KIPP Colorado·Denver, Colorado
The Affective Needs Paraprofessional provides support to students with emotional and behavioral disabilities by assisting teachers with lessons and classroom management. They are responsible for ensuring student safety, monitoring engagement, and actively participating in professional development and team meetings.
The Affective Needs Paraprofessional will work closely with the Affective Needs Teachers to provide a high level of support for our students with Affective Needs (Emotional and Behavior Disabilities).
This position demands someone who has a strong ability to develop relationships with at-risk students, has experience in deescalating students with anger or behavioral issues, and has a desire to teach.
About KIPP: Together with families and communities, KIPP creates joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.
KIPP is a national network of tuition-free, public charter schools open to all students.
There are 255 college-preparatory KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 100,000 students.
Nationally, KIPP students are graduating four-year colleges at three times the national average for low-income students.
KIPP Colorado Public Schools is a network of six free college-preparatory public charter schools open to all students. Our 350-person staff educates 2,600 students from ECE to 12th grade. At KIPP Colorado, we partner with our KIPPsters, educators, families and communities to ensure that we are all united around the goal of a choice-filled future for our KIPPsters. Our KIPP Forward Team supports our 1,000+ high school Alumni as they create their own paths. Our core values of excellence, belonging, belief, advocacy and courage are central to who we are and how we operate at all levels of our organization. What we do: We believe in the unique gifts and brilliance of every student. We believe in setting a high bar for joy and academic excellence to ensure the infinite possibilities our students have before them become a reality. We aspire to create and reinforce a culture of achievement, belonging and support. We know that every student is different and we personalize learning based on a student's needs, skills, and interests.
Role Responsibilites and How You'll Spend Time in the Role Professional Responsibilities ● Believe deeply in the mission, values, and Race, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (RIDE) commitments of KIPP Colorado Schools and that all children can and will learn ● Assume personal responsibility for student achievement ● Read, internalize, and adhere to the KIPP Colorado Policies and Procedures manual and guidelines ● Provide an active presence, strategic supervision, and intentional monitoring to ensure student safety and engagement in rigorous learning (regardless of my role and its proximity to students) ●Take ownership for the development of your craft and engage actively in coaching sessions (meet 1-2 times every 1 or 2 weeks (depending on need and role) with a manager, receive coaching, implement all provided feedback, engage in active practice, etc.) ● Commit to being prepared. Such as: internalizing and preparing for lessons, preparing for O3s/coaching, preparing for meetings, coaching, PD, reading and internalizing written communication, etc. ● Meet professional obligations including and not limited to meeting deadlines and honoring schedules ● Consistently leverage existing professional tools, including but not limited to Google Suite (google documents, etc.) and Microsoft Suite (including but not limited to your KIPP Colorado email, Teams chat / meetings, Teams phone, and Microsoft Outlook calendar) ● Maintain strong attendance each day and be on time to all responsibilities ● Collaborate with colleagues and seek feedback in the spirit of continuous improvement ● Reflect on professional practices to meet individual professional development goals ● Actively participate in professional development, grade level, and department meetings ● Actively engage and implement in all school-wide and Org wide professional development ● Serve as a positive, contributing member of a grade team or functional team, collaborating with colleagues to tackle common challenges and implement org and grade-wide initiatives ● Share candid, solutions-oriented feedback with peers and leadership on a regular basis, assuring that feedback is shared directly with the intended recipient. Ensure that feedback is focused on improving outcomes and experiences for students ● Assist with both student and staff recruitment and engagement- including events, home visits, calls home, and other determined and related requirements ● Know that your role, professional development, org wide meetings, etc. may require you to travel around Denver to other KIPP Campuses, our Home Office, or other KIPP or PD events ● Assist with other duties as assigned (such as but not limited to, lunch duty, arrival/dismissal duty, bathroom duty, hallway duty, school support duties, etc.) Student Services ● Assist the Affective Needs Teacher in delivering lessons for students with Affective Needs. ● Work one-on-one with students to complete daily lessons for any classes the students do not attend Collaboration ● Work closely with the Affective Needs Teacher to deliver lessons and uphold expectations for behavior ● Work closely with general education teachers to ensure the success of students with AN in the classroom School Culture Alignment ● Believe deeply in the mission of KIPP Colorado Schools and that all children can and will learn ● Establish and maintain relationships with students and families based on trust and respect ● Establish and maintain high expectations for academic work and classroom behavior Role Level Specifics, Scope of Work, and Level of Responsibility ● For more about how you’ll lead at this level, please visit the KIPP Colorado Role Levels Matrix (this is an internal document, only)
About a Successful Candidate About the skills and qualifications you will bring to this role: ● High school diploma (required) ● Experience with students with Affective Needs (preferred) ● Experience in a school & classroom setting (preferred but not required) ● A full understanding and Commitment to an Exceptional Student Experience (more about that HERE) (required) ● Flexibility within different school environments ● Willing to participate in deescalating students (required) ● Experience with care taking or mentoring (preferred) ● Ability to manage data and communication through various Google and Outlook platform ● Outstanding organizational skills and high attention to detail; outstanding written and oral communication skills ● Ability to manage the ambiguity and multiple priorities inherent in a school environment ● Proactive problem solver who demonstrates initiative and teamwork ● Strong work ethic coupled with an enthusiastic and passionate approach to one’s work ● Multi-faceted, multi-skilled, resourceful and willing to do whatever it takes to help the school reach a level of academic excellence ● High level of detail orientation and sound excellent organizational skills ● Strong communication skills ● Articulate, professional demeanor with strong self-confidence and initiative ● Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop productive working relationships with stakeholders across functional and organizational lines
Compensation & Benefits Employee retention and satisfaction is imperative for KIPP Colorado. We seek to provide competitive compensation and benefits including the following: ● Competitive Market Salary: Starting salary for this role begins at $40,915 and is commensurate with experience ○ Please submit a comprehensive resume to assure all your experience is accounted for! Tip: We don't care if your resume is more than one page, we are eager to see and compensate you for all of your experience and accomplishments ● Excellent Healthcare Plan: 100% of employee-only monthly premium paid by KIPP Colorado and options for family enrollment and coverage, through United Healthcare ● Time Off !!!: More than 6 weeks of annual vacation and Paid Time Off (PTO) ○ Based on hire date, employees are eligible for up to 8 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) ○ All employees receive summer break through an organization-wide closure, based on work location and position ○ Access to parental and medical leave: includes 6 weeks paid and 6 weeks unpaid for a total of 12 weeks (after your first year) ● Career Trajectory: Access to opportunity to move up, across schools, and grow your career during weekly coaching sessions to refine your craft ● Mental Health Care: Immediate and ongoing access to mental health support through our Employee Assistance Program ● Technology & Access: Equipment provided: laptop & phone ● Retirement Planning: Participation in the Colorado PERA retirement program, including a PERA 401k option ● Move to Join Us: Relocation reimbursement (when applicable) ● Additional Pay: Most schools offer various stipend opportunities ● Other Insurance Options: ○ Wellness reimbursement ○ Voluntary employee, spousal, and child life insurance ○ Voluntary long term disability insurance ○ Voluntary short term disability insurance ○ Optional Basic Life and AD&D Insurance ●
For more information, you can view our benefits FAQ here KIPP Colorado Schools is dedicated to equal employment opportunities and fair labor practices. KIPP Colorado Schools, KIPP Denver Collegiate High School, KIPP Northeast Denver Middle School, KIPP Northeast Elementary, KIPP Northeast Denver Leadership Academy, KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy and KIPP Sunshine Peak Elementary provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals based on job-related qualifications, and the ability to perform a job without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religious creed, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, legally protected medical condition, veteran status, sexual orientation, or on any other basis made unlawful by federal, state or local laws. It is our policy to maintain a non-discriminatory environment free from intimidation, harassment or bias based upon these grounds.
Candidates must possess a high school diploma and a strong commitment to student success. Experience working with students with affective needs and in a classroom setting is preferred, along with the ability to perform deescalation techniques.
Market context
In Colorado, teaching assistant openings are often driven by classroom support needs, student services, and school staffing cycles. These roles can be competitive because employers may look for reliability, a high school diploma or equivalent, Safe Environment compliance, and respect for the Catholic faith. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits here to save research time, then confirm your credentials and readiness to meet any school-specific compliance steps before applying.