SPED Para Educator

Springfield Public Schools•Springfield, MA

About The Position

Paraprofessionals in the Springfield Public Schools have a substantial benefit package including competitive wages, paid sick leave, and Professional Development opportunities including a robust Para to Teacher Pipeline program. Role: The Special Education Paraprofessional holds primary responsibility for overseeing the implementation of effective, rigorous academic and behavior intervention systems with a small case load of students. The Special Education Paraprofessional will work closely with a small case load of students who need additional supports to be successful in the classroom. This individual will support those students, their families, and their teachers in an effort to fundamentally change the successes they are realizing.

Requirements

A passionate belief in SPS's mission, values, and educational model;
An extraordinarily high bar for student behavior and expectations;
An eagerness to set ambitious, challenging, and tangible goals, and a relentless drive to achieve them;
An ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment and a capacity to remain calm and focused when faced with unexpected challenges;
Proven track-record of high achievement;
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including strong public speaking skills;
A sense of humility in the face of success;
Drive to improve the minds and lives of students in and out of the classroom;
A high-school diploma or GED; and
Sixty (60) Credit Hours of College Coursework or an Associate’s Degree, or a passing score on one of the two following Formalized Standardized Assessments: ParaPro Assessment (http://www.ets.org/parapro/ ) or WorkKeys Certificate of Proficiency for Teacher Assistants (http://www.act.org/workkeys/profcert/index.html ); and
Current authorization to work in the United States – A candidate must have such authorization by his or her first day of employment.
A passing score on the Work Keys Exams in the following areas: Reading: 5 Math: 4 Writing: 3

Responsibilities

Work alongside an experienced special educator to support a small case load of students, driving the academic achievement of students with moderate to severe need;
Implement an effective, rigorous academic and behavior intervention system with a small case load of students;
Provide consistent and high academic and behavioral expectations;
Support student mastery of state, city, and school academic and behavioral standards;
Lead daily individual and small group tutoring sessions; and
Communicate effectively with students, families, and colleagues.