JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Community Inclusion Assistant (CIA) – Cooke Upper School

Supervisor: Chair of Vocational Services

Regular Daily Schedule: 8:15 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Calendar to Follow: 10-Month Academic Calendar

Status: Exempt

Term: 10 Months

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities

CIAs are members of the school instructional team. Their role is to provide instructional support to students in the acquisition of daily and community living skills and vocational skills, which are a key elements of Cooke’s curriculum. CIAs are responsible for providing direct instruction and training to students in those skill areas at community service and/or ‘job’ sites and during off-site education experiences in a variety of settings (e.g., stores, banks, college campuses, gyms, restaurants). CIAs are responsible for tracking and documenting student progress in vocational and community settings. CIAs are also responsible for providing instructional support in the classroom when not specifically assigned off-site duties. CIAs are expected to document observations of students in a variety of settings and provide weekly updates to the instructional team. CIA instructional support is designed to help students integrate specific daily living, community and vocational skills learned in the classroom into real work and community settings. CIAs are expected provide travel training to students en route to and/from their community service and/or ‘job’ sites, as well as other off-site community activities. CIAs meet regularly with their supervisor to collaborate, plan and provide feedback specific to the community experience. CIAs should represent the Cooke School and Institute in a professional manner. CIAs are expected to continue professional development. CIAs report directly to the Chair of Vocational Services . The responsibilities of the Community Inclusion Assistant include but are not limited to:

• Providing one-to-one or small group training at internship sites and community activities
• Assisting in developing short term and long term goals for student internship placements
• Providing job specific task analysis for teaching specific skills
• Administering functional assessments to students
• Providing direct instruction in small groups and/or individually in the classroom under the supervision of the Head Teacher
• Reporting to each designated internship site on time and providing timely feedback to internship hosts specific to student accommodation needs, calendar changes, attendance, etc.
• Assisting students in establishing a daily routine and schedule for work
• Providing systematic training to students of specific job duties
• Modeling and coaching students on appropriate work-related behaviors
• Providing instructional support and assistance to students to promote social integration and develop self-advocacy skills
• Instructing students in strategies to improve work performance (speed, accuracy, complexity, etc.) as determined by specific learning needs
• Developing a plan for moving individual students towards greater independent functioning in the classroom, at internship cites and in the community
• Keeping accurate documentation of student performance and meeting all required reporting deadlines
• Providing information to the instructional and transition teams for the development of student transition plans and progress reports
• Any other duties deemed necessary by the Administration to ensure that the vision, mission and values are supported
• Participating in the progress report process for students three times per year

Requirements

• Associate’s degree or a minimum of 60 credits towards a Bachelor’s degree
• A minimum of two years of professional experience working with Students with Special Needs
• Classroom experience and/or experience in the field of adult services

Physical Requirements

Able to maintain the physical capacity required to navigate the school environment and to ensure the safety of the students; the ability to…

• walk, run, sit, and stand
• move rapidly forward, backward, and laterally
• bend and stoop
• push, pull, and lift

Professional Development

All Cooke staff are responsible for developing a professional growth plan with their supervisor. Staff training is an integral part of the Cooke school and as such is a requirement of the job. All staff must at a minimum: attend all scheduled Staff Development activities throughout the year and participate in staff orientation scheduled for the last week in August.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement

The Cooke School and Institute provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Cooke complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

The Cooke School and Institute expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of the Cooke’s employees to perform their expected job duties is not tolerated.