ED PARA,INTENSIVE DISAB,NC,NT I (ESE)

Orange County Public Schools • Winter Garden, FL

6d

About The Position

Under direct supervision, this position provides assistance in the education, care, and development of students with severe disabilities. The role includes instructional, clerical, and behavioral management duties, carried out according to the needs of assigned students and under the direction of a certified teacher, guidance counselor, or administrator. The employee may also perform related duties as directed.

The position supports students with behavioral, developmental, physical, medical, social, and emotional needs throughout the school day. It assists with instruction and learning activities, positive behavioral supports and crisis intervention, personal care and daily living skills, mobility and motor activities, and student transportation between school areas. It also supports teachers with lesson and behavior plans, instructional materials, progress-monitoring data, reports, and IEP development and review.

New hires must successfully complete ESE Training within 45 days of hire. The job involves very heavy physical effort, including lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling objects up to 100 pounds and occasionally heavier, and regular exposure to adverse conditions such as violence when working with severely disabled or emotionally disturbed children. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• At least two years of experience working with school-age children with exceptional needs (Pre-K through grade 12) in an educational environment, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Broad familiarity with and understanding of the physical and emotional behaviors and challenges of children with severe disabilities.
• Stress-management skills.
• Ability to meet the dexterity and physical requirements of the work and effectively attend to special needs.
• Successfully complete ESE Training within 45 days of hire.
• Ability to assist with specialized therapeutic or physical care plans and procedures.
• Ability to operate, maneuver, or control special-needs equipment and devices.
• Ability to exercise judgment and apply facts and principles to develop approaches and techniques for resolving problems.

Responsibilities

• Provide instructional, behavioral, and developmental assistance to students with severe disabilities as directed by a supervising teacher or other certified professional.
• Use positive behavioral supports and assist students in learning problem-solving skills.
• Assist with behavior interventions, including monitoring and charting student behaviors.
• Apply crisis-intervention practices when students display aggressive behavior and may require physical restraint.
• Assist students arriving on buses, including physically transferring students from wheelchairs and monitoring their 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 to students during meals, restroom visits, and other activities throughout the school day.
• Assist students with gross motor activities, including grasping, holding objects, posture, crawling, walking, and running, as appropriate to their development.
• Assist students with fine motor activities, including use of assistive devices and participation in job and leisure skills activities.
• Assist students with daily living skills, including dressing, eating, toileting and diapering, grooming, and personal hygiene.
• Assist teachers with lesson plans, behavior intervention plans, accommodations, learning activities, and preparation of instructional materials.
• Assist with 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 students in assigned labs and, when applicable, translate lesson plans and other information for students.
• Keep current with job-related technology and attend district-supported training as needed.
• Maintain timely and accurate information as part of job responsibilities.
• Perform related duties as directed.

Benefits

• Candidates who have passed the Para Assessment, or have an associate degree or 60 completed semester credits, may be eligible for a higher hourly rate in a certified position, with evidence provided.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED