Teacher's Aide/Paraprofessional

JOB TITLE:  

Teacher Assistant - TA I, TA I-60 and TA II 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Teacher Assistant I:  
• Must have passed the MEGA Paraprofessional assessment.
• Teacher Assistant I-60:
• Must have obtained an Associate degree or a minimum of 60 credit hours from an accredited college.
• Teacher Assistant II:
• Must hold a valid Missouri teaching certificate. 
• Willingness to pursue additional training as required.
• Good communication and public relations skills.
• Such alternatives or additional qualifications as the Board of Education may find appropriate.

REPORTS TO:

Teacher, Principal and Director of Student Services

JOB GOAL:

To substantially assist the assigned teacher in reaching his/her job goal by assuming the following performance responsibilities:

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Assist assigned teachers to meet and instruct assigned classes in the locations and at the times designated.
2. Understand students' individual needs and assist assigned teachers to implement a program of study that, as much as possible, meets the individual needs, interests, and abilities of the students.
3. Help to maintain a classroom environment that is conducive to learning and appropriate to the maturity and interests of the students.
4. Assist assigned teachers to set and maintain standards of classroom behavior.
5. As directed by the teacher implements a variety of instructional techniques and instructional media, consistent with the physical limitations of the location provided and the needs and capabilities of the individuals or student groups involved.
6. Assist assigned teachers with the  implementation of the district's mission statement set forth in the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan.
7. Assist assigned teachers in observing, recording, managing, reinforcing and assessing behaviors and progress of students on a regular basis.
8. Take all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, materials and facilities.
9. Provide escort and assistance to children as necessary throughout a variety of school and community settings.
10. Assist assigned teachers with the  implementation of all policies and rules governing student life and conduct, and enforce teacher established rules of classroom behavior and procedure, and maintain order in the classroom in a fair and just manner.
11. Strive to maintain and improve professional competence.
12. Alert assigned teachers to any problem or special information about an individual student.
13. Assist with personal care, hygiene and health-related procedures such as, but not limited to, feeding, tube feeding, lifting, positioning, carrying, toileting, clean intermittent catheterization and suctioning when trained.
14. Applies and removes physical therapy appliances as instructed (e.g. body braces, leg braces, etc) for the purpose of ensuring the student has the proper equipment according to the IEP plan.
15. Participates in the implementation of IEP goals for the purpose of meeting IEP goals and/or district benchmarks.
16. Assist assigned teachers in dealing with students who have challenging behaviors.
17. Assist with de-escalation strategies and/or restraint techniques.
18. Attend staff meetings and serve on staff committees and attend in-service programs as required.
19. Assume such other duties as assigned by supervisor or administrative personnel.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• While performing the duties and responsibilities of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk; hear; stand; move and walk at a brisk pace; sit; and use hands and arms to handle, feel and reach.  
• The ability to accompany students anywhere on school premises.  
• The employee may be required to stoop or kneel and occasionally lift and move up to 50 pounds.  
• Regular attendance on the job is expected and necessary.  
• The employee must be physically able to implement all BOE policies; District procedures; perform de-escalation and crisis prevention techniques; and react and intervene quickly during crisis situations, such as but not limited to the following circumstances:  student elopement, physical altercations involving students or any situation that requires physical intervention to maintain student safety.  

CONDITIONS AND ENVIRONMENT:

• The individual who holds this position will regularly work in a school environment that is noisy and active. 
• Occasionally the individual will be required to work outdoors for short periods of time to perform such tasks as loading and unloading students from district transportation and supervising recess.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Salary, work day, and year to be established by the Board of Education.

EVALUATION:

Performance of this job will be evaluated annually in accordance with provisions of the Board of Education's policy on Evaluation of Classified Personnel.