Early Childhood Special Education Program Assistant Teacher

POSITION GOAL:

Under general supervision to provide students with appropriate classroom services while assisting
teacher in maintaining a learning environment that enables students to master life skills appropriate to
age functional level and individual capacity; Student IEP goals and objectives; to perform a variety of
clerical and supportive tasks for instructional personnel; and to perform related work as required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Able to meet one of the following Michigan Department of Education requirements for approval as an
instructional assistant employed in programs for students with disabilities:

1. Be a high school graduate or equivalent with an associate degree or have completed two years of
college (60 college credits) from a community college or degree-granting institution.
2. Be a high school graduate or equivalent that has passed a rigorous standard of quality and
demonstration through a formal state or local academic assessment that has been approved by the
Michigan Department of Education for instructional paraprofessionals to meet the No Child Left
Behind act.
3. Be a high school graduate or equivalent which has a portfolio assessment that has met the Michigan
Department of Education guidelines for instructional paraprofessionals as outlined to meet the No
Child Left Behind act.

4. Ability to pass additional LARA background check
5. Responsibility of employee to obtain and maintain all training(s) certificate(s) approval(s) etc. and
provide documentation to the business office before expiration date of said document(s).
6. Must have regular and reliable job attendance performance and the physical ability to do the job.

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:

INSTRUCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Assist the teacher with the implementation of individual instructional and/or behavioral plans.
2. Assist the teacher with instruction in the cognitive domain (i.e. communication functional academic
skills etc.).
3. Assist the teacher with self-help skills development (i.e. toileting dressing/undressing eating etc.).
4. Assist the teacher with community based instruction (i.e. functional academics communication
mobility training social skills/behavior training recreation/leisure pre-vocational/vocational
training etc.).
5. Assist the teacher with group activities (i.e. group music special programs Christmas program
Talent Show etc.).
6. Assist the support/ancillary staff (i.e. PT OT etc.) with gross and fine motor skills (i.e. grasping
items mobility directionality etc.).
7. Assist physical education teacher with gym and swim programs.
8. Assist with creative arts program (i.e. music art crafts etc.).
9. Assist the Sub-Teacher in following teachers lessons plans completing student correspondence books
daily attendance and lunch counts.
10. Assist in committees for special events and programs during school hours (i.e. parties plays etc.).
11. Work as a team with teachers and other staff to pursue and meet individual performance objectives
collect student data assist students in personal care and create an organized positive and safe
classroom environment which maintains the dignity of the individual student.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Supervise the students during classroom activities students lunchtime and during recess periods on
the playground.
2. Assist in maintaining student discipline.
3. Assist in supervising emergency situations (i.e. tornado drills fire drills etc.).
4. Instruct assist and supervise loading/unloading of students including wheelchairs/adaptive
equipment from buses.
5. Assist the teacher in management of students during arrival and departure activities.
6. Assist the teacher with supervision of students out of the classroom and/or school building (i.e.
community based instruction/leisure field trips etc.).
7. Constantly monitor & evaluate the safety of all students and report any concerns to the teacher.

PHYSICAL ASSISTANCE RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Assist the students to and from bus and other activities outside of classroom.
2. Assist building staff in proper safety of lifting handling and transferring of students.
3. Assist the physical therapist and/or occupational therapist with the students therapy objectives.
4. Assist the students with swim class objectives (i.e. dressing undressing showering etc.).
5. Assist school nurse with first aid and student safety measures tube feeding and medication
distribution as needed.
6. Assist the teacher with physically aggressive students.
7. Must be able to lift 30 pounds.
8. Required to have a physical presence at the designated job site each and every day.

NON-INSTRUCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Assist the teacher with classroom clerical and record keeping duties (i.e. attendance lunch count base
lining task analysis sheets filing duplicating etc.).
2. Assist the teacher in operating a variety of school equipment (i.e. TV-VCR computer copy machine
etc.).
3. Complete accident and/or incident reports as needed.
4. Use universal precautions at all times for personal health and safety.
5. Participate in yearly CPI CPR/AED and first-aid training biyearly.
6. Assist the teacher in developing and constructing bulletin boards visuals and room preparation.
7. Assist the teacher in classroom maintenance and room clean-up (i.e. kitchen area laundry storage
etc.).
8. Assist the teacher with the preparation of instructional materials and teaching aids.
9. Attend and provide input at student/staff/team meetings and in-service when required.
10. Assist with communication to bus drivers as directed by teacher.
11. Actively seeks advice and information relating to job.
12. Adhere to the rules of confidentiality.
13. Assist with other school related responsibilities as assigned by both the teacher and/or the St. Joseph
County ISD administration.

REPORTS TO: Early Childhood/Special Education Supervisor
PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS: Early Childhood/Special Education Supervisor in collaboration with
Special Education Principal

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: Salary for this position is based on the MEAA Master Agreement. Position
will be in the ECSE program Monday-Thursday and Friday floating in Special Education classrooms as
needed. On the job travel required; mileage reimbursed per IRS guidelines.