Department: Special Education 

Location: Watertown Public Schools
Reports to: Principal
Affiliation: Watertown Educators Association, Unit D
Salary range: As determined Unit D Contract

**This position is for one year only beginning Anticipated 10/8/2024 Until June, 2025 (EOY)**

SUMMARY:

Instructional Assistants will assist teachers in providing an innovative, high quality education program designed to meet the needs of the children in the Watertown Public Schools. Paraprofessionals will work with school staff to create an educational environment in which quality and continuity are key factors in educating the students of the Watertown Public Schools.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Under direction from the school administration, general education teacher, special education teacher, and related service providers, provide needed supports to students during instructional periods as well as non-instructional activities

• Maintain student data as directed by teachers /related service providers
• Follow and implement behavior support plans as provided by teachers/related service providers
• Provide overall support to the classroom teacher and student, based on the needs of the student and the classroom
• Incorporate knowledge of student learning styles and child development to assist student learning
• Recognize when teaching and learning strategies are not successful and seek the guidance of the classroom teacher to adapt assistance accordingly
• Provide verbal support, prompting, redirection, and modeling in helping the student(s) access the activities of the curriculum
• Support with personal care needs for students including feeding, diapering, and toileting
• React professionally and objectively to unpredictable situations (e.g. environmental changes, behavior/aggression, etc.)
• Perform other duties as required.

Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• Flexibility with respect to age groups, assignments
• Ability to follow through with directions
• Experience working with students at the elementary level who have significant learning and social/emotional needs
• Experience implementing Behavior Intervention Plans and an understanding of functions of behaviors
• Must have experience with or ability to learn ABA methodology and techniques
• Ability to take initiative to complete tasks and to assist students with de-escalation techniques and executive functioning skills
• Ability to work collaboratively as a part of a team
• Experience with, or ability to learn to utilize, assistive technology and PECS functional communication systems in support of students

Qualifications - Required: 

1. Education: High School Diploma or GED.
2. Minimum of two years experience working with young children.
3. Current authorization to work in the United States - Candidates must have such authorization by their first day of employment

Qualification - Preferred:

1. Associate's or Bachelor's Degree.
2. Certification as a teacher or license as a social worker.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Instructional Assistants may be required to supervise students in a variety of settings, which requires the ability to stand for extended periods of time. This position may require staff to intervene with students who are in behavioral crisis, which requires a normal degree of flexibility; the ability to stand, walk, run, and shuffle for at least several minutes; the ability to kneel on one knee and two knees and then stand up; to bend the trunk at 45 degrees and twist to either side; to grasp firmly; to raise the hands above the head, and to learn and correctly demonstrate multi-step physical skills. Instructional Assistants may need to assist students with toileting needs, which may require the ability to lift and pivot.

SENSORY REQUIREMENTS:
Most tasks require visual perception and discrimination and the ability to distinguish color. The employee must be able to read printed matter with or without visual aids. The employee must be able to visually supervise students in small and large group settings as well as vocational or community settings. The employee must be able to communicate effectively with other staff members in order to exchange accurate information.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The noise level in this environment may be quiet to loud depending on the activity and the particular time of the day and location. The activity level in a classroom, school and community-based settings is often busy. The employee interacts with other staff members and occasionally must meet multiple demands from several people.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and is subject to change by the employer, as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Watertown Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.