Ed Para,Pre-K,C

Orange County Public Schools•Orlando, FL

About The Position

Under direct supervision, this position provides staff support in an educational or childcare environment by assisting teachers and pre-kindergarten-age students. The employee works with children individually or in small groups, providing basic instruction and supporting developmentally appropriate abilities and skills. The role also assists teachers with moving children to scheduled activities, including lunch, rest time, and restroom visits. Duties are performed according to the needs of assigned teachers, along with related work as directed. The position supports children's safety, conduct, learning, and development; helps prepare and maintain instructional materials and classroom resources; and keeps accurate records. Employees may also perform monitoring duties in locations such as hallways, lunchrooms, restrooms, and buses, or assist in various labs. All applicants must meet the highly qualified requirement before starting employment with Orange County Public Schools.

Requirements

An associate’s degree or higher, or at least 60 semester hours from an accredited institution of higher education; an official transcript is required to validate education.
A passing score on the paraprofessional certification exam may substitute for the educational requirement to meet highly qualified status.
Must be highly qualified before starting employment with Orange County Public Schools.
Ability to fulfill the dexterity and physical requirements of the work and effectively attend to the needs of pre-school-age children.
Ability to operate standard office equipment.
Ability to perform basic arithmetic and follow detailed written or oral instructions.

Nice To Haves

Previous vocational training or work experience in a licensed childcare environment is preferred.

Responsibilities

Respond to internal and external customers in a timely, accurate, courteous, and empathetic manner, representing OCPS positively.
Monitor pre-kindergarten-age children’s activities and behavior, including when classroom teachers are absent, to help ensure their safety and appropriate conduct.
Assist teachers in supervising classroom learning activities and provide assistance and learning support to children.
Provide instruction prescribed by the supervising teacher and reinforce skills using activities such as games and stories.
Help evaluate children’s progress objectively and teach individuals or small groups in accordance with instructional guidelines.
Assist children with gross motor and fine motor activities.
Assist with lesson-plan preparation and teacher pre-planning sessions, and contribute to classroom activities and learning tools.
Observe and inform teachers of potential learning or communication deficiencies, monitor children’s progress, and document learning activities and diagnoses.
Prepare or assist with instructional materials and related support tasks, including copying, laminating, typing correspondence, and filing.
Coordinate with media center staff for classroom learning resources and set up classroom equipment for instructional activities.
Help prepare bulletin boards, classroom decorations, and displays of children’s activities.
Maintain attendance records, assign student seating, and learn assigned bus routes.
Maintain accurate and complete data records, including entering scores and children’s data using a computer terminal when needed.
Perform assigned monitoring duties, such as hallway, lunchroom, restroom, and bus duty, and promote appropriate student conduct.
When assigned, assist teachers and provide instruction or information to students in various labs.
Keep up to date on job-appropriate technology used by OCPS and attend district-supported training to maintain the required skill level.
Maintain timely and accurate information as part of job responsibilities.
Perform related duties as directed.