Early Childhood Exceptional Education Paraprofessional

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Reports To: Classroom Teacher and Building Principal

Supervises: None

Employment Terms: 10-Month Full-Time Position (190 Contacted Days)

Grade: D/G4

Position Summary

Assists in the instruction and care of students with disabilities, including self-care activities, assisting in the management of student behavior, record-keeping, instructional assistance, medical care, classroom organization, and communication with students and support staff.

Qualification Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Functions

Assists with personal hygiene skills: toileting, diapering, cleaning, hand washing, and grooming of students.
Assists and instructs students in eating skills and other specialized feeding requirements.
Maintains a health awareness in the classroom and monitors student health daily; notifies staff regarding changes in student’s needs.
Provides proper positioning for physically challenged students.
Performs procedures according to an established Individual Specialized Health Plan (ISHP) after initial training with a school nurse as allowed by law.
Identifies and reports unsafe environments and assists the teacher by supervising activities during the course of the instructional day to maintain a controlled and safe environment for students and staff.
Assists students to and from buses in a safe manner; uses safety procedures in lifting students and in operating wheelchairs and other equipment.
Communicates safety issues regarding student to teacher or administrator.
Under direction of the classroom teacher, assists in the preparation of materials for lessons and conducts one-on-one and small group instruction in academic areas.
Participates in in-service training programs as assigned.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

General knowledge of the practices, methods and techniques used in classroom teaching.
General knowledge of school programs and policies.
Ability to maintain confidential information regarding students.
Ability to express ideas effectively both orally and in writing.
Ability to follow oral and written instructions.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, students and parents.

Qualifications, Education and Experience

A passing score on the ParaPro Assessment is required or;
Completion of forty eight (48) semester hours of college credit at a regionally accredited institution of higher education or;
Obtained an associate degree at a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
Experience in providing clerical support and working with children is preferred.
Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable.

Physical Requirements

This work requires the frequent exertion of up to 10 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force.
Work regularly requires speaking or hearing, frequently requires standing, walking, using hands and fingers, handle or feel and repetitive motions and occasionally requires sitting, reaching with hands and arms and lifting.
Work requires close vision, distance vision, color perception and peripheral vision.
Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly.
Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound.
Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, operating machines and observing general surroundings and activities.
Work occasionally requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions and exposure to bloodborne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment.
Work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

Special Requirements

Ability to acquire valid driver's license to operate division-owned/leased motor vehicles; therefore, the incumbent's driving record will be subject to periodic review, and must be acceptable in accordance with the provisions of the Dinwiddie County School Board's policy manual.
All candidates must successfully undergo the following pre-employment screenings:

a. Tuberculosis Screening
b. Child Protective Services (CPS) Investigation
c. State Police Criminal History Investigation
d. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)/National Criminal History Investigative Search

Evaluation

Performance of this position will be evaluated in accordance with the provisions of the Dinwiddie County School

Board’s policy manual.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Dinwiddie County Public Schools does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.

We will recruit and select applicants for employment solely on the basis of their qualifications. Our guidelines and practices, including those relating to wages, benefits, transfers, promotions, terminations and self-development opportunities, will also be administered without regard to race, color, religion, sex/sexual orientation, gender/gender identity, age, marital status, genetic information, national origin, ancestry, political affiliation, disability, protected veteran status and all other classes protected by the Federal and State Law. Dinwiddie County Public Schools is a Drug & Alcohol Free Workplace.