What are the responsibilities and job description for the Direct Support Professional - Classroom Instructional Assistant position at Grafton?
Direct Support Professional - Children's Services
Instructional Assistant
Are you beginning to think about teaching as your calling? Are you curious about behavioral health or work with kids with complex disabilities and learning challenges? Do you want to learn some classroom management chops from an experienced team that has been devoted to this population of kids for years? Do you want to learn innovative and ground-breaking approaches to crisis de-escalation? This opportunity might be fore you!
An Instructional Assistant at Grafton works directly with a teacher, the education administer, a therapist, a psychiatrist, allied therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, skilled behaviorists, & etc. in what we call a “transdisciplinary team” – everyone’s voice is equally important as we work with the child and their family in order to build plans that we give them their lives back.
Under general supervision, Direct Support Professionals in our Education program, participate in the direct care and plan implementation for clients, as prescribed by physician and treatment teams. They assist the Academic Teacher in implementing instructional and therapeutic activities. They may assist with writing lesson plans and preparing instructional materials to support instruction. They assist the Academic Teacher with assessing progress (analysis of data) and modifying teaching techniques to promote achievement of each assigned client’s established goals. They work with clients in residences during academic breaks and holidays. In community-based programs, they provide transportation between the residence and school. They provide supervision, safety and crisis management for the client population; complete documentation of client behavior and participation in programming; adhere to the scheduled activities; role model positive, mature behavior; utilize proactive behavioral strategies to minimize client crisis and maximize success. They report to a teacher or program supervisor/ manager.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
- Health, Safety and Wellness of Clients
- Ensures medications are delivered accurately and on time.
- Provides for the well-being and safety of clients.
- Supports client health and hygiene.
- Utilizes infection control procedures.
- Reports serious incidents, participates in reviews and implements follow-up measures, as applicable.
- Individual Plan Implementation
- Knows the SNAP (strengths, needs, abilities and preferences), goals/objectives/outcomes and treatment strategies from the current Plans (Treatment Plan, IEP, ISP) of assigned clients.
- Promotes clients’ achievement of behavioral goals by implementing the behavior strategies and teaching alternative behaviors, as indicated in the Treatment Plan/IEP/ISP.
- Actively instructs assigned clients so they can achieve education/residential goals and objectives or ID Waiver outcomes.
- Collects and documents behavioral and instructional data, accurately and reliably.
- Documents services delivered accurately and in a timely manner.
- Maintains a high level of engagement with and monitoring of clients. Implements planned activities throughout the workday.
- Provides a Supportive and Solution–Focused Environment
- Builds trusting, respectful relationships with clients and helps clients do the same.
- Demonstrates knowledge about the symptoms and supports associated with diagnoses of assigned clients and a trauma-informed care approach.
- Manages behavioral crisis safely.
- Collaborates with the Treatment Team to provide continuity of support and care, by communicating and contributing to team discussions and decisions.
- Exhibits exemplary customer service with guardians, agency personnel and visitors.
- Site Management – Housekeeping, Nutrition, Transportation, Finances
- Ensures a safe residence / classroom environment.
- Assures a clean and organized residence/classroom.
- Promotes good nutrition and, in group homes, assists with meal preparation.
- Provides transportation / community mobility.
- Assists with purchases and is accountable for program and client money, as applicable.
- Teamwork and commitment to the mission, values and vision of Grafton
- Demonstrates knowledge of organization.
- Demonstrates the core values of personal integrity and accountability.
- Performs other duties, as assigned.
MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
- A bachelor's degree in human services; or an associate's degree and 3 months experience working with children; or be a high school graduate or have a G.E.D. and 6 months experience working with children
- Must be 21 years of age
- Must pass criminal background check and pre-employment drug screen
- Valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record
- Demonstrates moderate computer skills – how to log-in, how to navigate the Web for information, how to start and save a document in Microsoft WORD, and has basic keyboarding skills.
COMPENSATION
- Starting at $17.00 to $22.00/hour based on years of Direct Care experience
- Depending on hours worked you may be eligible for Grafton's shift differential that is currently being offered
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
- Medical, dental and vision
- Flexible Spending & Health Savings Accounts
- 401(k), including an employer match
- Generous Paid Time Off plan
- Education Assistance
- Life Insurance
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Short-term disability (STD)
- Long-term disability (LTD)
- As Grafton is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, you may be eligible for federal student loan forgiveness
If you have issues applying or have any questions about this position, please reach out to us at HR@Grafton.org or 540-542-0200 Ext. 6429.
#DSPShenandoah
Salary : $17 - $22
