Special Education Aide

Grand Rapids Public Schools•Grand Rapids, MI

About The Position

The Special Education Aide works as a member of a team to provide a quality educational program for scholars with disabilities. The aide supports instruction, behavioral and academic interventions, community-based learning, transitions, and students’ medical, adaptive daily living, and self-care needs. The role also supports student safety and supervision across classroom, school, transportation, pool, field-trip, and community settings. The aide reports to the Principal and is part of the Special Education department.

Requirements

Meet one of the following education or assessment requirements: complete at least 60 college credits, obtain an associate’s or higher degree, or obtain a passing score on an MDE-approved ETS Paraprofessional assessment.
Be able to work in a variety of weather conditions.
Be capable of safely and appropriately restraining scholars when necessary, in accordance with approved protocols.
Be able to enter and participate in swimming or pool activities with students.
Be able to supervise students during field trips and activities and while transporting them.
Be able to physically push wheelchairs and assist with lifting and transferring students.
Be able to supervise scholars by observing, listening, assessing, and reacting as needed to ensure a safe environment.
Demonstrate dependable attendance and punctuality.
Have effective written and oral communication skills.
Be able to work well with others and interact tactfully and courteously with parents, the public, and staff.
Be able to work with confidential information and in a diverse environment.
Meet the physical demands of standing, walking, sitting, using hands to handle or feel, reaching, climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, talking, and hearing in quiet or noisy environments; occasionally lift or move up to 40 pounds.
Have the vision abilities required for close vision, distance vision, and adjusting or focusing.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree.

Responsibilities

Participate in planning, implementing, and evaluating strategies for individual and group behavioral management, academic goals, and transition goals.
Participate in building activities, meetings, conferences, IEPs, swimming or pool activities, lunch, and community-based instruction or activities as assigned.
Present lessons and assist with instruction, information and concepts, material selection and preparation, and reward systems as directed by the certified teacher.
Assist with loading and unloading buses and city transportation, and transport small groups of scholars to activities in school vehicles when necessary.
Inform the certified teacher of specific student needs or concerns and follow related-service-provider suggestions as directed by the teacher.
Assist in implementing community-based functional instruction.
Assist with students’ medical, adaptive daily living, and self-care needs, including eating, hygiene, toileting, and diapering.
Lift and transfer scholars as needed.
Prepare scholars for pool activities and assist them in the pool under WSI supervision.
Assist with behavioral, academic, and vocational interventions as needed.
Complete appropriate record-keeping and organizational tasks, including attendance, food-service records, behavior-plan charting, cumulative files, Medicaid billing for personal care services, and information sent home or related to community-based instruction.
Interact professionally and cooperatively with coworkers, administrators, scholars, parents, and the community, and serve as a positive role model.
Help arrange and manage the physical setting to support learning.
Assist with before- and after-school activities, lunch, recess, and bus-loading and unloading supervision to ensure student safety.
Maintain dependable attendance and punctuality, including regular, on-time, in-person attendance.
Perform other duties as assigned.