Educational Support Professional

Consistent and dependable attendance is required.

Educational Support Professionals work 6 hours per day for the school year.  The position is eligible for benefits, Town Retirement, paid holidays and paid sick time

Qualifications:

• Required: High school diploma
• Preferred: College degree in education
• Experience with students
• Demonstrated effective organizational and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with administrators, colleagues, parents/guardians, and others in the delivery of effective services
• ability to accept and implement directions
• ability to be flexible with job assignments as needed
• Consistent and dependable attendance is essential

The paraprofessional position can be physically demanding:

• Frequent standing
• Significant amounts of walking
• May be required to escort the student(s) to different classrooms, to recess and to field trips, in addition to managing the student(s) activity level
• While toileting and lifting may not be required in every case, a situation may arise where a paraprofessional will be required to do so
• The school environment can be high energy and moderately noisy
• Before/after school, recess and field trips may require time outdoors in inclement weather
   

Responsibilties:

• Work collaboratively with classroom teacher to provide individual, small group and whole class instruction for students
• Supervise students in all environments
• Collaborate with and participate in consultation with special education and related service providers who work with students in the classroom

GENERAL DUTIES OF Instructional Educational Support Professional

Instructional Educational Support Professionals, working under the direction and supervision of a certified teacher who is responsible for the design, implementation, assessment, and evaluation of student progress and instructional programs, provides academic and/or social-emotional support for students during the day.

Support can be provided in whole class, small group, or one on one settings, in all content areas.  In addition to classroom responsibilities, Educational Support Professionals provide supervision at recess and lunch and perform other duties assigned to them.

Educational Support Professionals may engage in the following activities:

• Implement strategies and procedures developed by teachers to maintain safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments.
• Under the guidance and supervision of a teacher, effectively implement learning strategies, prompting procedures, and other systematic instructional procedures using a variety of instructional grouping arrangements.
• Under the direction of the teacher, use developmentally and age-appropriate strategies, equipment, materials, and technologies in a manner that facilitates student learning and accomplishes instructional goals.
• Understand what the teacher expects from students and the consequences of failing to abide by classroom rules. The Educational Support Professional must enforce discipline in accordance with school, classroom and individual rules, regulations and plans.
• Reinforce behavior-management plans, collect data on student performance, or assist students at lunch and recess.
• Supervise students in all environments, including field trips and the playground.
• Provide insight into a student's learning style for a general education/special education teacher.
• Assist teachers in monitoring student progress regarding academic performance/cognitive development, social development, and behavior.
• Using various teacher-developed assessment tools, assist teachers in documenting information about learners’ strengths, needs, and performance.
• Assist with classroom management, such as organizing instructional and other materials.
• Assist teachers in maintaining students records required by school system or state mandates.
• Provide clerical support to teachers. Duties under this role include record keeping, charting, copying material, tracking changes in behavioral modification plans and typing modified lesson plans.
• Follow teacher instructions and implement team decisions.
• Interact effectively with and demonstrate respect for the views, rights, and contributions of parents, teachers, and other school personnel.
• Assist with a wide range of behavioral problems or behavioral modification plans.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of individual students and their families.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support the total school program
• Exhibit proficiency, dependability and punctuality in assigned duties
• Strive to improve professional competence
• Display appropriate personal and professional traits that exhibit a positive role model for students
• Flexibility with job assignments as needed

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/REQUIREMENTS

• Consistent and dependable attendance
• Frequent standing
• Significant amounts of walking
• Paraprofessionals may be required to escort the student(s) to different classrooms, to recess, and to field trips, in addition to managing the student(s) activity level
• While toileting and lifting may not be required in every case, a situation may arise where a paraprofessional will be required to do so

WORK ENVIRONMENT/CONDITIONS

The school environment can be high-energy and moderately noisy. Before/after school, recess and field trips may require time outdoors in inclement weather.