Instructional Assistant IV

River Delta Unified School District•Rio Vista, CA

57d•$21 - $24•Onsite

About The Position

The Instructional Assistant IV has the responsibility of providing support services to special education students on a 1:1 basis defined in each student’s individual education plan (IEP). DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS The Instructional Assistant IV is distinguished from other instructional assistants in that they are required to perform duties that are necessary and appropriate to ensure that the special education students receive services outlined in their Individual Education Plan (IEP) in accordance with federal law. The Instructional Assistant IV is required to participate in and obtain training to meet the unique needs of the students. Services include personal care, behavior support, and individual instructional support, physical, emotional, and social support to special education students as needed. The Instructional Assistant IV is utilized for instructional support and physical prompting to stay on task and may serve students who need close adult proximity to monitor behavior; specialized health care needs, such as limited mobility; physical limitations, specialized food preparation or feeding, as well as regular toileting scheduling or diapering.

Requirements

Understands the functions and intent of an Individual Education Plan (IEP); various behavior modification methods.
Basic instructional methods and techniques, instructional assistance in subjects including arithmetic, reading, writing, grammar, and spelling.
General needs and behavior of special needs students, student behavior management strategies and techniques.
Correct English usage, including spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Basic First Aid and CPR.
Concepts of child growth, development, and behavior; characteristics of school age children.
Health and safety regulations as related to the position.
Interpersonal skills using tact, patience, and courtesy.
Oral and written communication skills.
Motivational techniques.
Supervise, monitor, and assist students.
Manage student behavior through appropriate student behavior modifications methods.
Utilize constant verbal and physical prompting skills to keep students on task and follow directions.
Provide support appropriate to the students’ abilities based on the students IEP.
Participate in training sessions to advance understanding of the needs of special education students.
Recognize when there is an unusual condition or situation and have the ability to seek assistance when necessary and appropriate, using good judgment.
Deal appropriately with disruptive and abusive behaviors.
Work independently with students as directed by teachers.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Display honesty, adherence to principals, personal accountability, and confidentiality.
Maintain confidentiality about all personal information, assessment results, and other records concerning students and their families.
Present self as a positive representative of the organization.
Maintain emotional stability and self-control under pressure, challenge, adversity.
Recognize and follow procedures and policies in all situations including emergency situations.
Establish and maintain a supportive and cooperative environment with school personnel, parents, and students.
Learn methods and materials used in a variety of instructional situations.
Read notes, memos, and student reports of a moderately complex nature.
Use proper, English, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure, able to clearly communicate information regarding student in all communication mediums.
Understand and carry out oral and written communication.
Complete tasks/assignments within established timelines.
Operate computer and learn/apply software programs.
Perform routine clerical work.
Highs standards of ethics, integrity, and personal conduct
Demonstrate an understanding for warmth, open mindedness, respect for human dignity, genuine interest in people, sensitive to the needs of others.
Interpersonal skills including conflict resolution abilities, capacity to listen and learn, tact, patience, and courtesy.
Maintain consistent, punctual, and regular attendance.
Apply basic first aid techniques and practices.
Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for: --Making observations --Communicating with others --Reading and writing --Operating assigned equipment
Maintain mental capacity which allows the capability of: --Making sound decisions --Demonstrating intellectual capabilities. --Oral Comprehension --Oral expression --Auditory understanding --Memorization --Written comprehension
Prior successful experience involving contact with children with special needs in an instructional capacity in a school setting.
Completion of the twelfth grade, supplemented by specialized training working with children with specific disabilities. Supplemental course work in child development or a related field is desirable.
Possession of an associate degree with an Educational, medical, or social services field focus, or passing score on district proficiency exam for employment.
Possession of or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid CPR and First Aid Certification.

Nice To Haves

Possession of a Special Education Certificate or other demonstrated/documented training in Special Education such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Pro-Act Training, and /or documented knowledge of specific disabilities through unique and verifiable employment experiences preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Accommodates the special needs of students with physical, emotional, behavior and learning disabilities providing supplemental services, as necessary.
Follow district guidelines to protect student health, safety, and well-being of students.
Implements unique intervention strategies and behavior intervention plans to assist students in managing their serious or aggressive behaviors.
Correct student behavior as instructed by certificated staff.
Understand effective methods to deal with verbal outbursts and other forms of resisting authority.
Assist the special education teacher in providing students with access to adopted core curriculum in various settings. Review and reinforce learning activities initiated by the teacher to assist students mastering of academic concepts and skills.
Oversee students’ access in education environments including but not limited to the classroom, yard, social interactions, and other students.
Assist in implementing instructional strategies as developed by the teacher necessary for students to meet IEP goals.
Work with assigned students on different subject matters, including spelling, reading, and written language; tutor students in study skills, test taking, homework preparation, and other study techniques; motivate students.
Under the teacher’s direction, assess student needs and progress.
Assist the teacher with individual learning activities whenever requested.
Assist in the preparation and duplication of learning materials.
May supervise students during the lunch hour, on the playground and meeting the school bus; enforce school and district rules and regulations; recommend disciplinary actions, as necessary.
Participates in daily activities, training sessions and special activities to assist in the implementation of IEP goals and/or accommodations.
Maintains and monitors effective group and individual student behavior to provide optimum learning environment, implement established discipline practice and policy.
Assist the teacher with accommodating and modifying methods for students with special needs.
Assist in the evaluation of students’ performance by administering informal assessments.
Updates special education and/or general education teacher regarding student progress.
Administers first aid and medical assistance to provide appropriate care to students requiring specialized care procedures, medically fragile students, (e.g., tube feeding, suctioning, Dia stat, EPI-Pen, toileting and diapering needs).
Provides supervision to the special education students during non-instructional periods i.e., playground, transportation.
Collects anecdotal notes and other data such as student behavior observations and assessment results for the purpose of providing information to teacher or other district personnel.
Communicate with parents through communication logs as directed by the teacher.
Provides feeding assistance or other food preparation and prompting for students.
Individually or with the assistance of other staff members, lift and position students in and out of wheelchairs, braces and/or other orthopedic equipment.
Lift and move students up to and including high school age on to and off wheelchairs and toilets.
Develop and maintain effective communication with students, teachers, school, and staff.
May assist students by changing diapers, toileting or providing other specialized assistance, upon completion of appropriate training.
Lift and carry equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
Lift and move students weighing up to 200 pounds with assistance.
Performs other related duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Ensure a safe and clean learning environment for students.
Maintains required documents, records and files in clear verbal and written communications.
Assistance in the collecting, assembling, filing and maintenance of student instructional files and retrieval of pertinent information.
Maintains inventory of special education books, supplies and equipment of the assigned student.
Basic computer skills for emails, training, and student assistance.
May interpret/translate communications to parents/students if necessary.
Attends trainings and meetings for the purpose of conveying and/or gathering information required to perform functions and receiving updated current information on best practices as directed by the site or District administrator.