GIRESD School District, division of Special Services:
Position Title: Paraprofessional (ECSE, MOCI, SXI, SCI, EI, CBE,)
Reports to: Supervisor, Special services (direct report and supervision by assigned classroom teacher)
Position Title: Special Education – Paraprofessional
Special Education Paraprofessionals work under the overall supervision of their program supervisor with direct supervision provided by special education teachers. Paraprofessionals are employed to implement special education and relates services for students with special needs. Paraprofessional duties will vary depending upon the age of students served as well as the nature and severity of the student’s disabilities. Our student population consists of children and adult students with cognitive, physical, emotional, communication, health impaired and adaptive disabilities that range from mild to severe.
The special education paraprofessional/personal assistant is responsible for assisting the assigned teacher and service providers in the delivery of special education services and supports students with disabilities during the school day. An individual that holds one of these positions provides instructional and non-instructional services allowing students to access their educational environment and programs.
This job description outlined below describes in general terms the normal duties that the paraprofessional/personal assistant will be expected to undertake in daily activities/routine. However, the job or duties described may vary or be amended from time to time without changing the level of responsibility associated with the job.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities: An individual who holds this position is required to perform all the following:
Assist student with disabilities according to their individualized needs, including (but not limited to);
Transferring; (including but not limited to)
• To and from wheelchairs, shower chairs, hygiene stations, floor time on mat and wedges, mat tables, assistive devices such as walkers, rifton chairs, tricycle & getting into and out of a pool.
• This may include, depending on the size and ability of the student, a one-person lift transfer, 2- person lift, use of mechanical lift, use of lift vest and/or a gait belt.
Assist with physical/personal care including; (but not limited to)
• Feedings such as administering or assisting with oral feeding with students who have motor or swallow disabilities and/or administering tube feedings with a pump or by use of bolus method.
• Bathroom needs such as diapering both male and female students, use of MOVE training toileting strategies, toilet training, and use of hygiene station.
• Personal care needs such as undressing, dressing, showering, tooth brushing, grooming and hand hygiene. Staff will provide supervision, verbal prompts and/or hands on assistance in providing and/or teaching all personal hygiene skills.
• Administration of oral medication as prescribed by a physician and delegated by the school nurse. Documentation and accountability of medications per school protocols.
• Administration of emergency medications as prescribed by a physician and delegated by the school nurse such as Epi-pen, Diastat, Inhalers, and Nebulizers.
• Perform as needed First Aid and CPR. (District provides training)
• Observes Universal precautions. Uses appropriate PPE provided by the district. Ability to handle bodily secretions (which may be infectious) in the appropriate manner.
• Assist instructional staff in the supervision of and physical assistance of students while they are loading and unloading buses, job sites, in gym, in pool and on field trips.
• Assist in Physical therapy, Occupational therapy, and Speech and Language functions as outlined by these professionals using techniques, visuals, or equipment as trained.
• Participates in physical activities, which are part of the student’s basic program, and helps them reach goals related to adaptive development. These activities include walking, swimming, going up and down stairs, getting on and off the floor independently or with assist, assisting students during ride bikes.
• Regularly be able to physically support students with varying core strength and/or gait stability during transfers between equal and unequal surfaces such as chair to floor, floor to walker, lift to equipment such as bench or stander, chair to chair.
• Participate with the "MOVE" training program of assisting students with physical impairments to increase their ability to sit, stand, walk, transition as it applies to each students needs as assessed by the physical therapist and teacher.
• Ability to assist with specific medical care for students and their individual needs: tube feedings, administering medications, clean intermittent catheterization, monitoring & safely manage seizures, trach care, etc. (Training and delegation is provided by school nurses)
• Ability to deal with disruptive behaviors and when it applies be able to follow through with prescribed behavioral management programs according to behavior intervention plans created and led by the teacher in a consistent professional manner.
• Follow through with prescribed physical management programs. Participate and pass the training offered by the GIRESD in Crisis Prevision Intervention (CPI). Safely implement CPI interventions restraints correctly and consistently to keep students safe.
• Clean, sanitize classroom and equipment using approved materials.
Physical Demands: (clarification as related to above duties)
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential function of this job to ensure that students remain safe and can access their educational programs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Lift/ carry 50lbs individually and push/ pull up to 200lbs with support of wheeled devices such as a wheelchair, shower chair, tricycle, walker.
• Stand, twist, bend, stoop, kneel, crawl, sit, climb, balance, and crouch daily, and often, multiple times a day.
• Ability to quickly and effectively protect self and others during moments of aggression by students using approved CPI techniques
• Reach with hands and arms over head
• Gross grasping.
• Fine motor manipulations (to include medications, educational and medical equipment).
• Vision requirements include close vision, and peripheral vision.
• Hearing and being able to determine where a sound is coming from. Being able to process training information and apply it to assigned task and delegation of skilled activities.
• Work in temperature extremes both indoors and outdoors to support students in transitions, job sites, school and classroom activities.
• This position has exposure to infection and injury at a greater risk than the general population in the school setting.
• Has the ability to sit on the floor for long periods of time, sit in short child sized chairs, and get on and off the floor independently
Skills and Abilities; (supervisory, language, reasoning, technology)
• Accept direction, supervision and constructive criticism
• Demonstrate versatility by adjusting to changes
• Exhibit cooperativeness, patience, flexibility and enthusiasm in working with staff and students.
• Assist in student’s education plan (academic, daily living, transition, and job skills) by implementation of instruction program as identified and assigned by the classroom teacher.
• Manages and instructs small groups of students in the classroom or the community when not in the direct supervision of the teacher
• Follows educational and health care procedures and accurately complete forms and charting as assigned to documents, student progress, or student goals
• Demonstrates the ability to supplement aspects of the students life which would typically be considered "family care" (i.e., cleanliness, social skills, building student self-esteem)
• Reads and comprehends simple written and oral instruction, short correspondence and memos.
• Occasionally solve problems involving concrete variables within standardized situations.
• Demonstrate knowledge of basic computer skills including word processing, data entry, and email communication.
Condition and Environment:
The work conditions and environment described here are representative of those that an individual will encounter while performing the essential function of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individual with disabilities to perform essential functions.
• The individual who holds this position will regularly work in a school environment that is noisy and active.
• The individual will be required to work outdoors to perform such tasks as loading and unloading students from district transportation, supervising recess and job sites.
• May be required to work with power tools, work with medical devices, participate in hot humid conditions during certain job sites, showers and participate in pool activities.
• Special education programs vary according to the needs of the students and the related communications, physical, cognitive, emotional, and educational supports needed by the students to learn and access their educational environment
• Student behaviors included in these environments include, but are not limited to; aggression, defiance, repetitive verbal and physical responses, and frustration.
• Participation of development training programs and classroom faculty meetings as required or requested by administration.
Qualifications:
Education:
• An individual who holds this position must have a High school diploma or GED.
• Experience with special education, mild to severely physically handicapped, emotionally impaired persons helpful but not required.