Special Education Vision Paraprofessional

West Ada School District

Paraprofessional – Special Education (Vision)

Hours:
Salary Grade 8: $16.00 - $21.54 DOE

(Tier 2 Salary Grade 3: $16.94 - $22.81 DOE)
Calendar: 178

Paraprofessionals must meet one of the following qualifications (Note: Please upload transcript and/or PRAXIS scores):

• Have 2 years of college credits or
• Have a college degree or
• Pass the ParaPro Praxis Assessment with a score of 457 or higher or
• Pass the Idaho Paraprofessional Testing Alternative Assessment with a score of 75% or higher.

Idaho Paraprofessional Testing Alternative Assessment testing dates are offered at the district throughout the year to West Ada Paraprofessional applicants. The test should be passed within 90 days of hire.

If you have questions regarding the Idaho Paraprofessional Testing Alternative please contact Caitlin Bothke at bothke.caitlin@westada.org or 208-350-5214.

Tier 2: In addition to the above, to be eligible candidate must hold:

• Library of Congress Literary Braille Certification, or
• Certificate of completion of UEB Online Literacy Braille Training Program and at least 1 year experience preparing material in literary braille.

PURPOSE
The Paraprofessional – Special Education (Vision) supports and assists special education teacher with students with blindness or low vision in the General Education classroom, Vision Room, Resource Room, Extended Resource Room, Positive Behavior Intervention Program, Early Childhood Special Education Program or Tuition Kindergarten program; performs related work as required. The Paraprofessional performs duties under the direct supervision of the assigned Special Education Teacher, with overall supervision provided by the building Principal. Work is primarily performed in a classroom setting and may involve exposure to body fluids and a potential risk of injury related to student behaviors.

Supervision Received

The Paraprofessional – Special Education works under the direction of the School Principal, Assistant Principal with daily guidance from the assigned Special Education Teacher.

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES
The primary function of an employee in this class is to provide assistance to special education teachers, the Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI), and Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Specialist, assisting in the implementation of students’ Individual Education Plans (IEPs). The Vision Paraprofessional works primarily with students with blindness or low vision. Student may also have a variety of mild to severe co-occurring physical, emotional, and learning disabilities. The paraprofessional may work both in a separate classroom facility or facilitating inclusion into a regular classroom. The position is directly supervised by the assigned Special Education Teacher with overall supervision by the building Principal. The primary duties of the position are performed in a classroom environment and may include exposure to body fluids and some personal injury risk from student behaviors.

Essential Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Assists students with visual impairments in safely and efficiently accessing all areas of the school.
• Assists students to access and understand visual information and develop compensatory skills for educational performance.
• Under supervision of the TVI and O&M specialist, provides instruction using Braille and assistive technology for the blind.
• Under supervision of the TVI and O&M specialist, encourages students in learning areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) including independent living skills, social skills, and self-determination.
• Assists students in developing orientation and Mobility skills, including cane skills and human guide techniques.
• Communicates regularly with teachers about student progress and ways to modify graphics into a tactile format.
• Operates braille related equipment and technology including Perkins Brailler, abacus, translation software, embossers, and refreshable braille devices.
• Adapts instructional materials into braille, tactile graphics, or large print as appropriate.
• Promotes climate for student independence, student/teacher interactions, classroom socialization, and equal opportunities for full inclusion of classroom experience.
• Provides assistance to special education teachers in the special education program;
• Assists teachers in implementing students’ Individual Education Plans (IEPs);
• Assists teachers by preparing lesson plans and preparing, modifying, and adapting materials and presentations used in the classroom;
• Assists teachers in administering diagnostic, skills, and level testing;
• Assists students with classroom and homework assignments, tutoring, or other supplemental instruction;
• Assists students with socialization, personal hygiene, medications and physical therapy, nutritional, and related personal tasks as needed;
• Assists students individually and/or in a group situation, both in a separate classroom learning facility or by facilitating inclusion into regular classrooms;
• Assists regular classroom teachers by preparing, modifying, and adapting classroom presentations and materials to assigned students;
• Assists teachers with classroom activities, classroom management, lesson plans, grading papers, clerical and record-keeping duties, creating and updating reports and files, and other documentation, as directed;
• Performs substitute teacher duties in the absence of the teacher;
• Assists teachers with clerical duties including, but not limited to, copying, inputting records and data into a computer, faxing, text and document preparation, and related duties;
• Assists in maintaining the classroom in a clean, neat, and orderly status, prepares bulletin boards and displays, and maintains classroom supply levels;
• Assists with student supervision on field trips and related extracurricular activities;
• Performs school grounds, bus, noon, and other monitoring and safety duties, as assigned
• Participates in appropriate training, workshop, and in-service programs;
• Performs other related duties as required;
• Performs all work duties and activities in accordance with District policies, procedures and safety practices

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

• Basic educational procedures and objectives, including classroom instruction and presentation, preparation of teaching materials and aids, behavior management and modification, testing and grading, tutoring, and student-teacher relations and interactions;
• Basic special education methods and procedures for dealing with students with mild to severe physical, emotional, and/or learning disabilities;
• Operation of classroom instructional equipment;
• Operation of standard office equipment;
• Operation of a personal computer and job-related software.

Ability to:

• Follow written and oral instructions and observe District policies and procedures;
• Interpret and modify classroom instructions, materials, and presentations to the appropriate learning level of the assigned student;
• Prepare and provide basic classroom services for special needs students, including but not limited to, instruction, tutoring, student evaluation, lesson plans, curriculum implementation, materials preparation, and classroom management;
• Maintain a calm personal demeanor and remain focused in situations of high stress;
• Perform multiple tasks simultaneously, including handling interruptions, and return to and complete tasks in a timely manner;
• Prepare and maintain required records, files, reports, logs, statistics, and documentation;
• Operate classroom and instructional equipment and perform basic clerical tasks as needed;
• Perform basic office tasks including keyboarding, copying, and filing;
• Perform time management and scheduling functions, meet deadlines, and set task priorities;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, teachers and staff members, and other District personnel;
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
• Maintain confidentiality of student, school, and family information.

• Demonstrate reliability, integrity, creativity, and sound judgment in the performance of assigned duties.
• Maintain regular attendance and adhere to assigned work schedules.

QUALIFICATIONS

Any equivalent combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities necessary to perform the work.

• High school diploma or GED equivalent required. Additionally, must have 2 years of college credits or have a college degree or pass the ParaPro Praxis Assessment with a score of 457 or higher or pass the Idaho Paraprofessional Testing Alternative with a score of 75% or higher.
• Classroom or other instructional experience is preferred; and
• Experience with special needs children is preferred.

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL ABILITIES

• Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to discern verbal instructions, communicate effectively in person, and to hear sounds within the normal range of conversation;
• Sufficient visual acuity, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to comprehend written work instructions and comprehend, prepare, and review a variety of written and text documents and materials;
• Sufficient manual dexterity, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to physically interact with secondary-level students with a variety of disabilities and operate classroom instruction equipment and office equipment, including a personal computer;
• Sufficient personal mobility, agility, strength, and reflexes, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to bend, stoop, kneel, stand, or sit for long periods of time, lift a minimum of 40 pounds, and physically interact with and control students, including applying prescribed restraint techniques, in a special education classroom environment.

EVALUATION
Yearly by supervisor

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
To be determined by calendar year.
Regular attendance is an essential function of this job.

• If you are chosen for this position your employment with the District would be "at will". Employment at Will means that the employee or the District may terminate the employment relationship with or without cause, and with or without notice, at any time.
• As per Idaho Code 65-5-1/65-503: "Eligible veterans are provided advantages in public employment in Idaho…"