2026-2027 Instructional Assistant IV - WATKINS EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

Newport News Public Schools•Newport News, VA

About The Position

The Instructional Assistant IV assists teachers with the daily management and instruction of students. The role involves observing and reporting on student behavior and learning and may be assigned to a secondary, pre-kindergarten, elementary, or special education classroom. The assistant closely monitors students’ needs and follows detailed procedures. The assistant provides instructional support in collaboration with classroom teachers and/or reading specialists, follows assigned instructional schedules, prepares materials, conducts learning activities, administers assessments, and reports student progress. The position also supports classroom management, student activities and supervision, classroom records and supplies, and early literacy development. Special education assignments may involve attending to students’ personal and medical support needs.

Requirements

Possess 48 college credit hours, an Associate’s degree, or have successfully passed the ParaPro test.
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
Ability to speak effectively using proper grammar.
Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
Ability to perform arithmetic operations with whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals, and to compute rates, ratios, and percentages and interpret bar graphs.
Ability to apply common-sense understanding to carry out written, oral, or diagram-form instructions.
Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Responsibilities

Provide instructional lessons to meet achievement goals for individual students and targeted groups in collaboration with classroom teachers and/or reading specialists.
Follow instructional schedules developed by personnel working with the assistant.
Prepare instructional materials and conduct designated learning activities with students, including explaining or demonstrating lessons, asking questions, prompting answers, and using supplementary materials.
Administer assessment tools and assist with assessing and evaluating student achievement.
Monitor classroom activities, including drawing, writing, independent study, and other work.
Observe and report students’ progress to teachers, reading specialists, or other appropriate individuals.
Work with students who require individual or close attention, are experiencing difficulty, or need special instruction; reinforce skills taught by the classroom teacher in small and large groups.
Assist with instructional activities.
Escort students at school and on field trips, assist with physical and playground activities, and accompany children to restrooms.
Maintain bulletin boards, daily attendance records, lunch tickets, health charts, and classroom supplies.
For special education assignments, attend to students’ needs, which may include lifting, feeding, toileting, and monitoring supportive medical equipment such as walkers and wheelchairs.
Read to students and listen to students recite passages.
Assist with classroom behavioral management programs.
Participate in designated staff development and training activities; special education assistants who may need to physically restrain students for safety and care will receive appropriate training.
Participate in planning meetings with assigned teachers.
Perform general clerical tasks for the assigned classroom as needed, including distributing and collecting instructional materials and reports.
Develop knowledge of teaching methods and materials that support early literacy development.
Model nondiscriminatory practices in all activities.
Perform other related duties as assigned by the Principal or another appropriate administrator.