SPECIAL EDUCATION ASSISTANT

Purpose and Scope : OVERVIEW

OVERVIEW

Memphis-Shelby County Schools is seeking dynamic educational champions ready to position our district as a national exemplar of education transformation.

We need leaders with a fierce commitment to actualizing a bold vision that yields ambitious outcomes for more than 110,000 students and families across the Memphis-Shelby County area.

The reality is that we can do better for kids, and we will with the right leaders in place. The most successful candidates believe that more is possible for Memphis and are :

• Courageous Thinkers & Doers : Prepared to navigate and thrive in a complex and ambiguous environment on day one, present innovative ideas to address systemwide issues, and execute sustainable plans toward transformation.
• Solutions-Oriented : See the possibilities, demonstrate the capacity to synthesize information and adjust short and long-term goals, and consistently find a window when doors close to deliver measurable results for kids and families.
• High-Performing Gamechangers : Leader of leaders with the capacity to mobilize and empower an outstanding team, make people-centered data-informed decisions, and operate with a relentless hyperfocus on removing stubborn barriers that destroy the hopes and dreams of too many of our students.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

This position is responsible for the professional instructions designed to provide academic, social, physical, and skills development for students in specific grades / subject areas to prepare them to be successful citizens and workers in the 21st century.

Essential Job Functions :

• Provides assistance to assigned teachers in maintaining a well-organized, smoothly functioning classroom for the benefit of both teachers and students.
• Assists students with exercises and class activities; concentrates efforts with small groups of students and individuals as necessary.
• Compiles, prepares and organizes materials and classroom for instruction and classroom activities.
• Assists in cleaning and storing of materials after completion of activities.
• Reinforces all knowledge and skills taught by the classroom teacher.
• Assists teacher by maintaining student records, recording daily attendance, grading assignments, administering standardized tests, recording and / or analyzing test scores / grades, substituting as needed, setting up special projects, escorting children to other areas of the school, monitoring student behavior, running errands.
• Collects and receipts monies for monthly activity fees, school fees, school pictures, and / or meal fees.
• Supervises and assists students when unloading and loading buses, in the halls, on field trips, during testing, during lunch, during computer lab, and on school grounds.
• May assist students with special needs and / or in need of special attention; provides assistance with daily living routines, skills and concepts including personal hygiene, toileting, dressing, self-feeding;
• may assist with physical health programs including physical therapy and adjusting special / adaptive equipment for student use;

lifts or assists students in and out of special needs equipment as necessary.

Assists in establishing and implementing behavioral objectives. Models appropriate social and play skills; observes students' behavior and notifies teacher and / or school nurse of behavioral changes as appropriate;

redirects behavior if possible; may work with individual students to help them adjust behaviorally and academically into mainstream classroom and social situations.

• May coordinate and / or participate in special programs or projects as assigned.
• Receives and responds to inquiries from parents and others; assists in preparing notes and placing phone calls to parents as necessary.
• Attends staff meetings as required; participates in in-service training programs; keeps abreast of developments in areas of assignment.
• Performs routine clerical tasks as required, including but not limited to preparing reports and records, copying and filing documents, entering and retrieving computer data, preparing notices and newsletters, receiving and responding to e-mails.
• Performs other related duties as assigned or directed.

Minimum Qualifications :

Graduation from an accredited college or university with an Associate's Degree, or two (2) years of college (minimum of 48 semester hours) from an, or a passing score on the ParaPro Assessment Test and one (1) year of experience working with children in an educational setting preferred.

Must possess or be able to obtain certification in CPR and First Aid.

Degree Equivalency Formula :

Bachelors Degree 4 years plus required years of experience.

Masters Degree 2 years plus required years of experience. Where Masters degrees are required, years for Bachelors Degrees must be included.