Paraprofessional Educator Special Education Special Programs Preschool

Bargaining Unit: TOTEM
Work Year: 9 months
WorkDay: 6.5 hours per day
FTE: Full time .8125 FTE
Salary: T-10 $20.94 to $21.83 per hour DOE

This position receives an additional $1.00 per each hour worked not to exceed 8 hours per day.

Job Summary
The Paraprofessional Educator Special Education Special Programs Preschool implements special education services and supports under the direction of a special education teacher. The paraeducator provides instruction and assistance to special education students in special education classrooms regular education classrooms and other settings in the schools. The position has a retirement association with the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS).

Job Requirements
The following are required:

1. A high school diploma or equivalent or current enrollment in a GED program.
2. Must meet paraprofessional requirements for the state of Alaska through one of the following methods: 48 college semester credits from a regionally accredited institution OR a passing score of 459 or greater on the ETS Paraprofessional Assessment exam OR passing the WorkKeys by ACT assessment OR passing the ASD provided Master Teacher paraprofessional training.
3. Basic skills in reading writing and math
4. Excellent communication and customer service skills.
5. Ability to maintain confidentiality and inspire confidence and cooperation of staff parents students administrators and the public.
6. Ability to establish and maintain a professional relationship with staff parents students administrators and the public.

The following are preferred:

1. Knowledge of first aid.
2. One year experience working in general education special education agency or private school settings.
3. Experience working directly with young children Paraprofessional Educator experiencing disabilities.
4. Basic experience with office equipment andcomputer literacy skills including word processing printing and e-mail.
5. Ability to read and interpret documents such as Individual Education Plans (IEPs) behavior plans and lesson plans etc. under the direction of a special education teacher.
6. Ability to remain calm and maintain a professional demeanor during times of conflict and make effective decisions under pressure.
7. Ability to share essential information appropriately with team members to aid in the development of individual student programs.
8. Ability to be trained in specific instructional strategies programs and techniques and to implement training correctly and consistently.
9. Ability to take direction and follow through on tasks independently.
10. For parapros in preschool self-contained classrooms: experience working with young children ages 3 to 5 and working with students with disabilities.
11. For parapros on preschool CARE teams (community-based itinerant teams): experience working with young children ages 3 to 5 experience working with students with disabilities ability to work independently in a wide variety of settings and to interact in a positive way with other adults in community settings.
12. A valid Alaska drivers license ASD required vehicle insurance and the willingness to use personal vehicle for department business.

Essential Job Functions

1. Provides instructional services in reading math writing etc. to students individually or in small groups under the supervision of a special education teacher.
2. Prepares or modifies instructional materials for students as specified by special education teacher.
3. Collects data in accordance with student IEP goals and objectives as directed by certified special education staff.
4. Collaborates and works cooperatively with colleagues and staff.
5. Follows written and oral instructions and independently follows through on teacher directed programming/strategies.
6. Implements and provides special education services and supports for students as detailed in the IEP. Duties will include providing instructional services accommodations and modifications behavioral and social interventions individual behavior improvement plans personal hygiene assistance and assisting to and from buses.
7. The majority of the workday is spent in special education or regular education classroom environments. However student support may be required in other school settings as per individual student need. This may include providing assistance/monitoring during lunch periods breaks and recesses as specified in the IEP.
8. Supports ASDs position of valuing diversity promoting respect and maintaining standards of confidentiality.
9. For Life Skills and Structured Learning classrooms: Provides primary support in special education or general education classroom environments. Provides additional student support in other school settings such as restrooms corridors lunch rooms gyms conference rooms or playgrounds. This also includes assistance/monitoring during lunch periods breaks and recesses and assisting students to and from buses as specified in the IEP.
10. For preschool special education classrooms: Provides primary support in special education preschool classrooms including implementing health and safety standards and assisting with changing and toileting. Provides additional student support in other school settings such as restrooms corridors lunch room gym and playground. Will be required to attend students during outside recess on playground and to and from the bus.
11. For CARE teams: Provides primary special education support in ASD general education preschool classrooms as well as various private preschool childcare home and Head Start settings within the community. Job will require a valid drivers license and the ability to use own car for daily travel.

Physical /Mental Demands
The physical demands of this job require frequent standing walking sitting speaking and hearing. Specific visual abilities are also required. The employee is regularly required to reach with his/her hands and arms and occasionally lift items weighing less than 40 lbs. Additionally the employee must be able to understand vague and implicit instructions be able to readily recall facts and details handle conflict and make effective decisions under pressure. The employee must have the ability to effectively manage the stress of working with students parents and other employees representing diverse cultures personalities and work styles in a dynamic work environment.

The Anchorage School District is committed to providing reasonable accommodations according to applicable state and federal laws to all individuals with a qualified physical or mental disability.

Work Environment
Work is performed in a professional environment with a wide variety of individuals having differing functions personalities and abilities including working with diverse groups of people in a variety of different settings.

While performing the duties of this job the employee may be regularly exposed to a video display. The employee may be exposed to outdoor weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Additional Job Information
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job related duties as requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments.

Anchorage School District (ASD) employees must possess the ability to read and write in English. This also includes the ability to communicate in English with school staff co-workers and the public; as well as have the ability to comprehend and carry out oral and written directions and understand and follow English instructions and written documents.

Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a satisfactory criminal background check. For certificated positions this is in addition to the background check conducted through the certification process with the Alaska State Department of Education and Early Development (DEED).

This position may be required to work in ASD facilities on the military installations (JBER). Please visit the government REAL ID website for additional information.

The Anchorage School District is an equal employment opportunity employer.