal and written communication skills
• Intermediate interpersonal relations skills
• Intermediate organizational skills
• Ability to work alone and with others
• Ability to appropriately modify curriculum
• Ability to implement behavior modification techniques
• Ability to diffuse and manage volatile and stressful situations
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in all aspects of the job
• Ability to work one-on-one and in small groups with students
• If working in the DHH Program, ability to understand the impacts of hearing loss on learning and social interaction
• If working in the Homebound program, ability to set appropriate boundaries and build appropriate relationships while working in the home setting with families and other student healthcare providers
• If working in the Homebound program, the ability to have appropriate communication and boundaries with families while working in their homes with students

Requirements

• No professional work experience required
• Title I assignments must meet one of the following requirements:
  • Completed at least two years of study at an institution of higher education; or
  • Obtained an associate’s or higher degree; or
  • Met a rigorous standard of quality, and can demonstrate through a formal state or local academic assessment, knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing, as appropriate:
    • Reading/language arts, writing, and mathematics; or
    • Reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The subsequent duties outline the fundamental operations of the position and exemplify the nature of the tasks carried out. They do not encompass a comprehensive inventory of the obligations and responsibilities fulfilled in this role. The approximation of frequencies and time allocation percentages are flexible and subject to the requirements of the organization.

• Assist students with classroom activities, including adapting the curriculum to individual student needs. Assist with curriculum delivery to both individuals and small groups to ensure generalization of skills. (Daily, 35%)
• Implement student accommodations, supports, modifications, procedures, and programming outlined in the student's Individual Education Plan (IEP). Maintain records of student progress and behavior in conjunction with licensed staff, which may include special reports, providing feedback, and reporting observations to the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team. (Daily, 30%)
• Assist special education licensed staff in preparing materials, administering tests, attendance, etc. Assist with paperwork and documentation as needed. Assist with other classroom events, such as fire drills, as necessary. (Daily, 5%)
• Perform other duties as assigned or requested. (Daily, 5%)

Reporting Relationships

This job has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

The physical demands, mental functions, cognitive capacities, and work environment factors required to perform a position’s essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work location is subject to change to meet the requirements of the organization
• Medium work strength level (lifting or carrying 50 pounds)
• Primarily works indoors
• Typically a moderate noise level
• Prolonged standing and walking
• Frequent bending, reaching, and climbing
• Frequent lifting, pulling, and/or pushing
• Squatting
• Overhead work
• Eye/hand coordination (e.g., typing, ten key)
• Visual concentration

Desired Qualifications

• Experience working in the public sector, specifically public education
• Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Racially conscious and culturally competent with the skill, will, capacity, and knowledge to commit to a culture of continuous improvement
• Associate’s degree
• Work with special needs children in a paid program or licensed special education teaching experience
• Experience working with students with autism, behavior challenges, medically fragile conditions, hearing or vision loss, or intellectual disabilities
• CPR and First Aid certification