Urbana School District #116

TITLE: Early Childhood Program Teaching Assistant (2024-2025 SY)

LOCATION: Urbana Early Childhood School 

SUPERVISOR: Certified Classroom Teacher, Building Principal

JOB SUMMARY: Work under the assigned teacher's immediate supervision and the principal's general supervision.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily.

• Be a part of instructional planning in classroom as arranged by classroom teacher.
• Participate in debriefing sessions at the end to evaluate the session, record data, and plan for needed changes.
• Attend inservice training sessions as required by principal/district.
• Assist all students to successfully achieve independence, progress on his/her educational goals and objectives, meet the individual unique needs, engage in positive social interactions with peers.
• Implement lesson plans and behavior management procedures developed by the classroom team.
• Prepare instructional materials before class and organize them to be easily accessible.
• Organize and maintain orderly classroom centers.
• Facilitate instruction in large and small group activities and facilitate learning in child-directed activities.
• Assist with tasks related to the food program.
• Prepare classroom displays, bulletin boards, arrange for audio visual equipment, etc.
• Learn and use language intervention techniques (including sign language whenever necessary) to increase the child's language development during all activities and interactions with children.
• Play with children in a manner that will contribute to developing their self-esteem, curiosity, and thought processes in and out of the classroom.
• Assist teachers with record keeping.
• Maintain knowledge of individual child goals/objectives and family needs as appropriate.
• Maintain a high level of professional behavior, including keeping confidential records.
• Take children to the bathroom and assist children with personal care activities.
• Be a role model by always demonstrating the expected behavior of the children.
• Assist staff and children to maintain a clean classroom environment, such as clean tables and chairs at the end of the day and put chairs on top of tables in preparation for custodian.
• Follow classroom arrangements and procedures for bus arrival and departure.
• Follow established procedures for documenting communications between family and school.
• Collaborate with classroom and building staff to support all ISBE and district mandates and expectations.
• Perform all other duties that the classroom teacher and principal assign.

QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION

• Must meet all requirements for the position designated by the ISBE. A Paraprofessional Certificate or 60 hours of college credit are required.

EXPERIENCE

• 2 years of school-based experience preferred

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Highly organized
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills
• Excellent problem-solver
• Should be able to work with students with a history of behavior or learning problems
• Proven to work under pressure and can prioritize multiple tasks 

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: Student Contact Days

EVALUATION: To be completed as per PNS by the principal with input from the classroom teacher.

START DATE: August 2024

NOTE: This is a position within the collective bargaining unit and is not an administrative position. This is a non-exempt position. This position is an interim positon for the 2024-2025 school year.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

REVISED: March, 2017