Job Description:

Position Title: Special Education Paraprofessional
Location: District-wide Openings
Department: Special Education
Reports To: Building-Level Principals
Term: Ongoing 9-month position following the school calendar
Schedule: Mon-Fri approx. 6.5 hrs./day

SUMMARY: The Special Education Paraprofessional assists educators at the elementary, middle or high school level to support the district’s special education learners in either the general education classroom or special education classroom settings. The Special Education Paraprofessional assists learners with disabilities in their daily instructional and non-instructional activities under the supervision of the classroom and special education educators.
 

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty and requirement satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required for the role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
 
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: (Other duties may be assigned)
Collaboration:
Develops positive, effective working relationships with learners and staff.
Assists educators in routine classroom operation, daily activities and assignments. 
Maintains classroom by assisting educator with daily organization. 
Acts as a liaison between special education classroom and general education classroom.
Proactively utilizes flexibility in assisting other programs or other learners to address changes and challenges based on learner, building, or district needs  

Communication:
Prompts safe and socially acceptable replacement behaviors in order to build a repertoire of communication, social interaction, and problem-solving skills.
Establishes & maintains relationship with all learners by pairing self as a reinforcer.
Connects and shares ideas through appropriate/applicable formats to express thoughts and ideas with integrity.
Maintains learner dignity and confidentiality in communication and interactions.
May assist learners with alternative modes of communication.
Assists educators with parent contact as requested to foster effective and participatory parent involvement in learner education.
May assist learners with personal cares including, but not limited to feeding, toileting assistance, general hygiene practices, dressing needs as outlined in care plans or learner IEPs. 

Compassion:
Fosters learner independence and works toward reducing and/or eliminating reliance on paraprofessional support.
Demonstrates understanding of learner’s disability, is courteous, respectful, and fair. 
Acts as a communication liaison between learners and educators. 
Understands the complexities of cultural and global issues and how they relate to employee and learners’ experiences.
Partners with others to resolve potential controversy and conflict through respectful discussion. 
Proactively seeks to understand the ideas, opinions, and skills of others. 
Creativity:
Demonstrates initiative and creativity with learners and their program(s).
Connects with team members and shares ideas in an effort to improve the overall learner and employee experience. 
Demonstrates ability to problem solve in the moment situations for academic, behavioral, or learner health and safety needs. 
Critical Thinking:
Fades prompts appropriately to promote both successful and independent responding.
Increases the frequency or duration of safe and appropriate replacement behaviors by providing access to reinforcers (desired items/actions, attention, or removal of demands/aversive situations). 
Consistently regulates behavior management of learner at the direction of the special education educator and in accordance with learner’s behavioral plan. 
Reasons, interprets, and analyzes information to generate new knowledge and understanding with ongoing professional learning.  

Reflection:
Maintains communication with supervisor and director regarding general feedback, career advancement opportunities, and areas of growth opportunities.
Maintains and acquires technical knowledge by attending required trainings and passing competency assessments. 
Actively participates in on-going professional development opportunities. 
Maintains communication with supervisor and director regarding feedback and growth opportunities.
Resilience:
Maintains composure while dealing with stressful situations.
Proactively seeks out resolutions and takes initiative to resolve knowledge gaps.
 
Responsibility:
Provides skills instruction and behavior management strategies outlined in learner behavior plans or formal training to learners with disabilities, individually or in small groups, under the supervision of the classroom educator and special educator. 
Accurately collects observable behavior data including Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence, count, frequency, duration, latency, inter-response time, event, and interval-based recording. 
Constructs, copies and distributes and use educational materials as instructed by special educator. 
Implements learners positive behavior support plans with fidelity as specified by educator and support staff. 
Provides structure by consistently conducting daily lesson plans set up by educator. 
Provides supervision (examples: playground, cafeteria, recess, drop off/ pick up, study hall, bus duty) as directed by the building principal and supervisor. 
Accompanies learners on field trips to support safety, supervision, and to carry out plans and accommodations to enrich their experience.  
Assists in upholding and enforcing school rules and district policies and procedures.
 
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT: The physical demands and work environment 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.
While performing the essential duties and responsibilities of this role, the employee is regularly required to reach with hands and arms.
While performing the essential duties and responsibilities of this role, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, bend, talk, and hear.
The specific vision abilities required for this role include close and peripheral vision. 
The employee may frequently lift up to ~25 pounds without assistance. 
The employee may occasionally lift up to ~50 pounds without assistance. 
The employee may have to push/pull up to ~120 pounds while performing the duties of the role.
The employee may frequently be required to sit on, and rise from, the floor.
The employee may perform a two-person transport, restraint, or lift (with training provided). 
The employee may come in contact with bloodborne pathogens or other bodily fluids on rare occasions. 
The employee will work in an environment that has a quiet to loud noise level. 
 
Education and/or Experience:
High School Diploma or General Education Degree (GED). 
Associate’s Degree is preferred. 
Experience working in an elementary school setting is preferred. 
Experience working with complex learner behaviors is preferred.
Language Skills:
Ability to read, write, and comprehend simple instructions and short correspondences in the English language.
Ability to communicate effectively verbally, expressively, and reactively.
 
Other Skills and Abilities:
Exercise confidentiality, discretion, and good judgement.
Adhere to the assigned work schedule by maintaining regular and punctual attendance.
 
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
None.

Salary: Position follows the 2024-2025 Classified Salary Schedule at A134. Starting salary begins at $17.50-$19.15/hour, based on experience - https://www.west-fargo.k12.nd.us/departments/human-resources/salary

To Apply: Please complete the application and include three references.