Salinas City Elementary School District

(Replaces Behavior Intervention Specialist)

TITLE:  Para-Educator III DEPARTMENT: Special Education BOARD APPROVAL: 6/8/2020

REPORTS TO:       Principal · CLASSIFICATION:  Classified WORK YEAR:   183 Days SALARY:  Range  32

DEFINITION:

Under the general supervision of the School Principal or program director and under the direction/ instruction of certificated  staff, the Para-Educator  III performs various supportive  tasks designed to facilitate instructional effectiveness in the overall education, guidance, and care of students with moderate  to severe intellectual  disabilities, autism , multiple disabilities,  other health impainnent or other disabilities  that are moderate to severe in nature; provides support to students in need of intensive positive behavior interventions  using advanced behavior management  techniques. Para­ Educator llI staff are assigned to various instructional settings.

SUPERVISOR(S):

School Principal or Designee

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

The Para-Educator III is distinguished from other classifications in the para-educator family by also being assigned to students requiring one-to-one support.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

To perform the job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each essential  duty. The requirements listed on the job description are representative  of the knowledge, skills and abilities required. Reasonable  accommodations  may be made to enable individuals  with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

ESSENTIAL  DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The following is a list of duties that are representative of the position and include but are not limited to:

• Under direct guidance, works with students individually and in groups assisting with specific instructional, recreational, or learning tasks.

•   Participates  with a team in implementing behavior intervention plans and positive behavior reinforcement strategies.

• Communicates  with students using speech appropriate to the student's level of understanding including but not limited to, verbal, picture/symbol systems, technology, and functional

s1gns.

• Assists in prepating and utilizing a variety of study aids and techniques to reinforce student skills/learning.

• Observes and assists in managing behavior in the classroom.

• Assists students with the use of computers, audiovisual aids, and other technology.

• Participates in available training  to stay current  with academic, safety, enrichment, and technology standards.

• Meets with teacher and other  staffto collaboratively create effective learning.

• Supports student(s) while participating in general  education classes/programs.

• Assists  in ensuring that classroom and/or  program environment is safe and clean.

• Completes fonns, logs and paperwork  necessary to track eligible  behavioral  and/or  medical support  and records data.

• Assists cert ificated staff in administering a variety of fonnal  and inf01mal assessments.

• Collects and reviews student  data such as strengths, methods, strategies best used in support of goal s.

• Monitors and evaluates student  progress  and completes records accurately.

• Participates physically  with students in activities as needed, both indoors  and outdoors as assigned.

•   Assists  in managing materials and supplies specific to assigned  program.

• Supervises students  in a variety of settings including but not limited  to recess, on and off the bus (to include  riding), during  meals, and on field trips.

• Assists  students with feeding, personal  hygiene, grooming functions, toi l eting, and other self­ help skills,  which may require  changing diapers  and clothes, lifting  and positioning students on orthopedic equipment and changing tables.

• Assists  in providing snacks  and meals during school day.

• May be assigned to assist students with diapering and toileting  activities.

• May be assigned  to provide  specialized physical  health care procedures.

• Perfonns other job-related duties  as assigned.

• Accompanies special needs students to general education classrooms.

•   Works  directly   with  students in subject areas  including but  not  limited   to  reading, math, language development, social studies, science, technology, art, music and PE.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: Education and Experience:

•   High school  diploma  or equivalent

•   Education as required by the "Every Student  Succeeds  Act of2015": High school  diploma  or equivalent AND two (2) years of higher education study (48 semester  units); OR

•   Possession of an Associate's or higher degree; OR

•    Met a rigorous standard  of quality  and able to demonstrate, through  a fonnal State or

local academic assessment, knowledge and the abi lity to assist in instructing, reading,  writing and mathematics.

Knowledge of:

•    Strong   English  verbal  and  written  communication skills  including spelling, grammar  and punctuation

•    First Aid and CPR

•    Crisis intervention techniques

•   Universal health precautions

Ability  to:

•    Implement Behavior Intervention Plans

•    Assist with strenuous physical work in lifting, moving and controlling students with disabilities and their equipment

•    Use correct procedures for lifting and correctly positioning on/in specialized equipment  used

by student

•    Demonstrate  understanding, patience, a positive attitude and genuine interest in working with students with disabilities.

•    Understand and be sensitive to those of culturally  and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

•    Establish and maintain cooperative relationships  with those contacted during the course of work.

•    Work under general supervision and function effectively  within a team setting.

• Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action.

• Be flexible with a positive attitude and possess excellent interpersonal skills.

• Handle information in a discreet and confidential  manner.

• Exercise reasonable judgment in unusual circumstances.

•    Understand and carry out assigned duties.

•    Communicate  effectively in the English language, both verbally and in writing.

•    Read, understand, interpret, and follow laws, rules, regulations, processes, policies, and methods of the office, the District, and the State of California.

•    Learn and use technology and computer software applications  as appropriate to the work environment.

•   Collect data necessary to monitor goals associated  with behavior plans included in the student's Individualized  Education Plans (IEP) as directed by the Behavior Analyst and classroom teacher.

•   Meet schedules and time-lines.

•   Make simple mathematical  calculations with speed and accuracy.

• Physically participate in activities outside the classroom such as: mainstreaming, recreational activities, and field trips.

• Provide specialized physical health care procedures.

•   **Provide Emergency Medical Assistance according to according to the tenns of the CSEA

contract.

• Perfonn appropriate First Aid and CPR when necessary.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES:

• First Aid certification  maintain valid cet1ification

• CPR Certification; maintain valid certification

• Completion of the crisis intervention training (e.g. CPI) offered by the District at the first available opp011unity

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

•    Training  in  Applied  Behavior  Analysis  Techniques, Competent   Leamer  Model  (CLM ), Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication  Handicapped Children (TEACCH) Techniques, and/or similar behavior management strategi es

•    Coursework in education,  psychology, child development, classroom behavior management, or Early Childhood  Education

•    Experience working with students with disabilities

•   Bilingual English/Spanish

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully  perfonn the essential functions of this job. Reasonabl e accommodations  may be made to enable indi viduals with disabilities  to perform the essential functions.

•    Physical, mental, and emotional stamina to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position and sustain moderate physical effort

•    Manual dexterity sufficient to write, use telephone, and classroom technology (including computers)

•   Visual acuity for the purposes of reading printed materials and computer screens;

•    Hearing sufficient to understand speech at nonnal  level s in person and/or on the telephone;

•    Conduct verbal conversation  in English so others will be able to clearly understand a nom1al conversation in person, on the telephone, and addressing groups;

•    Physical agility to push/pull, squat, twi st, turn, bend, stoop and to reach above head;

•    Physical mobility sufficient to move about the work environment (classroom, office, playground);

•    Physical strength sufficient to lift a student weighing 45 pounds and I 00 pounds with

assistance;

•    Ph ysical stamina sufficient  to sit, stand or walk for prolonged periods of ti me and to kneel and sit on the floor;

•    Mental acuity to collect and interpret data, evaluate, reason, define problems, establish facts,

draw valid conclusions, make valid judgments and decisions;

•    Physical tolerance to be exposed to dust, pollen, specific agents/chemicals, cleaners, and foul smells;

•    Work in a wide range of temperatures; work in both indoor and outdoor environments  with

ex posure to extreme weather conditions which include but are not limited to; heat, cold, rain, wind, and high humidity.

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 indi viduals with disabilities to perfonn the essential functions.

Hazards:

•   Potential ex posure to blood-borne pathogens, bodily fluids and communicable diseases.