Opportunity Academy Paraprofessional SY26-27

DISTRICT OVERVIEW

Holyoke Public Schools is a PreK-12 public school district serving nearly 4800 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.

Many successes contributed to Holyokes return to local governance after 10 years in state receivership. These include:

• The highest graduation rate on record of 77.1 percent an increase of more than 15-points over 10 years
• Meaningful applied learning opportunities for high school students including theme-based academies career vocational technical education programming work-based learning and advanced coursework
• A comprehensive approach to early literacy that includes strong core instruction and one-on-one tutoring contributing to more students reading at grade level
• A thriving dual language English/Spanish program where nearly 900 students are on their path to becoming bilingual biliterate and bicultural

• More than one-third of Holyoke teachers identify as people of color a 19-point increase over 10 years. Many partnership programs support staff to earn licensure or additional certification.

Please visit the Holyoke Public Schools website to learn more about us our recent accomplishments and our commitment to equity.

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PERSPECTIVA GENERAL DEL DISTRITO

Las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke son un distrito escolar público que cuenta con 11 escuelas de prekínder a 12. grado y acoge a casi 4 800 estudiantes de los cuales el 80 % se identifica como latino o latina. Empleamos a casi 1 300 personas que en conjunto educan y apoyan a una comunidad de estudiantes altamente diversa. Estamos comprometidos a contratar y retener educadores de alta calidad que creen firmemente que todos los niños pueden aprender y aprenderán y que se esfuerzan diariamente por hacer de la escuela un lugar alegre de descubrimiento apoyo y pertenencia.

El plan estratégico de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke Avanzando Juntos se basa en nuestras fortalezas previas y al mismo tiempo sirve como un llamado a la acción para acelerar el aprendizaje estudiantil a través de una nueva perspectiva sobre cómo enseñamos cómo trabajamos en colaboración y cómo apoyamos el bienestar de los estudiantes.

Existen numerosos logros que permitieron a Holyoke recuperar el control local después de 10 años de administración judicial. Entre estos logros se encuentran:

• La tasa de graduación más alta registrada del 77.1 % lo que representa un aumento de más de 15 puntos porcentuales en 10 años
• Oportunidades significativas de aprendizaje práctico para estudiantes de secundaria que incluyen academias temáticas programas de educación técnica y vocacional aprendizaje basado en el trabajo y cursos avanzados
• Un enfoque integral de la alfabetización temprana que combina una sólida instrucción básica con tutorías individuales lo cual ha contribuido a que más estudiantes lean a nivel de grado
• Un próspero programa bilingüe de inglés/español en el que casi 900 estudiantes avanzan hacia el bilingüismo la biliteracidad y la biculturalidad.

• Más de un tercio de los maestros de Holyoke se identifican como personas de etnicidad diversa lo que representa un aumento de 19 puntos porcentuales en 10 años. Diversas colaboraciones con programas que han contribuido a que miembros del personal obtengan sus certificaciones o credenciales adicionales.

Visite el sitio web de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke para obtener más información sobre nuestra comunidad nuestros logros recientes y nuestro compromiso con la equidad.

Postition for SY26-27

Holyoke Public Schools (HPS) is seeking passionate student-centered paraprofessionals to join the team at Holyoke High School Opportunity Academy (HHSOA) an innovative alternative high school designed for students who have not found success on traditional campuses. We believe that schools are the unit of change and that paraprofessionals are essential to a schools success. At HHSOA paraprofessionals play a central role in building strong relationships with students supporting classroom instruction and helping students stay on track toward graduation. We are looking for educators who are committed to equity flexibility and helping every student thrive in a non-traditional setting.

HPS has engaged in a high school redesign process starting in 2018 with the founding of HHSOA as one of the three main high school campuses as a critical piece of that redesign. Built upon choice flexibility and access to diverse and challenging educational opportunities HHSOAs unique approach to the alternative model deepens student engagement and provides families and business and civic leaders explicit opportunities to partner with educators to help guide students career and college plans as well as strengthen our local economy; while simultaneously addressing each students path to graduation and post-secondary readiness through an individualized approach.

Key Features

1. Small Class Sizes: With a low student-to-teacher ratio students receive more one-on-one attention ensuring they are fully supported in their academic journey and have the opportunity to engage in meaningful interactions with instructors.
   
   
2. Core Curriculum: The English language arts (ELA) and Math curriculum draw upon the HPS curricula used in middle and high schools and are aligned to HPS course sequences. The science and history curricula draw upon the same standards as middle and high school courses but are organized as 1 semester courses in order to make room for a robust SEL program which includes opening and closing community and restorative circles a year-long course centered around healthy adolescent development and to ensure students have daily access to health fitness and the arts.. We offer a variety of electives and project-based learning to keep students motivated and involved. Students will also like their general education peers engage in activities events and opportunities that inform their preparation for opportunities and responsibilities beyond high school (athletics clubs and college and career planning and civic and family engagement).
   
   
3. Emotional and Social Support: In addition to academics we focus on emotional well-being self-regulation and social skills. Our counselors and support staff work with students to develop coping strategies self-confidence and resilience enabling them to build stronger relationships with peers and adults.
   
   
4. Clear Expectations and Abundant Support: Program systems and structures implemented by trained teachers and staff are designed to create an environment in which students can intentionally and thoughtfully learn from experience to make choices that support their success within school and beyond.
5. Scheduling: The school hours will be the same as Holyoke High School North and Dean Campus and students will be eligible for full participation in athletics and extra-curriculars.

Job description:

• Works with individual students or small groups of students to reinforce learning of material or skills initially introduced by the teacher.
• Operates and cares for equipment used in the classroom for instructional purposes.
• Helps students master equipment and/or instructional materials assigned by the teacher.
• Assists in the implementation of behavioral modification programs as directed and supervised by the teacher. Keep behavioral logs and data (daily and weekly).
• Assists with the supervision of students during emergency drills assemblies play periods and field trips.
• Assists students with mobility and personal care.
• Assists with lunch snack and cleanup routines.
• Dress for physical education activities so you can assist students.
• Meets the buses and assist students in breakfast and lunch routines
• Assists with wash-ups and toilet routines diapering and tooth brushing.
• Other duties as assigned

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. (Parapro Assessment and workKeys)
• Training or experience working with Special Needs Students preferred
• Experience working in an urban setting preferred
• Experience working with diverse student populations preferred
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; excellent teamwork skills
• Bilingual applicants (Spanish) strongly encouraged to apply

Required Experience:

Unclear Seniority