Special Education Assistant (SPED Paraprofessional)

Job Title:  Special Education Teacher Assistant (FLSA: Non-Exempt)
 
Job Objectives: Germantown Municipal School District’s Special Education Teacher Assistant staff members are expected to provide best instructional practices in ensuring that students have a quality educational experience evident by socio-emotional growth and academic achievement.
 
Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or GED required. Some experience working with students with disabilities, preferred
• A comparable amount of training and experience may be substituted for the minimum qualifications

Responsibilities and Essential Functions: Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class; employees may be assigned duties which are not listed below; reasonable accommodations will be made as required. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement and is subject to change at any time by the employer. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Perform responsible human support and paraprofessional work assisting classroom teachers or other professionals to achieve instructional objectives; assisting students with disabilities with achieving established goals and with personal care and mobility
• Assist classroom teacher in performing specific duties as assigned or undertaking specialized tasks to achieve and enhance instructional and behavioral objectives
• Work with individuals, small groups, or large groups as assigned teacher
• Assist with behavior modification as assigned by teacher
• Lift, move, and operate adaptive equipment
• Assist students with personal care tasks, including but not limited to, lavatory, clothing, hygiene, diapering, toileting, and wash-up routines
• Escort students as assigned by teacher or administrator
• Assist students with mobility needs such as, lifting and positioning students, lifting in and out of wheelchairs; loading and unloading on the bus; transporting students in and around the school and on field trips
• Monitor students during assigned periods within a variety of school environments for the purpose of maintaining a safe and positive learning environment
• Provide programmed practice activities and repetitions as developed by teacher, therapist, or pathologist
• Report student concerns directly and expeditiously to teacher and assist with student resolution
• Assist with breakfast, lunch, snack, including cleanup
• Maintain various records and files
• Perform related work as required
• Be prepared to perform the job in accordance with the GMSD Classified Staff Evaluation Plan 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• General knowledge of the practices, methods and techniques used in the teaching of special education population
• Ability to maintain files and information
• Skilled in the use of classroom and instructional equipment
• Ability to operate audio visual, standard office, word and data processing equipment
• Ability to operate adaptive equipment
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with teachers, parents, students, and administrators.
• Strong oral and written communication skills

Work Environment: 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

• Exposure to the following situations may range from remote to frequent based on circumstances and factors that may not be predictable
• Standard classroom environment
• The noise level in the work environment is moderate

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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

• Significant standing; some walking, moving, climbing, carrying, bending, kneeling, crawling, reaching, handling, pushing, and pulling
• Must have the ability to lift 60 lbs
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential tasks

GMSD offers education and employment opportunities without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, disability, genetics, or age