Job Title: Instructional Assistant, SPED Specialized Programs
Programs: AB, CASL, ECSE, Life Skills
Reports to: Principal and teacher(s)
Dept/Campus: Assigned Campus
Pay Grade: Paraprofessional PG 3
Wage Status: Non-exempt
Days: 187
Primary Purpose:
Help special education teacher provide for physical and instructional needs of students with disabilities in special education setting. Assist in implementation of classroom programs, including self-help, behavior management, and instruction programs. Work under general supervision of principal and immediate direction of certified teacher.
Qualifications:
Education/Certification:
- High school diploma or GED
Special Knowledge/Skills:
- Ability to work with children with disabilities
- Ability to follow verbal and written instructions
- Ability to communicate effectively
- Knowledge of general office equipment
Experience:
Some experience working with children
Major Responsibilities and Duties:
- Help teacher prepare instructional materials and classroom displays.
- Help maintain a neat and orderly classroom.
- Help with inventory, care, and maintenance of equipment.
- Help teacher keep administrative records and prepare required reports.
- Provide orientation and assistance to substitute teachers.
- Assist students with physical disabilities according to their needs, including transferring to and from wheelchairs, lifting, or positioning.
- Assist students with physical needs and personal care, including feeding, bathroom needs, and personal hygiene.
- Help manage behavior of students. This includes intervening in crisis situations and restraining disruptive or dangerous student behavior as needed.
- Assume responsibility for learning and adapting to each student’s special medical, physical, communicative, and emotional needs.
- Work with individual students or small groups to develop motor skills and conduct instructional exercises assigned by teacher.
- Help supervise students throughout the school day, inside and outside the classroom. This includes lunchroom, bus, and playground duty.
- Keep teacher informed of special needs or problems of individual students.
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Participate in staff development training programs, faculty meetings, and special events as assigned.
Equipment Used:
Wheelchair lift, ramp, personal computer, copier, and audiovisual equipment.
Working Conditions:
Mental Demands/Physical Demands/Environmental Factors:
The working conditions described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations.
Regularly sit, talk or hear; frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; frequent repetitive hand motions; prolonged use of computer; occasionally lift and/or move up to 10-50 pounds; occasionally required to stand, walk reach with hands and arms; vision abilities include close vision; and color vision, regularly work with frequent interruptions, maintain emotional control under stress; the noise level is usually moderate. Assist ambulatory students; move small stacks of textbooks, media equipment, desks, and other classroom or adaptive equipment; frequent, stooping, bending, kneeling, pushing, and pulling. May ocassionally exposed to biohazardious waste, bacteria and communicable diseases. Occasionally required to stand, walk reach with hands and arms; vision abilities include close vision; and color vision, regularly work with frequent interruptions, maintain emotional control under stress; the noise level is usually moderate. There are a number of deadlines associated with this position, which may cause significant stress. The employee must also deal with a wide variety of people on various issues. Predictable and regular attendance expected.
This document describes the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required