Special Education Paraprofessional (Austism)

Classification Title:  Special Population Paraprofessional

Department: All Schools

Pay Grade: Classified Salary Scale (C2)

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Supervisor: Principal

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

The individual in this position is responsible for providing an atmosphere and environment conducive to the intellectual, physical, social and emotional development of the students to ensure success. The position works under the general supervision of the classroom teacher and supervises, communicates, and interacts with students in a variety of school related settings. This population may include students with one or more of the following disabilities:  intellectual disability, deaf or hard of hearing, speech or language impairment, visual impairment, emotional disability, orthopedic impairment, health impairment (e.g., ADHD, medically fragile, compromised immune system), specific learning disability, autism, traumatic brain injury, or deaf-blindness.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential Functions:

• Assists in the planning of a program of study that, as much as possible, meets the needs, interests, and abilities of the students in accordance with the student’s IEP. 
• Meets and instructs students in the locations and at the times designated on a regular and consistent basis. 
• Assist in the development, selection and modification of instructional plans and materials to meet the needs of all students. 
• Maintain appropriate records and follow required procedures and practices. 
• Monitor appropriate use and care of equipment, materials, and facilities. 
• Adhere to Henry County Schools’ policies, regulations, and procedures.
• Participation in staff development and Safety Care training required.
• Creates a classroom environment that provides for student involvement in the learning process and enables each student to achieve learning objectives. 
• Assists in the provision of an instructional program to meet the needs of the students. 
• Assists in the preparation of classes assigned by organizing materials and supplies prior to instruction. 
• Guides the learning process toward the achievement of curriculum goals and in harmony with the goals.
• Reviews the objectives for all lessons, units, projects, and assignments and clearly communicates these objectives to students. 
• Plans for and utilizes instructional methods, resources and evaluation techniques which motivate and enable each student to achieve learning objectives. 
• Implements all necessary safety precautions to protect students, equipment, materials, and facilities. 
• Assists students with personal care/hygiene needs such as diapering, toilet training, handling clothing fasteners, bath rooming adolescents and young adults, and feeding students, as needed.
• Maintains accurate and complete records as required by law, HCPS policy and administrative regulation.
• Assists the administration in implementing all policies and rules governing student life and conduct and, for the classroom, enforce reasonable rules of classroom behavior and procedure, and maintain order in the classroom in a fair and just manner. 
• Attends staff meetings as required by the school administration. 

Additional Duties:

• Performs other related work as required.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• Associate’s Degree from an accredited college or university or completion of 48 credit hours from an accredited college or university or passing score on the ParaPro examination.
• Or an equivalent level of education and experience.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS REQUIRED

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Working knowledge and understanding of the field of child development with specific application to the area of special education and related services.
• Knowledge of District policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of general office procedures and equipment.
• Skill in effective communication, both verbally and in writing.
• Skill in the use of computers for data entry, word processing, and/or accounting purposes.
• Ability to maintain considerable patience and awareness of the different disabilities of students in assigned locations.
• Ability to assist students with personal care/hygiene needs such as diapering, toilet training, handling clothing fasteners, bath rooming adolescents and young adults, and feeding students.
• Ability to physically assist students, such as lifting, transferring, and other activities required to care for students with physical disabilities.
• Ability to present information clearly and concisely in verbal and written form.
• Ability to work cooperatively with and provide a broad range of assistance to the instructional staff.. 
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The work is medium to heavy work which may require exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body.  Work is performed while standing, sitting and/or walking. Requires the ability to communicate effectively using speech, vision, and hearing. Requires the use of hands for simple grasping and fine manipulations. Require continuous bending, twisting, pushing, pulling, reaching, squatting, crawling, or kneeling.  Requires occasional climbing..  Additionally, the following physical abilities are required: 

• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Pushing or Pulling: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward. Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand. 
• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Manual Dexterity: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
• Repetitive Motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.

Work Environment:

The work is performed mostly indoors, within a specialized classroom environment with a noise level of mostly low to moderate, but could be louder at times.  While performing the duties of this job, there may be constant exposure to trip and fall (over wheelchairs, walkers, Hoyer lifts, crutches, etc.) obstacles.

Salary : $26,327 - $36,602