ED PARA,INTENSIVE DISAB,C (ESE)

Orange County Public Schools • Apopka, FL

6d • 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. Duties are tailored to the exceptional needs of assigned students and may include related work as directed.

The role supports students’ instruction, behavior, development, mobility, personal care, and participation in school activities. It also assists teachers with lesson and behavior plan development, learning materials, progress-monitoring data, reports, and IEP development and review. Employees may be assigned monitoring, bus, or lab duties and are expected to maintain job-related technology skills and accurate, timely records.

Work may involve very heavy physical effort, including lifting and carrying objects weighing up to 100 pounds and occasionally heavier items. Tasks may also involve exposure to adverse conditions, including violence when working with severely disabled or emotionally disturbed children. The district provides 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; an official transcript is required to validate education.
• Passing the paraprofessional certification exam may substitute for the educational 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; additional education may substitute for experience year for year.
• Strong stress-management skills and the ability to meet the dexterity and physical requirements of the work and effectively attend to children’s needs.
• Ability to operate, maneuver, or control special-needs equipment and devices.
• New hires must successfully complete ESE Training within 45 days of hire.

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 with problem-solving skills.
• Assist with behavior interventions, including monitoring and charting behaviors.
• Use crisis-intervention principles with students displaying aggressive behavior who may require physical restraint.
• Assist students arriving by bus, escort them to and from learning areas, transfer them from wheelchairs, and monitor their medical and social-emotional needs.
• Support and follow up with students with severe disabilities assigned to in-school suspension.
• Reinforce school and learning-environment rules, encourage appropriate behavior, and identify inappropriate behavior using positive behavioral supports.
• Escort and provide one-on-one assistance during meals, restroom visits, and other school-day activities.
• Assist students with gross motor activities, fine motor activities, assistive devices, job and leisure skills, and daily living and personal-care skills, according to individual development.
• Assist teachers with lesson plans, behavior intervention plans, accommodations, learning activities, and instructional materials.
• Assist with collecting and reporting data for progress monitoring, progress reports, and IEP development and review.
• Perform assigned monitoring duties, such as hallway, lunchroom, restroom, and bus duty; support appropriate student conduct and escort students to designated activities.
• When assigned to labs, assist teachers and provide instruction or information to students; may translate lesson plans and other information for student understanding.
• Keep current with job-related technology and attend district-supported training as needed.
• Maintain timely and accurate job-related information.
• Perform related duties as directed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree