Paraeducator - Severe Needs [3 positions]

DISTRICT OVERVIEW

Holyoke Public Schools is a PreK-12 public school district serving nearly 5100 students of whom 80 percent are Latino/Latina in 11 schools. We employ nearly 1300 people who together educate and support a richly diverse community of learners. We are committed to recruiting and retaining top-quality educators who believe all children can and will learn and who strive daily to make school a joyful place of discovery support and belonging.

Holyoke Public Schools strategic plan Moving Forward Together builds on the strengths of our past while serving as a call to action to accelerate student learning by thinking differently about how we teach how we work together and how we support students well being.

Our Equity Commitments are pledges we are making to address systemic equity challenges.

• We intentionally build a community that is anti-racist inclusive and culturally responsive.
• We ensure that students families and staff get the support they need to be successful.
• We seek out and incorporate the voices of those impacted with a commitment to include those who have been excluded in the past.
• We promote access and inclusion for all students staff and families.
• We respect embrace and honor the diversity of our students families staff and community.
• We reflect on our own behavior to minimize harm to others.
• We create a culture of acceptance and empathy so that everyone feels valued and is able to contribute to our communitys success.

Please visit the Holyoke Public Schools website to learn more about us as well as some of our recent accomplishments.

Job Description:

• Provide 1:1 support to a student or group of students with autism or other significant needs delivering consistent reinforcement of academic social-emotional and behavioral goals using evidence-based practices.

• Implement Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) strategies including prompting reinforcement task analysis and error correction as trained and directed.

• Collect daily data on student behavior and skill acquisition to support progress monitoring and inform instruction.

• Reinforce learning of materials and skills initially introduced by the teacher therapists and service providers ensuring fidelity to the students IEP and behavior intervention plan (BIP).

• Operate and care for instructional equipment and assistive technology; help students use specialized tools and learning materials.

  Support the implementation of individualized behavior modification programs; document behavioral data with consistency and professionalism (daily and weekly logs).

• Supervise and support students during emergency drills transitions lunch breakfast field trips and other school-based activities.

  Provide mobility and personal care support including toileting diapering wash-ups and tooth brushing as needed.

• Assist with feeding lunch/snack routines and clean-up promoting independence and self-care skills.

• Meet the bus upon arrival and assist students with entering/exiting the school safely including breakfast and transition routines.

• Work collaboratively with teachers related service providers and support staff to create a safe consistent and supportive learning environment tailored to students with autism and high needs.

• Demonstrate patience consistency and empathy while maintaining high expectations and clear boundaries.

• Maintain confidentiality and adhere to all safety procedural and ethical guidelines.

  Other duties as assigned by the Principal and Assistant Principal.

Qualifications:

• Associates Degree or higher; OR Completing at least two years or 48 credit hours of study at an institution of higher education; OR taking and passing a formal assessment measuring ones knowledge of and ability to assist classroom teachers in reading writing and mathematics. (WorkKeys or Parapro Assessment)
• Training or experience working with Special Needs Students preferred
• Experience working in an urban setting preferred
• Experience working with diverse student populations preferred
• Ability to read interpret and apply student performance data to instructional planning and execution
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; excellent teamwork skills
• Bilingual applicants (Spanish) are strongly encouraged to apply.