Teaching Assistant (Upper School)

Morris Jeff Community School•New Orleans, LA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Morris Jeff Community School is hiring a Teaching Assistant for the 2026–2027 school year to support Upper School students in Grades 6–12. The school is an International Baccalaureate school that emphasizes diversity, inclusion, open access, and age- and grade-appropriate classrooms. Teaching Assistants are integral members of the instructional team and help deliver instruction and support student-related activities. Under the supervision and direction of a certified special education teacher or professional service provider, the Teaching Assistant helps students with disabilities meet their instructional, educational, behavioral, functional, and social-emotional needs in the classroom and community. Assignments are determined by student needs as identified in Individual Education Plans (IEPs), rather than by a particular student, setting, or program. The Teaching Assistant must be familiar with and follow applicable IEPs. The role is performed on-site and in person during regular business hours. Teaching Assistant breaks are 30 minutes long and take place between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in a designated area or break room. Teaching Assistants are not required to attend parent or IEP meetings, though they may attend on a case-by-case basis as determined by the case manager and coordinator. Communication with families and parents is handled only by the case manager and/or administration.

Requirements

Be familiar with students’ Individual Education Plans and follow and adhere to them.
Have prompt, regular in-person attendance and be available to work on site during regular business hours.
Be able to read small print and view a computer screen for prolonged periods.
Be able to tolerate noisy conditions.
Communicate clearly in face-to-face interactions and speak with sufficient proficiency and volume to be understood over a telephone or computer.
Have the upper-body mobility needed to grasp and manipulate small objects, use fingers, twist and bend the wrists and elbows, reach outward and upward, lift objects with the hands and arms, and turn, raise, and lower the head.
Be able to lift, push, pull, and/or carry objects weighing 5 or more pounds frequently.
Be able to work amid constant interruptions, cooperate with others, work independently, and work indoors.
Be able to read, write, understand, interpret, and apply information at a moderately complex level; perform math at a high-school proficiency level; exercise judgment; process information quickly; learn quickly; follow verbal procedures and standards; give verbal instructions; prioritize tasks; and copy, compare, compile, and coordinate information and records.
Understand how to manage stress.
Be flexible and adapt as needed between in-person and various classroom learning environments.

Responsibilities

Attend classroom sessions, redirect students who are off task, and support students who need remediation or intervention.
Work with small groups or individual students in person to practice skills, read, and help ensure students benefit from assignments or tasks.
Assist teachers in checking on students who have not accessed classroom resources or completed assignments.
Communicate proactively with teachers about student issues.
Respond to school leaders’ and teachers’ emails and phone calls in a timely manner.
Assist with standardized testing in accordance with state and local processes and policies.
Help prepare daily lesson materials and make copies of materials for students in print or electronic form.
Assist with distributing food, supplies, materials, equipment, and technology.
Help administrators and other staff transition students between locations in an orderly, timely, and safe manner.
Participate in professional learning opportunities in person.
Maintain prompt, regular in-person attendance and be available to work on site during regular business hours.
Perform other duties as assigned by an appropriate administrator, special education teacher, or their representative.
Provide toileting, diapering, feeding by mouth or feeding tube, medication administration, and general hygiene support when required by individual student needs.