PARAEDUCATOR I

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class.  Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job. 

Definition

To assist in providing instruction to individual or small groups of students in a classroom or an instructional resource setting; to prepare instructional materials;  to provide services to students with specialized needs; assist students who require personal and health care to meet requirements necessary for attending classes;  to provide assistance with personal hygiene and other needs as required by the individual; and to perform a variety of duties related to assigned area of responsibility.

Supervision Received and Exercised

Receives supervision from the site administrator and the Coordinator of Health and Nursing Services.  Receives technical and work direction from the classroom teacher.

Essential Functions Statements

Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Reinforce instruction to individuals or small groups of students as directed by teacher.

1. Assist in the supervision of students with specialized needs in the classroom, outdoor playground, cafeteria, and other District School location areas.

1. Prepare materials for classroom and instructional use; administer, correct and record test results; maintain student profiles and other records of students as requested; perform a variety of clerical duties.

1. Assist teacher in establishing and maintaining a safe and sanitary environment; may pick up lunches and assist with the feeding of children.

1. Assist in lifting pupils in and out of wheelchairs, braces and other orthopedic equipment; ensure all assistance is provided in a safe manner.

1. Assist in positioning pupils and in rendering various forms of personal care, such as toileting and diapering.

1. Assist children in dressing and undressing, bathing, and grooming as needed.

1. Assist children in and out of buses; accompany or assist children to and from school buses and in moving to and from activities on the school site.

1. Provide children with an appropriate learning environment in order for students to develop skills and knowledge; set appropriate limits for behavior and apply discipline techniques as directed.

1. May perform other duties, as trained, to assist the physically handicapped child such as suctioning to clear air passages, gastronomy tube feeding, catheterization, colostomy and iliostomy care, oxygen administration and flow monitoring, emergency care, and other related forms of personal health care.

1. Observe and control behavior of assigned child in individual and group settings; report any concerns to teacher or site.

1. Confer, as needed, with teacher or site administrator on special issues of assigned child.

1. Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• General needs, behavior, physical limitations, special needs and emotional problems of students who may require personal or health care
• Behavior management techniques
• Methods and techniques of lifting and moving children with physical limitations
• Personal hygiene practices
• Health and safety and basic first aid techniques, including CPR
• Child guidance principles and practices as they relate to children with physical limitations
• Safe practices in school and playground settings
• Basic emergency procedures as they relate to obtaining professional medical and safety assistance
• Basic principles and practices of child development and child guidance
• General needs and behavior of children
• Pertinent Federal, State and local laws, codes and regulations
• Reading and writing communication skills
• Oral and written communications skills

Ability to:

• Assist with instruction and related activities of the assigned learning environment
• Reinforce instruction to individual or small groups of students as directed by the teacher
• Be trained in a variety of procedures and perform those procedures after training
• Recognize the need to provide for the personal privacy and dignity of physically handicapped children
• Lift children in and out of school buses, wheel chairs, braces, and other orthopedic equipment
• Maintain emotional control in difficult situations
• Efficiently and effectively react to emergencies
• Learn and adapt to new procedures and conditions
• Recognize and report safety hazards
• Assist students by providing proper examples, emotional support, friendly attitude and general guidance
• Demonstrate an understanding, patient and receptive attitude toward children with special needs
• Perform routine clerical duties and maintain records

• Assist in supervising and disciplining assigned students according to approved policies and procedures
• Work independently with minimal direction
• Provide information and assistance to parents, the general public and other staff members in a helpful, courteous and timely manner
• Maintain confidentiality of privileged information obtained in the course of work
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
• Understand and follow oral and written directions
• Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action
• Plan and organize work to meet schedules and timelines in an environment with constantly changing priorities
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work
• React calmly under stressful situations and emergencies
• Assist in the supervision of children in the classroom and outdoors
• Understand and empathize with children with a variety of physical and/or mental and emotional limitations
• Lift children 50 to 90 pounds into and out of wheelchairs; lift children into and out of school buses
• Travel to multiple sites within work day

Experience and Training Guidelines

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: One year of experience providing assistance to individuals with specialized needs.

Training: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade.

License or Certificate

• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California Driver’s license.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a CPR and first aid certificate.

NCLB REQUIREMENT

In accordance with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), paraprofessionals are required to have a high school diploma or its equivalent and demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, math, and classroom instruction.  Employees are required to meet the requirements either by holding an AA degree or higher, having 48 units from an institution of higher education, or by demonstrating, through local assessment, the knowledge of and the ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing and mathematics.

Working Conditions

Environmental Conditions:    Classroom environment; subject to traveling from site to site; indoor and outdoor recreational facilities; toilet, clean, diaper, and feed children with limitations.

Physical Conditions:  Essential functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for lifting and providing personal hygiene assistance and other duties related to the specific limitations of the children; sitting, walking or standing for prolonged periods of time; near visual acuity to review written documentation; ability to hear and understand speech at normal room levels and on the telephone; manual dexterity to operate a telephone; lift horizontally and vertically, bend and stoop.

OXNARD SCHOOL DISTRICT

Board Policy Adopted:  February 3, 2010

Personnel Commission Approved:  December 10, 2009