CERES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

JOB DESCRIPTION

BASIC FUNCTION:

Under the direction of an assigned supervisor, assist a certificated teacher in providing instruction to individual or small groups of severely handicapped students in a classroom; monitor and report student progress regarding behavior and performance; assist students in developing various self-help; social and community skills, and address specific health needs of students.  By state definition, students who fall under the category of severely handicapped include:  Intellectually Disabled, Orthopedically Impaired (Physically Handicapped), Visually Impaired, Deaf-Blind, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Emotionally Disturbed, Autistic, Multiply Handicapped, Traumatic Brain Injury.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES:

Behavior Management:

• Implement behavior support plans and behavior intervention plans under the supervision of the Behavior Intervention Specialist.  Observe and control behavior and interaction of students according to approved procedures; gather data, and report progress regarding student behavior.
• Collect Behavioral Data under the direction of the Behavior Intervention Specialist.

Health and Safety:

• Providing emotional and physical support to student; assist with feeding children and toileting activities including toilet training.
• Providing specialized health care services including catheterization, gavage feeding, suctioning or other services upon receiving the required medical training.
• Assure the health and safety of students by following health and safety practices and procedures; assist in maintaining a clean and orderly classroom environment.

Instructional Support:

• Tutor individual or small groups of severely handicapped students, reinforcing instruction as directed by the teacher; monitor and oversee student drills, practices and related activities.
• Confer with teachers concerning programs and materials to meet student needs; utilize appropriate methods of instruction to achieve goals and objectives set forth in the Individualized Education Program (IEP).
• Provide instruction and assistance to severely handicapped students in social, gross motor, fine motor, and self-help skills; assist students in crossing the street when visiting within the community, purchase supplies and meals, as well as to utilize good manners.
• Assist students on and off the bus; push wheelchairs and lift students as needed.
• Operate various exercise, therapeutic, instructional and office equipment.
• Prepare students for and assist students in mainstreamed classes according to established procedures.
• Prepare lessons and instructional materials for individual students as directed by the teacher; maintain daily records of achievement.

• Provide support to the teacher by setting up work areas, displays and exhibits, operating audio-visual equipment, operating educational training equipment and distributing and collecting paper and supplies.
• Oversee student activities; lead and monitor playground activities and movement education as assigned.
• Translate and serve as interpreter as assigned by the position in designated second language; provide oral and written translations.
• Participate in meetings and in-service training programs as assigned.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:  

Knowledge and application of: 

Basic knowledge of behavior change techniques, prompting strategies, fading strategies, and reinforcement and motivational strategies.

CPR, First Aide and basic health and safety strategies to be applied when toileting students or dealing with medically involved students.

Special needs, problems and requirements of severely handicapped students; Child guidance principles and practices; Basic subjects taught in schools, including arithmetic, grammar, spelling language and reading; Safe practices in classroom and playground activities; Correct English usage, grammar and spelling, punctuation and vocabulary; Oral and written communications skills; Interpersonal relations skills using tact, patience and courtesy; Record-keeping techniques.

Ability to:

Consistently implement behavior plans, interact with students with severe behavior problems in a professional and positive manner.  Consistently collect behavioral data and maintain necessary behavioral records.

Apply specialized training for medically involved students.

Assist certificated staff with instructional and related activities of the assigned learning environment; assist students in developing self-help and social skills; print and write legibly; make arithmetic calculations quickly and accurately; understand and follow oral and written directions; learn the procedures, functions and limitation of assigned duties; communicate effectively with physically and developmentally handicapped children; establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; communicate effectively both orally and in writing; restrain and discipline students according to approved policies and procedures; operate various instructional, therapeutic and office equipment.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Education: 

High School Diploma

AA degree, or 48 units of college education, or pass NCLB Test.

Some positions in this class may be required to possess sign language skills. 

PART Trained, CPR and First Aid training preferred.

Some positions in this class may be required to possess bilingual language skills.

Supervision:

Under general supervision, report to the Special Education Program Specialist or District Office Administrator

designee.

Receive direction and assistance from assigned certificated staff member(s).

Itinerate paraprofessional III personnel will rotate from site to site, assignment to assignment, as necessary and as

determined by the Special Education Program Specialist or District Office Administrator designee.

Experience: 

Two years experience working with severely handicapped students and adults (Deaf, blind, PH, SH, ED, Autistic)

preferred.

Two years experience working with behaviorally challenged or medically involved students preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to lift moderately heavy equipment and students.  The employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; move; run; exercise including stretching, bending, stooping or kicking, and perform other active movements.  The employee is frequently required to use dexterity of hands and fingers to manipulate specialized apparatus and standard office and classroom equipment, hands to finger, handle or to feel object, tools, equipment or controls; and climb or balance.  The employee is frequently required to crawl and taste or smell.  The employee is required to bend at the waist, kneeling or crouching to assist students.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus, seeing to read a variety of materials and monitor student activities.

Hearing and speaking is required to exchange information.

HAZARDS

Contact with dissatisfied and/or abusive individuals.

Exposure to bodily fluids and infectious diseases.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the employee regularly works in outside weather conditions and is occasionally exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals.  The employee works in a specialized classroom environment for the severely learning challenged.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.