Severe Needs Para Educator - Holly Hills Elementary School

Cherry Creek•Denver, 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. The position also provides technical physical care and helps maintain a clean, safe, and hygienic environment. In remote learning settings, the para educator helps students access technology, reinforce curriculum, use executive functioning strategies, generalize skills, and complete coursework. Assignments may include Autism, BD, Early Childhood Education, Homebound (FAPE), ILC, SED, and Transition Programming. The job has no direct supervisory responsibilities. Work location may change to meet organizational requirements.

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 relevant instructional knowledge and ability through a formal state or local academic assessment.
For staff in Autism, Behaviorally Disordered, or ILC assignments, complete the District-provided biennial Crisis Prevention Intervention training.
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, interpersonal relations, and organizational skills.
Ability to work independently and with others, modify curriculum appropriately, implement behavior modification techniques, and manage volatile or stressful situations.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and work one-on-one and in small groups with students.
For DHH assignments, ability to understand the impacts of hearing loss on learning and social interaction.
For Homebound assignments, ability to establish appropriate boundaries and relationships and communicate appropriately with families and other student healthcare providers while working in students' homes.
Medium work strength level, including lifting or carrying up to 50 pounds; prolonged standing and walking; frequent bending, reaching, climbing, lifting, pulling, or pushing; squatting; overhead work; eye-hand coordination; and visual concentration.
Ability to work indoors and outdoors, with exposure to outdoor weather conditions and typically moderate noise.

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 needs; support curriculum delivery to individuals and small groups to promote generalization of skills.
Implement accommodations, supports, modifications, procedures, and programming in students' Individual Education Plans (IEPs).
Maintain student progress and behavior records with licensed staff, including special reports, feedback, and observations for 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 strategies; assist with verbal de-escalation and non-violent crisis interventions to reduce risks of self-harm or harm to others.
Support social interaction and communication between students with special needs and general education peers.
Provide assigned technical physical care, which may include toileting, grooming, cleaning ventilation devices, feeding, G-tube care, positioning, and range-of-motion support.
When trained and delegated by a registered school nurse, follow student medication delivery orders accurately.
In online or remote settings, assist individuals and small groups with synchronous or asynchronous classroom activities, curriculum accommodations or modifications, and skill practice.
For DHH assignments, develop students' language, vocabulary, reading, and writing using sign language when needed.
Prepare assignments for students to complete at home and support completion of assigned work.
Help students troubleshoot technology issues in remote settings.
Perform other duties as assigned or requested.