Paraeducator - Early Education

The Burlington School District believes a diverse and culturally proficient faculty and staff are pivotal to the creation of a strong learning and working environment that supports student achievement and success. BSD administrators lead inclusive school communities with our vision: "Cultivating caring, creative, and courageous people. - Join the journey.”
 
The Mission of the Burlington School District is to graduate students who:

• Value different cultures;
• Engage with the community;
• Communicate effectively;
• Think creatively;
• Skillfully solve problems; and
• Achieve at their highest academic, intellectual and personal potential. 

Burlington School District is seeking Early Education Pareducators - In collaboration with professional staff, the para educator will facilitate the skills necessary for the development of language, social-emotional skills, and gross and fine motor skills within a variety of settings (1:1 , small group or classroom) to support the developmental growth of each child through a play based environment. Responsibilities include supporting their child with activities in the classroom, instructional work goals developed by the Special Education team, as well as personal hygiene. Experience in early childhood is preferred but not mandatory. Training is provided by the program.

The essential functions of this position include:

Support the developmental growth of each child:

1. Facilitate children's engagement in play activities by

• enthusiastically engaging children in play
• asking children open-ended questions about the child's activity
• offering children suggestions / adding more complex materials and idea.

2. Facilitate Language Development by

• describing to children their activity as well as the adult's activity as they are happening
• expanding on the child's language

3. Use motivation/positive behavior management technique

• Respond appropriately to children's acting out/negative behaviors by modeling, encouraging acceptable behavior, redirecting, setting clear limits
• Support children through problem-solving when frustrated or having personal struggles
• Effectively model to children ways of handling anger and frustration
• Effectively use steps to solve and avoid behavior problems
• Listen to each child's version of a disagreement
• Use guidance, redirection, and understanding rather than punishment
• Quickly assess if a child is a danger to themselves or others
• Discuss and help children deal with anger and grief
• Give children ideas on how to better handle situations
• Reinforce positive behavior by guiding and redirecting children in a positive way and helping children make good choices.
• Help children build self-esteem and positive feelings toward learning

4. Understand young children, their behaviors, and motivation:

• Understand and apply principles of child development
• Use age-appropriate rules and language
• Consistently apply rules
• Always consider what is best for individual children
• Teach self-reliance
• Is sensitive and develops an understanding of how a child's disability may impact his/her development
• Accept there is more than one answer and recognizes children learn from self-directed problem solving and experimentation

Work Collaboratively with Teaching Team:

1. Following IEP Objectives and Behavior Plans
2. Using methods, and materials prescribed by the teaching team
3. Actively participating in team planning by giving input and offering ideas
4. Assisting professional staff in supervising students across environments
5. Assisting professional staff in the maintenance and operation of classrooms by prepping materials and classrooms for daily activities
6. Assisting staff and students with appropriate materials and equipment
7. Participating in scheduled paraeducator in-service and training
8. Assisting professional staff with the collation, collating, and recording of data
9. Willing to learn about children and their needs to better handle situations and problems.
10. Performing other tasks and duties as appropriate and/or assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• Minimum Required: At least two years post-secondary education or successful completion of the Praxis exam. Child Development Associate (CDA) certification
• Preferred: Coursework in Early Childhood or related field (i.e. psychology, education, human development, etc.); Associate or Bachelor’s degree

Experience: 

• Minimum Required: Experience working with children aged birth to 6 preferred but not required.
• Preferred: Experience working with children that have special needs.

The working conditions of this position include: 

1. The work environment is a regular office, classroom, outdoor, community preschool, or another school setting
2. Air-conditioned as well as un-air conditioned buildings
3. Occasional exposure to weather extremes
4. Ability to tolerate extremes in noise levels
5. Ability to tolerate stressful situations and maintain proper decorum
6. Ability to tolerate bodily secretions

SALARY:

As per the Master Agreement between the Burlington Board of School Commissioners and the Paraeducators of the Burlington School District. 

In addition to the base rate of pay. Intensive Needs Paras will receive a premium for hours worked directly with intensive special needs (ISN) students of $4.00 per hour. 

BENEFITS:

Health and life insurance benefits are available for this position after a period of 45 working days. Dental benefits are available after 1 full working year.

Equal Opportunity: The Burlington School District provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

The Burlington School District will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.