Instructional Assistant – Special Education

Reports to: Principal

General Definition of Work: Performs duties related to assisting teachers with instructional activities, assisting students by reinforcing material already presented, to include review and repetition, preparing and maintaining files and reports, assisting students with disabilities to achieve established educational goals and objectives, with personal care and mobility, and related work as apparent or assigned. Work is performed under supervision of a classroom teacher and evaluated by the school principal.

Essential Functions:

• Assists classroom teacher(s) in performing specific duties as assigned or undertaking specialized tasks
• Assists in providing individual and small group instruction in order to adapt the curriculum to the needs of students
• Assists in establishing and maintaining standards of student behavior; helps provide/reinforce classroom management; monitors students to keep them on tasks
• Assists the classroom teacher in creating an environment that is conducive to learning and appropriate to the maturity and interest of the students
• Uses a variety of strategies/modalities to explain or communicate difficult concepts to students
• Supervises students in the hallways, classroom, cafeteria, and playground; escorts students between classrooms, accompanies students to recess; assists students with accessing the bathroom and toileting as necessary; observes and ensures student safety at all times
• Performs clerical/organizational tasks (i.e.) laminates; files papers; organizes handouts and study guides for students; distributes materials for activities
• Checks students’ work for compliance with teacher’s instructions; helps maintain individual records for each student
• Assists and monitors students in computer lab
• Collects instructional and/or behavioral data pertaining to student performance
• Performs a variety of office assistance tasks such as photocopying, filing, answering the telephone, etc. as required; calls substitute teachers when assigned
• Directs vehicles and traffic during the arrival and departure of students to school; monitors children getting on and off buses

This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 10 pounds of force; work regularly requires speaking or hearing and using hands to finger, handle or feel, frequently requires sitting and occasionally requires standing and walking; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data and observing general surroundings and activities; work occasionally requires exposure to bloodborne pathogens and bodily fluids and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

General knowledge of the practices, methods and techniques used in classroom teaching; ability to maintain confidential files and information and to compile reports; skill in the use of classroom and instructional equipment; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, parents, students and the general public.

Bachelor’s degree, an associate’s degree, 60 hours of college credit, or successful completion of the Paraprofessional test is required.

Contract Period: 10 months

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Amherst County Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer