Substitute Special Education Intensive Instructional Paraprofessional, Salem Early Childhood Center, Salem Public Schools SY2023-2024

About Salem Public Schools

Salem is a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history. Salem Public School educators are passionate about urban education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement. We respect and value the racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity of our students and their families, and have a strong commitment to the Salem community. We seek individuals who are able to serve all of our students, regardless of ability, economic status, gender/gender identity, language, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other backgrounds. Salem Public Schools has a clear equity statement and core values that guide and drive our work as an anti-racist organization. Applicants who have experienced working in urban schools and have bilingual skills are strongly encouraged to apply.

What You’ll Do: 

As a collaborative member of the Special Education team and in accordance with the policies and procedures of Salem Public Schools, Instructional Paraprofessionals and Intensive Instructional Paraprofessionals assist the classroom teacher(s) and/or other certified personal in providing an innovative, high quality and balanced education program designed to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities in the Salem Public Schools. Paraprofessionals will work with school staff to create an educational environment in which quality, continuity and opportunities for inclusion with peers are key factors. Paraprofessionals will assist with building academic, language and social skills. In addition to sound reasoning and good interpersonal and organizational skills, paraprofessionals are expected to create a welcoming environment for students, facilitate access to all parts of the school day, and contribute to a positive school culture and climate. Paraprofessionals are district-wide employees and subject to the negotiated Paraprofessional Contract, as well as the rules and regulations of Salem Public Schools

The position may include some personal care, lifting, feeding, behavioral interventions and the use of technology. The right person for this position is eager to work with school-aged children, is dependable, organized, flexible and willing to learn through hands-on experiences, professional development workshops, educational readings and other trainings throughout the school year. Skills will also be honed through consultation and observation with clinicians and specialists. Duties may include providing coverage for students with 1:1 paraprofessionals when their assigned paraprofessionals are on lunch break.

Role Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate an understanding of assigned students’ profiles and learning needs.
• Read students’ IEPs and under the supervision of the classroom teacher, provide accommodations and specialized strategies for instruction and skill reinforcement
• Reinforce lessons with individual or small groups of students
• Engage in building-wide, district-wide and IEP-related professional development
• Support and collaborate with the special education teacher and clinical staff on an ongoing basis
• Facilitate classroom carryover of skills taught in pull-out therapy sessions
• Supervise student lunch and recess
• Attend special events with class.
• Set-up/operate and maintain various learning aides, materials, and assistive technology
• Assist with basic classroom management, supervision and recording of student data and/or assist with administering behavior management programs and point systems, under the direction of the classroom teacher
• Facilitate play and social interactions, model academic language and social language between peers
• Escort and assist students as needed throughout the building, on community-based experiences, and on/off the bus
• Follow direction of supervisor and assure safety of students at all times
• Other duties as prescribed by building or ECC Director, administrative staff and Special Education Director, as described within the Paraprofessional contract

 Position Expectations for Intensive Instructional Paraprofessionals

• May need to assist in toileting and Activity of Daily Living (ADL) skills, as determined by student need and following safety and hygiene protocols
• Work closely with service providers to learn how to provide access using assistive technology or alternate learning/communication methods
• Must be physically capable of and willing to engage in restraint, bending, and/or lifting, as required to meet unique student needs

The selected candidate must have the skills, abilities and aptitude to meet all unique needs of their assigned students.

What You’ll Bring:

We are looking for candidates who have diverse backgrounds and experiences, are inspired by our mission and are highly motivated to change children’s lives through education. You’ll be right at home here if you are a reflective practitioner who values collaboration with colleagues and pushes yourself, your work and the people around you to the next level. We expect our SPS employees to:

• Hold a deep commitment to students and families and value diversity - The SPS community is vibrant, diverse in background, ethnicity, language, and perspective. You embrace and affirm the backgrounds of all members of the SPS community and view our diversity as a powerful resource that supports us each in learning and doing our best work.
• Hold high expectations for yourself, students, and colleagues – You see potential in all, especially our SPS students, and maintain high expectations for achievement, while providing the support necessary to meet that bar. You hold yourself to high expectations, modeling SPS values and seeking opportunities to continuously improve.
• Build authentic, caring relationships with colleagues, students, and families – You build strong relationships across students, families, and colleagues that are collaborative in nature and contribute to the individual and collective success of SPS. You partner with families and colleagues to make decisions in the best interest of students and learning.
• Embrace feedback – You are a reflective practitioner who learns from mistakes and challenges and uses them as opportunities for growth. You model persistence and growth mindset and thrive in a culture of feedback.

Job requirements:

• High School Diploma or GED
• Forty-eight (48) Credit Hours of College Coursework or an Associate’s Degree, or a passing score on one of the two following Formalized Standardized Assessments: ParaPro Assessment (http://www.ets.org/parapro/ ) or WorkKeys
• Minimum of one year experience working with pre-school-aged children
• Possess effective written and oral communication skills
• Safety Care Training Certification or willing to be certified (District will provide training)
• Second language (Spanish and/or Portuguese) proficiency a plus
• Bilingual candidates and candidates of color strongly encouraged to apply
• Current authorization to work in the United States

The Paraprofessionals report to the building Principal, Special Education Supervisor, students’ assigned classroom teacher(s) and Director of Special Education. 

This is a school-year position, following individual school calendars and in accordance with the Paraprofessional’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). 

The Paraprofessionals’ workday follows the students' school day in each building.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Salem Public School District is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.