Severe Needs Para Educator - West Middle School

Cherry Creek Schools•CO, CO

About The Position

The Severe Needs Para Educator assists students with severe special education needs under the direction of licensed special education staff. The role supports individuals and small groups with curriculum, skill development, behavior strategies, and assignment completion; prepares instructional materials; monitors student progress; and maintains achievement records. It also provides assigned technical physical care and helps maintain a clean, safe, and hygienic environment. In remote learning settings, the para educator helps students access technology, reinforces curriculum, supports executive functioning strategies and skill generalization, and helps students complete coursework. Assignments may include Autism, BD, Early Childhood Education, Homebound (FAPE), ILC, SED, and Transition Programming. The position has no direct supervisory responsibilities. Work location may change to meet organizational requirements. The role may involve classroom and remote learning settings, and may include working in students’ homes for Homebound assignments.

Requirements

Criminal background check and fingerprinting are required.
High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma.
No professional work experience is required.
For Title I assignments, meet one of the following: complete at least two years of study at an institution of higher education; obtain an associate’s or higher degree; or meet a rigorous quality standard and demonstrate through a formal state or local academic assessment the knowledge and ability to assist with instruction in reading/language arts, writing, and mathematics, or reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness.
For staff working in Autism, Behaviorally Disordered, or ILC assignments, complete mandatory biennial Crisis Prevention Intervention training provided by the District.
Complete District-provided medication administration training as needed.
Basic knowledge of typical office equipment, including telephones, copiers, fax machines, and email.
Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office.
Intermediate verbal and written communication skills.
Intermediate interpersonal relations skills.
Intermediate organizational skills.
Ability to work alone and with others.
Ability to appropriately modify curriculum.
Ability to implement behavior modification techniques.
Ability to diffuse and manage volatile and stressful situations.
Ability to maintain confidentiality in all aspects of the job.
Ability to work one-on-one and in small groups with students.
For DHH Program assignments, ability to understand the impacts of hearing loss on learning and social interaction.
For Homebound assignments, ability to set appropriate boundaries and build appropriate relationships while working in homes with families and other student healthcare providers.
For Homebound assignments, ability to communicate appropriately and maintain boundaries with families while working in their homes with students.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in the public sector, specifically public education.
Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Racially conscious and culturally competent, with the skill, will, capacity, and knowledge to commit to a culture of continuous improvement.
Associate’s degree.
Experience working with children with special needs in a paid program or licensed special education teaching experience.
Experience working with students with autism, behavior challenges, medically fragile conditions, hearing or vision loss, or intellectual disabilities.
CPR and First Aid certification.

Responsibilities

Assist students with classroom activities and adapt curriculum to individual student needs.
Support curriculum delivery to individuals and small groups to promote generalization of skills.
Implement accommodations, supports, modifications, procedures, and programming outlined in students’ Individual Education Plans (IEPs).
Maintain student progress and behavior records with licensed staff, including preparing reports, providing feedback, and sharing observations with the IEP team.
Assist licensed special education staff with preparing materials, administering tests, taking attendance, paperwork, documentation, and classroom events such as fire drills.
Monitor students and reinforce behavior appropriate to individual student needs.
Assist with verbal de-escalation and non-violent crisis interventions to reduce risk of self-harm and harm to others.
Support social interaction and communication between students with special needs and general education peers.
Provide assigned physical care, which may include toileting, grooming, cleaning ventilation devices, feeding, G-tube care, positioning, and improving range of motion.
After training and as delegated by a registered school nurse, follow student medication delivery orders accurately.
In online or remote settings, assist individuals or small groups with synchronous or asynchronous classroom activities and curriculum accommodations or modifications.
In the DHH Program, develop students’ language, vocabulary, reading, and writing using sign language when working as a signing para educator.
Prepare assignments for students to complete at home and support them in completing assigned work.
Help students troubleshoot technology issues in remote learning settings.
Perform other duties as assigned or requested.