Paraprofessional

• At City Garden, we pride ourselves on giving students a vibrant learning experience in a welcoming environment. Our teachers count on paraprofessionals to bring the best to the classroom every day. We’re searching for a qualified paraprofessional to join us in delivering the high-quality learning experiences we’re known for. They will build on a student-centered environment which fosters relationships and promotes continual growth for students and staff. The ideal Paraprofessional will...
• Have a degree in education, early childhood development, or one of the social sciences
• Have at least one year of experience working with special needs students
• Be flexible to adapt to the changing nature of the demands of the class
• Be deeply committed to whole-child education, having proven success and outcomes in meeting children’s needs holistically
• Have a grounding in anti-bias education and antiracist values and principles, and is excited to be part of a school that is reimagining education through these lenses
• Current First Aid and CPR certification
• Current Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Paraprofessional certification

Responsibilities

• Objectives of this Role
• Provide instructional reinforcement under the direction of the classroom teacher in executing lesson plans
• Serve as a positive, nurturing guide for students
• Model professional and ethical standards when dealing with students, parents, staff, and community, following and upholding school rules and standards
• Safely supervise students in both instructional and assessment activities in and out of the classroom
• Participate in planning sessions with the learning team, communicating with parents and school officials as needed

• Daily and Monthly Responsibilities
• Co-teach lesson components as determined by the teacher, leading small-group or individual instruction and discussion, and reviewing classwork material
• Attend to students' physical, personal, academic, and emotional needs; help with translation and hygienic needs when necessary
• Organize classroom and teaching materials; verify and track student attendance
• Perform clerical duties such as data-entry, filing, and photocopying; grade tests and homework, recording the results
• Establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with students, parents, and staff to enhance the instructional environment; participate in parent-teacher and faculty meetings and events

• Professional Responsibility City Garden believes all employees must take an active role in their development as professionals and in developing City Garden as an institution of learning.
• Actively participates in a regular evaluation process including classroom observations, feedback conferences, and an annual self-evaluation toward yearly goals which are established with the school principal
• Participates in professional development activities (both within the school community and attendance at conferences, workshops, etc.)
• Participates in collegial activities designed to make the entire school a productive learning environment, for example, age level meetings, curriculum discussion groups, working committees, mentoring, etc.
• Attends all scheduled meetings and professional days as appropriate

• Related Duties
• Responsible for reading and adhering to the guidelines and school policies as established in the employee handbook

Requirements

• At least 12 Hours of Post-Secondary education and Paraprofessional certification from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
• At least 2 years of experience working with students
• Have prior experience in the role of Paraprofessional
• Effective communication skills; oral, written, and visual with adults and children
• Understanding of basic principles of childhood development
• Demonstrated success working with a diverse student population

• Environment Working Conditions Indoor school environment, with the majority of work performed at a desk or sitting, with travel to and from individual classroom locations.
• Physical Demands Requires ability to communicate and exchange information, collect, compile and prepare work documents, set-up and maintain student records files.
• Nature of work requires an ability to operate standard office equipment (telephone, computer, printer/copier).
• Have the ability to stand, bend, reach high and low, stoop, and walk around, sit on floor for periods of time.
• Be capable of physically assisting students as required (positioning, lifting, transferring, restraining, etc.), up to 50 lbs.

Compensation

$20.41/hr