Special Education Paraprofessional Elementary - (2025- 2026 School Year)

Crossroads Charter Schools is looking for highly effective, highly qualified and highly motivated individuals to join our organization. Ideal candidates will have experience in urban education and be committed to our four core values: High Expectations, Authentic Learning, Creative Culture, and Educational Belonging.

Crossroads Charter Schools organization is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are considered for all positions without regard to sex, race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other factor prohibited by law.

All candidates must complete an application order to be considered for open positions. Attach your cover letter, resume, and 4 professional references (include name, phone, and email) for review.

• All applicants must apply on the Crossroads website at: http://www.crossroadsschoolskc.org/careers

Job Description: Special Education Paraprofessional

Direct Supervisor: Special Education Director, or designee

School Summary:

At Crossroads Charter Schools, we…

• Understand the significant difference between equity and equality. Every student deserves to receive what he/she needs to succeed (equity), not that every student receives the same amount of resources, instruction, attention, etc. (equality).
• Develop school environments where all students are actively and meaningfully engaged in rigorous instruction and authentic learning tasks.
• Interrupt the “school to prison pipeline” – policies and practices that are directly and indirectly pushing the most at-risk students out of school and on a pathway to the juvenile and criminal justice systems.
• Engage families as partners in meaningful ways.
• Build the capacity of diverse teams that are more reflective of our students.
• Nurture an open, collaborative, and trusting environment because the work is enormous, deeply personal, emotional and often difficult.
• Engage in on-going job-embedded professional development through co-teaching and co-planning.

Position Summary:

The primary responsibilities are to assist, support, and work closely with teachers, administrators, and other team members in providing educational benefits for students with disabilities in the special education and general education setting. The paraprofessional collaborates with staff to co-plan, co-deliver, and individualize instruction for all students in a class; work together creatively to accommodate special needs, diversity and educational backgrounds of the students; and overcome instructional challenges constructively. The paraprofessional is a hardworking, goal-oriented and enthusiastic individual with an understanding of the Missouri Learning Standards and Common Core State Standards.

Position Responsibilities:

• Works with individual, small groups, or whole classes of students to reinforce learning of materials or skills in all content areas.
• Works with students with special needs
• Assists the certified staff in devising special strategies for reinforcing learning materials and skills based on a sympathetic understanding of individual students, their needs, interests, and abilities
• Monitors work, corrects papers, and supervises testing and makeup work as assigned by the certified staff
• Supports during conferences, parent meetings, and assists with parent communication
• Serves as a substitute teacher when requested and serves as the chief source of information and help to any guest teacher assigned in the absence of the regular certified staff.
• Performs clerical, classroom maintenance, and instructional duties as assigned by the certified staff.
• Alerts the certified staff to any problem or special information about an individual student.
• Performs assigned supervision of students during lunch periods, specials classes and on field trips.
• Participate in meetings, training, and professional development
• Meet professional obligations through efficient work habits such as meeting deadlines, honoring schedules, coordinating, etc.
• Act in a professional and ethical manner at all times and comply with school policies, procedures, and expectations.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by their supervisor.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Holds (or is eligible to obtain) a valid Missouri substitute certificate
• Bilingual in Spanish and English is preferred
• Experience working with students with a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) preferred
• Aptitude for the work to be performed
• Understanding of child development
• Ability to build a trusting, supportive relationship with children, parents, and colleagues
• The desire to assist students with special needs in a learning environment
• Emotional maturity and stability necessary for the specialized work involved
• The desire to continue professional development
• Excellent organization skills and an ability to coordinate multiple tasks and activities
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills and an ability to keep multiple stakeholder groups, including parents, teachers, staff, volunteers and partners, informed of critical issues, activities and schedules.
• Ability and enthusiasm for promoting the school and its mission to a broad and diverse group of people.
• Excellent work ethic, positive attitude, flexibility and willingness to perform tasks assigned
• Demonstrates ethical behavior and confidentiality of information about students and teachers in the school environment and community.
• Must pass an extensive background check.
• All applicants must apply on the Crossroads website at: http://www.crossroadsschoolskc.org/careers

Key Working Relationships in Addition to Supervisor:

Teachers, Students, Parents, Volunteers, Office Staff, Support Staff, Assistant Principal, Principal, Chief Operations Officer, and Superintendent

Both federal and state law requires all public school personnel to submit to and pass a criminal background check prior to employment by the school. Crossroads Charter Schools is required by law to exclude from employment any person who has pleaded to or been found guilty of a felony or crime involving moral turpitude under the laws of the State of Missouri, any other State of the United States or any other country, whether or not a sentence is or was imposed.

Please be advised that Crossroads Charter Schools does not seek information related to the conviction of crimes unrelated to those described in this question. Your conviction of a crime not otherwise listed above is not an automatic disqualification from employment consideration. The school will consider the nature of the offense and the relationship between the offense and the position for which you are applying.