Ed Para,Intensive Disab,C (Ese)

Orange County Public Schools • Orlando, FL

1d • 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 according to the exceptional needs of assigned students and under the direction of a certified teacher, guidance counselor, or administrator. Performs related duties as directed.

The role includes instructional, behavioral, developmental, and personal-care support throughout the school day. Employees may help students access learning activities and school facilities, monitor and document behavior and progress, assist with mobility and daily living skills, and support the development and implementation of lesson plans, behavior intervention plans, accommodations, and IEPs. Work may involve crisis intervention, physical restraint when required, and exposure to adverse conditions, including violence. The district will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who request them.

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.
• A passing 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 providing broad familiarity with the physical and emotional behaviors and challenges of children with severe disabilities; additional education may substitute for experience year for year.
• Must successfully complete ESE Training within 45 days of hire.
• Ability to fulfill the dexterity and physical requirements of the work and effectively attend to the needs of school-age children and students with special needs.
• Strong stress-management skills.
• Ability to assist people with specialized therapeutic or physical care plans and procedures.
• Ability to operate, maneuver, or control special-needs equipment and devices.
• Ability to evaluate and assess information using established criteria and exercise judgment in identifying alternatives and resolving problems.
• Ability to use verbal and mathematical skills as required by the classroom assignment.
• Ability to perform tasks involving very heavy physical effort, including climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling heavy objects and materials up to 100 pounds and occasionally heavier items.

Nice To Haves

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

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 positive behavioral support practices and assist students with problem-solving skills.
• Assist with behavior interventions, including monitoring and charting student behaviors; use crisis intervention principles when students display aggressive behavior and may require physical restraint.
• Assist students arriving by bus, escort them between buses and learning areas, help transfer them from wheelchairs, and monitor their medical and social-emotional needs.
• Provide support and follow-up for 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 support approaches.
• Escort and provide one-on-one assistance during meals, restroom visits, and other school-day activities.
• Assist with gross motor activities, including grasping, holding objects, posture, crawling, walking, and running, as appropriate to each student’s development.
• Assist with fine motor activities, including use of assistive devices and participation in job-skill and leisure-skill activities.
• 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; contribute to learning activities and prepare or help prepare instructional materials.
• Help collect and report data for progress monitoring, progress reports, and IEP development and review.
• Perform assigned monitoring duties, such as hallway, lunchroom, restroom, or bus duty; support appropriate student conduct and escort students to designated activities and locations.
• When assigned to labs, assist teachers and provide instruction or information to students; translate lesson plans and other information for student comprehension when needed.
• Keep current with job-related technology and attend district-supported training to maintain the technology skills required for the position.
• Maintain timely and accurate information related to job responsibilities.
• Perform related duties as directed.

What This Job Offers

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