Paraprofessional - Therapeutic Classroom

Come join the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community as a Paraprofessional at Playworks, our early childhood education center! In this role you will support the teachers and children in the Stars/Therapeutic classroom throughout their day. The ideal fit for this role is someone who has great attention to detail, excellent teamwork skills, and the ability to remain calm and patient. If you have compassion, empathy, and a love for working with teachers and children - this is the opportunity for you! Enjoy weekly pay, on-site clinics, and health benefits. Whatever your career goals may be, let SMSC help get you there!

Job Overview: Work closely with a child/ren that need extra care and support throughout the day. Compassionately participate in the physical support and care of a child/children, which may include toileting, feeding, positioning, providing behavioral supports and lifting/transferring on a regular basis. Form interpersonal relationships with children to help them feel more motivated about their activities throughout the day. Assist our Early Childhood Teachers with teaching new concepts or translating information for children to understand better, supervising children, and providing children with a positive, nurturing guide.

About Our Program: The STAR program is a healing-focused program within Playworks, our early childhood education center. Grounded in Dakota values and cultural wellness, the STAR program focuses on healing through relationships, socio-emotional learning, and honoring each child’s unique needs and gifts. STAR program staff include skilled teachers and assistants, therapists and mental health specialists, and occupational and speech-language therapists. Centered on the traditional Native value that children are sacred, the STAR program partners with families to help each child learn, grow, and thrive.

Create Your Path: The Work You’ll Do:

• Maintain the high level of ethical behavior and confidentiality of information about students.
• Establish and maintain a professional and supportive relationship with the children.
• Participate in related meetings as requested.
• Alert the teacher to any problems or special information about an individual child.
• Assist with the supervision of children, classroom activities, meals, snacks and cleanup routines and other specific routines which may include special health, occupational and physical therapy plans, as directed by teacher.
• Assist teachers in maintaining a safe and organized classroom environment.
• Assists children with activities of daily living and personal care needs when appropriate.
• Assist the teacher in devising special strategies for reinforcing material or skills based on student needs, interests and abilities.
• Under supervision of the teacher, work with a child or a small group of children to reinforce material initially introduced by the teacher.
• Operates and cares for equipment used in the classroom for instructional purposes.
• Implement programming geared to the needs of the individual children's style and pace of learning.
•  Complete required training, ex: crisis prevention, interventions and safe restraint techniques on a yearly basis. Other training as required.
• Carry-out proper techniques in de-escalation and child restraint when it is appropriate.

Job Requirements: 

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to assist in classroom instruction and learning and work closely with children.
• Great attention to detail, excellent teamwork skills, and ability to remain calm and patient.
• Experience working with children preferred in a para role.
• Knowledge of Conscious Discipline preferred.
• This position is subject to testing for drugs (THC included) & alcohol in accordance with the Federal Department of Transportation Regulations as well as the SMSC’s Drug / THC and Alcohol Policy.
• Ability to move in a variety of motions including bending, squatting, crawling, kneeling, twisting, pulling, and/ or pushing.
• Capacity to handle and lift up to 50 lbs. as needed.
• Has the physical abilities to perform the required job duties with or without accommodations, including on feet 80% of time. 

Outstanding Benefits & Awesome Perks: Enjoy competitive weekly pay, outstanding benefits and advancement opportunities. Generous benefits include medical, dental, life and disability insurance, onsite medical clinics and pharmacy, 401(k) retirement plan, paid time off, wellness programs and more. Plus, take advantage of perks like discounts on childcare, fuel, bus passes and fitness membership, free uniforms, free uniform cleaning and tuition reimbursement. 

Who We Are: The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community contributes both time and financial resources across the region, state, and country. The SMSC has donated more than $400 million to organizations and causes, provided $500 million in economic development loans to other tribes, and contributed millions more to support regional governments and infrastructure. The SMSC's Native Green initiative annually diverts hundreds of tons of waste from landfills, has implemented compostable containers throughout our properties, and restored hundreds of acres of prairie land. Team members are eligible to participate in SMSC Gives, a community outreach initiative that organizes various opportunities in the local community. To empower its team members to take part in the Dakota tradition of giving, the SMSC provides paid hours to team members to volunteer at events. Learn more at shakopeedakota.org