Educational Aide, Instructional Assistants, Paraprofessional (All Positions)

Position Type :

Paraprofessional Job Families

Date Posted : 2025-01-06

Location : Administration or As Assigned

INTRODUCTION : CONTEXT AND MISSION

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) serves approximately 37,000 students in 100 schools. Over the past several years, the Greater Cleveland community has united behind the collective goal of ensuring every child in Cleveland attends a high-quality school and every neighborhood has a multitude of great schools from which families can choose. The Cleveland Plan defines CMSD's approach to the reinvention of public education and holds our community accountable for the success of Cleveland's schoolchildren. The Cleveland Plan is supported by Ohio House Bill 525, which provides much-needed flexibility and autonomy for the district and its schools. Our schools have autonomy over human and financial resources in exchange for accountability for

performance. The principal has primary responsibility and accountability for establishing his or her school as a high-quality, high-expectations academic center with a focus on personalized instruction, professional support for teachers, and school-wide practices that lead to measurable results.

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District has developed standards of excellence that the district applies to all parts of the organization inclusive of schools, principals, school leadership teams, networks, and central office. Alignment between Standards of Excellence (SoE) and the district's Theory of Action helps ensure that principals are able to focus on scholar achievement and that central office supports are timely and effective.

Our Vision for Learning in a Post-Pandemic World :

In our pursuit of a more fair, just, and good system of education, we want each of our learners, both each of our scholars and each of their educators, to be individually and collectively presented with academically / intellectually complex tasks that are worthy of their productive struggle and allow them authentic opportunities to demonstrate their work and their learning of academic content and transferable skills in a joyful and adventurous environment.

THE OPPORTUNITY :

An instructional assistant, also known as a paraprofessional, provides assistance with handling the unique needs of students by providing additional instructional support. This includes tutoring individual or small groups of students, reinforcing instruction as directed by the teacher, monitoring and overseeing student progress, maintaining behavioral standards and order, and providing individualized support for the students as directed in their individual education plan (IEP). Our instructional assistants also provide student supervision before, during, and after school, while they are loading, and unloading buses, on the playground, in the cafeteria, during emergency drills, and during other school events. When needed, an Instructional Assistant also supports activities of daily living and intervenes to redirect inappropriate behavior. Successful instructional assistants work closely with their assigned teachers and other professionals to create a high-quality instructional environment.

Responsibilities

• Adapts to the individual social, emotional, and academic needs of the students
• Respects and redirects scholars through preventative, proactive, and dignified classroom management techniques that reflect structure, equity, and consistency
• Understands, believes, and can articulate how and why Special Education is a service and not a destination
• Reinforces student activities and behavior as directed by the teacher in areas which might include academic tasks, social skills, or other instructional components of the program
• Assists the teacher in the implementation of behavior management programs and with intervention of behavioral problems Provides information to teacher regarding student performance
• Identifies, locates, and uses materials appropriate for each student
• Schedules space for specialized instructional programs and coordinates the arrangement of equipment, desks, tables, chairs, and activity areas
• Assists and monitors the students in special training activities, including personal hygiene, and other self-help skills
• Observes students as directed by the teacher and records specific behaviors exhibited as outlined on each student's IEP
• Records academic and social progress as required by the teacher
• Assists the teacher in preparing, collecting, and adapting materials
• Collects and uses equipment under the direction of the teacher
• Maintains materials and equipment in good condition
• Performs other routine duties as assigned by principal
• Participates as a member of a team, follows guidelines and instructions of teacher and school team
• Paraprofessionals are not expected to perform duties in student homes

Our instructional assistants are assigned to one of the following roles :

Paraprofessional 1-on-1 :

Support for 1 child which includes spending your entire day with the student

For a student with behavioral needs :

For students with physical disabilities :

Paraprofessional Multiple Disabilities / Autism (MD / AU) :

Student population : students typically serviced in a MD / AU classroom exhibit more severe cognitive disabilities. These students receive instruction focused on application of the state standards through essential life skills. Intervention specialists in these classes utilize the Ohio Learning Standards-Extended for their classroom instruction. The students in these classes may exhibit several deficits which may include academic deficits, inability to retain information, needs related to adaptive behavior / self-care, behavioral needs, etc. There may be students who are non-verbal who will communicate with different forms of augmentative communication or assistive technology (i.e. GoTalk, iPad / iPod, visual scheduling, etc.) More one-on-one instruction is needed for students in these classes. The students also need to be monitored throughout their school day.

Paraprofessional Medically Fragile (MEF) :

Student population : Students typically serviced in an MEF classroom have medical needs that make it necessary for them to be in a building with a full-time nurse. In addition to this they present themselves with the most severe disabilities. These students receive instruction focused on application of the state standards through essential life skills. Intervention Specialists in these classes utilize the Ohio Learning Standards-extended for their classroom instruction. Many students are nonverbal and have limited communication; some may communicate with eye-gaze, while others may have some form of assistive technology. A focus with some students may be on sensory stimulation. Most students in these classes are in wheelchairs and require a great deal of care. Physical assistance (including lifting) is needed for most of these students.

Paraprofessional Emotional Disturbance (ED / IBI) :

Student population : Students serviced in an ED setting are in that environment because of the need for more intensive behavioral support. Students can exhibit a range of behavioral needs including, but not limited to, use of vulgar language, refusal to follow directives, oppositional defiant behavior, physical aggression, etc. The students' cognitive levels of functioning spread across a wide range. Because of this, there may be students who have academic deficits, but there also may be students who receive some or all instruction within the regular education setting. More one-on-one behavioral support is needed for students in these classes. The students also need to be monitored throughout their school day.

Paraprofessional Special Education Preschool (PreK) :

Student population : Children between the ages of 3 and 6, residing in Cleveland, who are identified for special education services are guaranteed a seat in preschool. A classroom may include students with a wide range of disabilities. There are three possible classroom configurations in which a preschool special education paraprofessional may be assigned.

Paraprofessional - Visual Impairment (VI) :

Student population : Students who are blind or visually impaired. Students may be fully included in the general education setting or in a small group setting.

Paraprofessional - Hearing Impairment (HH) :

Student population : Students who are deaf or hard of hearing. HH paras are typically in a self-contained classroom with a Teacher of the Deaf (HH Intervention Specialist), and the students often have other needs (such as cognitive deficits) that impede their learning.

Note : The ability to communicate with students who are deaf / hard of hearing (sign language) is an essential function of this role.

Qualifications

High school diploma or GED required; related college education courses preferred

Paraprofessionals must meet one of the following :

Additional Qualifications :

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Work Environment

Emotional Environment

Reasonable Accommodations Statement

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function outlined above. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Education

To Apply

Please submit your resume and application using Workday, our online human capital management system. Please note that an offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of an FBI / BCI background check and drug screen.

EEO Statement

We believe that equity and inclusion at CMSD is an essential call to action, a catalyst to ensure value and appreciation among all our employees, so we may be fair and welcoming now and in the future. CMSD provides equal opportunities for employment, retention and advancement of all personnel by administering all terms and conditions of employment regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, sex, disability or genetic information, age, citizenship status, military status, sexual orientation or expression, socio-economic status, title, other dimensions of identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The District's Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment, and Sexual Harassment and the District's Title IX grievance procedures, including information on how to report or file a complaint of discrimination, how to report or file a formal complaint of sexual harassment, and how the District will respond, may be accessed on the District's Civil Rights Notices webpage, available at ClevelandMetroSchools.org / domain / 105. The District's Title IX Coordinator / Director of Equal Employment Opportunity may be reached at :

1111 Superior Avenue East, Suite 1800

Cleveland, Ohio 44114

216)-838-0070

TitleIX_EEO@ClevelandMetroSchools.org