Teacher Assistant, Special Education

Wayland Public Schools • Wayland, MA

53d • Onsite

About The Position

THE WAYLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS SEEK A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER ASSISTANT WPS is a high-achieving west-suburban district of 2,800 students, with one preschool, three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. Our diverse student body hails from Wayland and Boston and is composed of 32% students of color and 68% white students, with 15% of our students having a first language other than English. We seek educators who embrace the diversity of our students and can lead our staff and students in attaining our district's mission: "Personal and civic responsibility, love of learning, and empathy for others; these are the qualities that the Wayland Public Schools seek to instill in its students. At its core, our mission is to provide a rigorous and stimulating academic environment that promotes the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Yet we deem it equally important to nurture self-confident, collaborative, and conscientious individuals. We strive to create a climate where risk-taking is safeguarded, open expression is encouraged, and free association is protected. Our goal is to advance our students' growth into principled, informed, and capable citizens who will help guide a democracy that follows humanitarian principles in the global forum, and shape a just society where individuals may reach their full potential." We welcome educators to our district who seek and thrive in a diverse environment that focuses on relationships, belonging, and excellence. Join us in our mission to support the diversity of our school community; implement equitable practices for all of our students, staff, and families; create meaningful connections that foster a sense of belonging; and provide an outstanding educational experience for students, staff, and families.

Requirements

• Citizenship, residency, or work visa required
• Successful completion of Criminal Records Check (C.O.R.I.), Sexual Offender Record Check (S.O.R.I.), and fingerprint
• Two (2) years of college
• Training and/or experience in special education
• Commitment to the principles and practices of diversity, equity, belonging, and anti-racism
• Must have effective interpersonal and communication skills, with sensitivity to social-emotional needs
• Willingness and ability to work cooperatively/collaboratively as member of an educational/teaching team
• Must be able to multitask in a fast-paced, supportive environment.
• Must be organized and able to meet ongoing, time-sensitive deadlines for work production.
• read material from a computer monitor as well as handwritten or printed matter with or without visual aids
• hear voices and machine/building/environmental noises with or without hearing aides
• communicate with others so that information received and given is understood and accurately communicated
• communicate and collaborate effectively with students, parents, and other staff members in person, via video conference, on the telephone, and/or in writing
• remain in a stationary position for periods of time
• position oneself to maintain and access school/classroom/office materials
• move through the classroom, school, school grounds, office, and/or off-site locations.
• operate a computer and other school/office/educational productivity machinery
• observe details at close range
• in the school setting, ensure the safety of students
• multitask and meet multiple demands from several people
• lifting up to and including 25 lbs

Nice To Haves

• Bachelors preferred, but not required
• Teaching experience is a bonus
• Experience with diverse populations of children preferred
• Experience with Google Suite (Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Classroom, etc.)
• Bilingual skills, especially Spanish, are highly desirable but not required

Responsibilities

• Provide academic assistance to student(s) with special needs
• Assist in participation in appropriate classroom activities
• Supervise program as directed by immediate supervisor
• Assist teacher(s) with other teaching responsibilities not working directly with special needs students
• Facilitate the accessibility of materials
• Some training may be required to meet the physical needs of the student(s).
• Works with district and school leadership to combat systemic barriers that limit student, family, and staff members' equitable access to opportunity
• Any other relative duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree