Job Title: Instructional Assistant: Special Education

Reports to: Principal

Terms of Employment: 182 days per year. Salary and work year to be established by the Board.

Qualifications:

• High school graduate minimum with a successful passing grade on the Para Pro exam or two-year degree, or 60 hours of college credit
• Excellent interpersonal skills prior work with children
• Knowledge of computers
• Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable

Job Summary:

To assist in the supervision and instruction of special needs students under the supervision of a certified teacher in a special education classroom; assisting students in performing their academic studies, daily living, and special health care activities; monitoring students; and providing clerical support to teachers.

Essential Duties:

• Maintains a pattern of prompt and regular attendance.
• Demonstrates appropriate communication skills as applicable for the job.
• Acts in a professional manner and maintains a professional attitude towards the public and colleagues and exhibits the fundamentals of good public/customer service.
• Presents all interactions with students in a caring a positive manner, and never negative or demeaning manner.
• Recognizes the diverse needs of students and is compassionate and professional in dealing with students, parents, coworkers and the public.
• Complies with school, system, state and federal regulations and policies as related to job requirements.
• Maintains confidentiality of sensitive information and material; adheres to chain of command.
• Maintains a professional appearance as appropriate for job responsibilities.
• Shows initiative and assumes responsibility for all aspects of job responsibilities, performs routine duties and tasks with little or no direct supervision.
• Exhibits time on task, a flexible, cooperative, progressive and hardworking attitude and style.  Limits personal business and phone calls during work hours.
• Takes direction readily in a cooperative manner from the supervisor.
• Provides adequate supervision of students at all times. Must be physically able to exhibit the mobility often needed for supervision of students.
• Disciplines students with fairness and equity, and in a positive and objective demeanor.  
• Assumes a leadership role in the absence of the regularly assigned teacher.
• Assists in student assessment, grading work and tests and data collection.
• Assists in routine record keeping.
• Prepares instructional materials according to supervising teacher’s lesson plans.
• Enhances the climate of the building and the morale of colleagues.
• Adapts classroom activities, assignments and/or materials as directed to provide an opportunity for all special education students performing at different learning levels and/or with different functional limitations to participate in instructional programs.
• Assists students requiring support in addressing personal care needs due to medical conditions and/or physical limitations to allow students to function in the school environment.
• Attends meetings and in-service presentations (e.g., emergency procedures, staff meetings) to acquire and/or convey information relative to job functions.
• Confers with teachers and/or parents if requested to provide information related to the student’s progress as established in their individual educational program.

Job Requirements:

• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions.
• Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Ability to develop effective working relationships with students, staff, and the school community.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and the Board of Education policies.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here 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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or listen.  The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.  The employee must be able to push items of 40 lbs. such as pushing children on a bike or moving/rearranging furniture.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and peripheral vision.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet and at a standard acceptable level for this environment.  The employee is continuously responsible for the safety, well-being and work output of students

Evaluation: Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Board's policy on Evaluation of Support Services Personnel.

EEO Statement: 

York School District One does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, handicap, sex, age, alienage, or national origin as required by applicable state and federal laws. 

DISCLAIMER STATEMENT: 
This job description is not intended as a complete listing of job duties. The incumbent is responsible for the performance of other related duties as assigned/required.