Special Education Paraprofessional

City Garden Montessori•St. Louis, MO

About The Position

City Garden Montessori School is seeking a paraprofessional to support high-quality, student-centered learning in a welcoming classroom environment. Under the direction of the classroom teacher, the paraprofessional reinforces instruction, helps execute lesson plans, guides and nurtures students, and safely supervises them during instruction and assessment, both inside and outside the classroom. The role supports students’ physical, personal, academic, and emotional needs and contributes to a collaborative learning environment through communication with families, school officials, and colleagues. The paraprofessional also supports classroom organization and administration, participates in planning and school meetings, and engages in professional development and evaluation. Employees are expected to uphold school policies and professional and ethical standards, contribute to the development of City Garden as a learning institution, and participate in collegial activities that support the school community.

Requirements

At least one year of experience working with students with special needs.
At least two years of experience working with students.
Prior experience in a paraprofessional role.
An associate degree, or at least 12 hours of post-secondary education and Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Paraprofessional certification.
Current First Aid and CPR certification.
Current Missouri DESE Paraprofessional certification.
Effective oral, written, and visual communication skills with adults and children.
Understanding of basic principles of childhood development.
Demonstrated success working with a diverse student population.
Flexibility to adapt to changing classroom demands.
Deep commitment to whole-child education and proven success meeting children’s needs holistically.
Grounding in anti-bias education and antiracist values and principles.

Nice To Haves

A degree in education, early childhood development, or one of the social sciences.

Responsibilities

Provide instructional reinforcement under the classroom teacher’s direction and help execute lesson plans.
Serve as a positive, nurturing guide for students.
Model professional and ethical standards when interacting with students, parents, staff, and the community; follow and uphold school rules and standards.
Safely supervise students during instructional and assessment activities in and outside the classroom.
Participate in planning sessions with the learning team and communicate with parents and school officials as needed.
Co-teach lesson components as determined by the teacher; lead small-group or individual instruction and discussion; and review classwork material.
Attend to students’ physical, personal, academic, and emotional needs, including translation and hygienic needs when necessary.
Organize classroom and teaching materials and verify and track student attendance.
Perform clerical duties, including data entry, filing, and photocopying; grade tests and homework and record results.
Establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with students, parents, and staff to enhance the instructional environment.
Participate in parent-teacher and faculty meetings and events.
Participate in regular evaluation, including classroom observations, feedback conferences, and an annual self-evaluation toward goals established with the school principal.
Participate in professional development activities, including school-based activities and conferences or workshops.
Participate in collegial activities such as age-level meetings, curriculum discussion groups, working committees, and mentoring.
Attend scheduled meetings and professional days as appropriate.
Read and adhere to the guidelines and school policies in the employee handbook.