ED PARA,INTENSIVE DISAB,C (ESE)

Orange County Public Schools•University, FL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Under direct supervision, provides assistance in the education, care, and development of students with severe disabilities. Performs instructional, clerical, and behavioral management duties under the direction of a certified teacher, guidance counselor, or administrator. Essential functions are carried out according to the exceptional needs of assigned students, with related work performed as directed. The position involves providing instructional, behavioral, developmental, and daily living support; assisting with positive behavioral supports and crisis intervention; monitoring students’ medical and social-emotional needs; and helping teachers prepare learning activities, accommodations, behavior plans, and progress-monitoring information. Employees may also support students during transportation, meals, restroom visits, school activities, and assigned monitoring duties. Applicants must meet the highly qualified requirement before starting employment. New hires must complete ESE Training within 45 days of hire. The role requires the ability to meet substantial physical demands, including lifting and carrying heavy objects, and may involve exposure to violence when working with severely disabled or emotionally disturbed children. Orange County Public Schools will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Requirements

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.
Passing the paraprofessional certification exam may substitute for the education requirement for highly qualified status.
Must be highly qualified before starting employment with Orange County Public Schools.
At least two years of experience working with exceptional-needs school-age children (Pre-K through Grade 12) in an educational environment that provides broad familiarity with the physical and emotional behaviors and challenges of severely disabled children; additional education may substitute for experience year for year.
Strong stress-management skills.
Ability to meet the dexterity and physical requirements of the work and effectively attend to the needs of school-age children with special needs.
Must successfully complete ESE Training within 45 days of hire.
Ability to operate, maneuver, or control special-needs equipment and devices.
Ability to assist people in carrying out specialized therapeutic or physical care plans and procedures.
Ability to exercise judgment and apply facts and principles to develop approaches and techniques for resolving problems.

Nice To Haves

Previous vocational training or work experience in a licensed child-care environment is preferred.

Responsibilities

Respond to internal and external customers in a timely, accurate, courteous, and empathetic manner, representing OCPS positively.
Provide instructional, behavioral, and developmental assistance to students with severe disabilities as directed by a supervising teacher or other certified professional.
Apply basic positive behavioral support practices and assist students in learning problem-solving skills.
Assist with behavior interventions, including monitoring and charting student behaviors.
Apply crisis-intervention principles for students displaying aggressive behavior who may require physical restraint.
Assist students arriving on buses; take them to and from learning areas; help transfer students from wheelchairs; and monitor individual medical and social-emotional needs.
Provide support and follow-up for students with severe disabilities assigned to in-school suspension.
Reinforce school and classroom rules, encourage appropriate behavior, and identify inappropriate behavior using a positive behavioral support approach.
Escort and provide one-on-one assistance during meals, restroom visits, and other school-day activities.
Assist students with gross motor activities, including grasping, holding objects, posture, crawling, walking, and running, as appropriate to individual development.
Assist students with fine motor activities, including use of assistive devices, job skills, and leisure activities, as appropriate to individual development.
Assist students with daily living skills, including dressing, eating, lavatory needs and diapering, grooming, and personal hygiene.
Assist teachers in developing lesson plans, behavior intervention plans, and accommodations; provide input on learning activities; and prepare or help prepare instructional materials.
Assist teachers in collecting and reporting data for progress monitoring, progress reports, and IEP development and review.
Perform assigned monitoring duties in areas such as hallways, lunchrooms, restrooms, and buses; ensure appropriate student conduct and escort students to designated activities.
Assist teachers and provide instruction or information to students in assigned labs; translate lesson plans and other information for students when assigned.
Keep current on job-appropriate technology used by OCPS and attend district-supported training as needed.
Maintain timely and accurate information as part of job responsibilities.
Perform related duties as directed.