Field of Competition: Open Certification
Employees in this position work 6 hours per day, 5 days per week, 9 months per year and shall qualify for district contributed health insurance, sick days, paid time off and membership to CalPERS for retirement benefits.
DEFINITION
Under immediate supervision, assists teachers in a variety of care-taking, instructional and classroom activities involving handicapped children in need of special education; performs work of a routine clerical nature as required.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Positions in this class are established to assist teachers in the education, training and supervision of handicapped students. Incumbents perform a variety of duties and perform a major role in caring for the physical needs of the students. Continuous and vigilant supervision of students is necessary. Incumbents must display a special level of sensitivity to children's needs and perform work which requires a great amount of patience.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

• Proof of Education is required.
• The minimum education requirement for this position is an awarded High School Diploma or GED equivalent. Candidates must upload a copy of their high school transcript or photo of their awarded high school diploma, GED or higher degree to be considered.
• Applicants with an awarded Associates degree or higher shall be exempt from taking the written exam for this position.

• Unit/Degree verification (including equivalency of foreign degrees) must be submitted with the online application as an attachment in the form of unofficial transcripts. Equivalence of foreign degrees must have been reviewed and verified by a regionally accredited foreign degrees review agency.

Experience: Recent paid or volunteer experience involving organized activities with children.
Education: Graduation from high school or equivalent GED or higher. Document upload required.
Special License or Language Skills:
Possession of current cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid certificates from approved training program or must obtain current cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid certificates from approved training program within sixty (60) calendar days from date of hire. Failure to do so, shall result in termination of employment. The ability to read, write and speak a language, in addition to English, such as Spanish or Armenian, is desirable.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Employees must be physically and mentally able to perform the essential duties of a position with or without reasonable accommodation and without hazard to themselves or others; may be required to lift up to seventy-five (75) pounds.

Essential duties and responsibilities of this class include but are not limited to:

• Assists children on and off vehicles, and in moving to and from classes and events
• Assists children in and out of wheel chairs, braces and other special equipment
• Helps children dress and undress
• Helps physical therapist lift and move children undergoing therapy
• Helps children wash and groom themselves, assists students in toileting and cleans up after them
• Changes children's diapers and wet clothing
• Prepares food trays, sets up lunch area and assists children unable to feed themselves
• Counts lunch money and records numbers served
• Takes temperatures, administers medication under nurse's supervision and assists children with seizures
• Provides emergency care as needed, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation or other life-sustaining efforts until paramedics or other medical assistance is available
• Makes minor adjustments on special equipment such as wheelchairs, crutches, braces, standing tables and gurneys
• Assists children in learning survival skills when possible, e.g., how to bank and count money, use public transportation and library, shop in store and use pay telephone
• Assists students in learning personal grooming skills and good hygiene (how to chew, comb hair, brush teeth, etc.) and otherwise encourages good health habits
• Works with students on acceptable behavior
• Assists students in learning light housekeeping tasks, garden skills, and the use of related tools and materials
• Supervises student using workshop and pre-vocational skills
• Operates office and classroom equipment
• Assists in preparing and storing instructional materials and equipment for demonstrations, projects, bulletin board displays and wall decorations
• Supervises students in classroom, halls, playground, on field trips and at co-curricular activities
• Provides reinforcing learning experiences for students
• Administers and scores tests and records grades under teacher supervision
• Assists in maintaining an orderly learning environment by setting up facilities and cleaning materials and equipment
• Assists teachers with special instruction and presentations
• Assists staff and administration with school/home communications regarding parent and program orientation
• Confers with teacher(s) regarding planning and scheduling activities, instructional goals, student progress and special problems
• Attends in-service training meetings as assigned
• Performs other related duties as required

Knowledge of:

• Elementary concepts of child development and behavior
• Growth, development and problems of handicapped students
• Practical learning patterns and behavior
• Basic characteristics of human behavior
• Personal hygiene practice
• Specialized equipment and procedures used with handicapped persons
• Principles of supervision and motivation used with handicapped students
• Special program goals
• Proper English usage, grammar, spelling and punctuation
• Basic math
• Simple record keeping
• First aide techniques, practices and procedures
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques

• Understand and appropriately respond to the needs of handicapped students
• Perform basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• Recognize and effectively respond to emergency and/or hazardous conditions
• Operate special classroom equipment and office machines
• Communicate effectively with others
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions
• Lift handicapped students in and out of special devices
• Perform routine clerical tasks
• Adapt quickly to changes, learn new methods and use emergency measures
• Use sound judgment when specific instructions are lacking
• Work in structured time frame
• Perform special tasks related to the care and teaching of handicapped students
• Possesses understanding of and a sense of compassion for handicapped students
• Possess a durable sense of humor
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers and others
• Maintain sensitivity to ethnic, religious, cultural and sexual differences

Pasadena Unified School District offers exceptional benefits including:

• Excellent health, dental, and vision plans with flexible options to meet varying needs with minimal out-of-pocket costs. The district offers multiple medical plans (HMOs and PPOs through Blue Cross/Blue Shield or Kaiser), dental plan with Delta Dental, and vision with VSP or Spectera.

• Discounts with PUSD’s Early Childhood Education Program for staff enrolling their children in preschool education

• Discounts with Pasadena LEARNs Program for staff needing before & after school support as well as summer enrichment

• For those new to the teaching profession, a District provided Induction program (value of $6000 per year) as well as coaching and mentoring support and ongoing professional development for all staff

• Free annual health screening through partnership with SISC

• District paid life insurance of $10,000

• District paid AD&D coverage

• Flexible Spending Account

• For applicants who qualify, the District also offers a 457(b) tax-sheltered annuity plan

• Membership with CALPERs or CalSTRS retirement systems

• Up to 16 observed holidays per year