School Paraprofessional (Severe)

BrightBee•New York, NY

2d•Onsite

About The Position

BrightBee is seeking experienced and skilled behavioral paraprofessionals to provide emergency 1:1 support to students with significant behavioral needs at Democracy Prep Endurance Elementary in The Bronx. These assignments are to support scholars while their special education evaluations are underway. One assignment supports a fourth-grade scholar and the other a kindergarten scholar. Both scholars exhibit behaviors that create immediate safety concerns, including physical aggression toward adults and peers, throwing objects, and escalations that have required classroom evacuations. The ideal candidate will be calm, consistent, have experience supporting students with intensive behavioral needs, understand trauma-informed practice, and be able to build trust while ensuring the safety of the scholar, peers, and staff. The role involves direct scholar support, prevention and de-escalation, behavior plan implementation, data collection, and collaboration with the school team.

Requirements

48 college credits
Experience working with students with severe disabilities
Pass a background check
Follow safety and reporting guidelines
Complete required school clearances

Nice To Haves

RBT experience a plus
Bilingual (Spanish)

Responsibilities

Provide consistent 1:1 support to the assigned scholar across all settings, including the classroom, transitions, lunch, recess, specials, and dismissal.
Build a positive, trusting relationship with the scholar using a warm, predictable, and trauma-informed approach.
Help the scholar engage in instruction and classroom routines, and support academic tasks as directed by the classroom teacher.
Learn the scholar's triggers, early warning signs, and patterns of escalation, and anticipate challenging behavior before it happens.
Use proactive strategies such as priming, visual schedules, choices, movement and sensory breaks, and positive reinforcement.
Implement de-escalation techniques and follow established crisis and safety protocols when behaviors escalate.
Keep the scholar, peers, and staff safe, including supporting classroom clears or evacuations when needed.
Implement the scholar's Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) and any strategies recommended by the school team with fidelity.
Teach and reinforce replacement behaviors, coping skills, and self-regulation strategies.
Support the scholar's return to learning after an incident using restorative and consistent follow-up.
Collect accurate daily behavioral data using school-provided tools.
Document incidents promptly and thoroughly according to school procedures.
Share data and observations with the Special Services Manager, teachers, and evaluation team to inform the Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA), BIP updates, and the special education evaluation.
Work closely with classroom teachers, the Special Services Manager, school leadership, and related service providers.
Take part in brief daily check-ins and team meetings as requested.
Maintain strict confidentiality of all scholar information in line with FERPA and school policy.