Special Education Instructional Aide (2024-2025 School Year) - Waynesboro Public Schools

PRIMARY FUNCTION:

To assist the teacher in achieving teaching objectives by working with individual students or small groups to help them achieve the skill levels of the class as a whole.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Hold the minimum of a high school diploma/GED.
2. Must have Highly Qualified Paraprofessional Certification (ets.org/parapro)
3. Certificate of Autism Spectrum Disorder training *vcuautismcenter.org/training/paraprofessionals.cfm
4. Be at least 21 years of age.
5. Have good physical and emotional health.
6. Possess good character and leadership qualities.

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Works with individual students or small groups of students to reinforce learning of material or skills initially introduced by the teacher.
2. Assists the teacher in devising special strategies for reinforcing material or skills based on a sympathetic understanding of individual students, their needs, interests, and abilities.
3. Operates and cares for equipment used in the classroom for instructional purposes.
4. Distributes and collects student papers and other materials for instruction.
5. Guides independent study, enrichment work, and remedial work set up and assigned by the teacher.
6. Assists with the supervision of students during emergency drills, assemblies, play periods, and field trips.
7. Assists with such large group activities as reading aloud and story-telling.
8. Reads to students, listens to students read, and participates in other forms of oral communication with students.
9. Assists students in support programs.
10. Assists or administers student assessments as directed.
11. Helps students with their clothing.
12. Assists with lunch, snack, and cleanup routines.
13. Assists with wash-up and toilet routines.
14. Provides student supervision in various school settings as assigned.
15. Alerts the regular teacher to any problem or special information about an individual student.
16. Maintains the same high level of ethical behavior and confidentiality of information about students as is expected of fully licensed teachers.
17. Participants in in-service training programs, as assigned.
18. Perform other duties as assigned by the Principal.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Duties performed typically in school settings include: school office, classroom, gym, cafeteria, auditorium, and recreational areas. Frequent walking, standing, stooping, lifting, up to approximately 30 pounds, and occasional lifting of equipment and/or materials weighing up to approximately 40 pounds may be required. Other limited physical activities are required. Occasional travel with students on field trips may be necessary. Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas using the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; visual acuity is required for preparing and analyzing written or computer data, determining the accuracy and thoroughness of work, and observing general surroundings and activities; the worker is subject to inside and outside environmental conditions, noise, and hazards. Occasional movement of students by wheelchairs and other mechanical devices may be required. Regular contact with special needs children is necessary. Regular contact with staff members, students, parents, and community members is required. Frequent contact with parents by phone and in person is necessary. Occasional contact with medical professionals may be required.

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 essential functions.

REPORTS TO:

Teacher/Building Principal

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:           185 days / 7 hours per day. 

Salary and work year to be established by the Board.

FLSA Status:    Non-exempt

EVALUATION: The performance of this job will be evaluated following provisions of the Board’s policy on Personnel Evaluation.

*Must be presented within 90 days of employment as a condition of contract