Position Summary
Under the direction of the Director of Special Education, the Special Education Paraprofessional supports the implementation of specialized instruction to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities. Special education paraprofessionals will also work collaboratively with the Special Education advisor to implement accommodate and modified curriculum, and will assist in increasing student performance in the area of IEP Goal attainment. The Special Education paraprofessional will also be available to support students in social/emotional regulation.
Escuela Verde Vision and Mission
Escuela Verde cultivates a community that is participatory, just, sustainable and peaceful. We live our vision through:
- Graduating high school students prepared to live happy, healthy, meaningful lives;
- Collaborating with the community to create a strong sense of place and skills to flourish without harm;
- Providing staff who model our vision and embrace education as liberation;
- Engaging youth by adhering to an ecopedagogical praxis;
- Developing biliteracy and honoring linguistic and cultural identities by engaging in translanguaging practices; and
- Offering immersion opportunities for those interested in transformative education.
Ideal Candidate
- Required: High school diploma; Associate Degree or 2+ years of higher education; Special Education Program Aide License (0070) or willingness to obtain
- Preferred: Bilingual (English and Spanish)
- Special Education experience
- Belief in constructivist pedagogy
- View of students as capable learners
- Understanding of Project Based Learning
- Ability to create a classroom environment that is inclusive, multicultural, and equitable
- Democratic mindset that puts all school members (advisor, students, and parents) on equal terms
- Belief in restorative practices as a method for problem-solving
- Ability to work in a collaborative environment
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities, as leadership may deem necessary from time to time.
Duty/Responsibility: Special Education Services
- Assist in increasing student performance in the area of IEP Goal attainment.
- Works with individual students or small groups of students to reinforce learning of materials or skills initially introduced and outlined by certified staff.
- Provide direct and indirect instructional support to students in a positive environment.
- Support students with special needs in an integrated classroom setting
- Guide students in completing rigorous quarterly independent projects that adhere to the PBL process
- Meet and collaborate regularly with the Special Education Team to discuss student performance and develop weekly goals.
- Assists the advisor collective in devising special strategies for reinforcing learning materials and skills based on a sympathetic understanding of individual students, their needs, interests, and abilities.
- Maintain appropriate records of student progress and IEP minutes
- Support students in social/emotional regulation
- Performs assigned supervision of students during tests, lunch periods, wellness time, and on field trips.
- Establish rapport and hold high expectations for dignified interactions with students, parents, staff and the community.
- Use restorative practices to keep the school environment conducive for learning; uphold student safety and dignity.
Duty/Responsibility: Non-Instructional Tasks
- Collaboration with Staff
- Contribute to a culture that promotes learning and growth
- Actively participate in staff meetings
- Communicate proactively and promptly with staff, make adequate preparations for time off
- Commit to using restorative practices with other staff members
- Maintain openness to giving and receiving feedback from the professional learning community
- Attend overnight strategic planning week in February
- Personal Growth
- Create and follow a professional PD plan
- Attend at least one conference/professional development opportunity per year
- Maintain overall healthy lifestyle (body and mind) in an effort to model a healthy lifestyle for students and to be an effective community member
- Attend community nights, parent nights, presentation nights and specialty nights throughout the year
- Ground decision making and implementation of equity work in data and best practices for students
- Understand that new/additional responsibilities may arise and will require willingness to collaborate
Education and/or Experience
- High school diploma; Associate Degree or 2+ years of higher education or equivalent
- Special Education Program Aide License (0070) or willingness to obtain
Language Skills
Ability to speak effectively to other employees of the organization. Spanish speaking is a plus.
Mathematical Skills
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as overtime, time report calculations, and percentages.
Reasoning Ability
Ability to apply commonsense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
Physical Demands
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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or touch objects, tools, or controls and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach above shoulders.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. This role will be in-person, in the community, and based out of Escuela Verde located at 3628 W Pierce St, Milwaukee, WI 53215.
Equal Employment Opportunity
TransCenter for Youth (Escuela Verde) is an equal opportunity employer and believes in equal opportunity for all employees and applicants. Accordingly, all employment decisions are based on the principles of equal opportunity. These decisions include recruitment, selection, promotion, transfer, discipline, compensation, benefits, training, and other personnel actions involving persons in all job titles and shall occur without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, marital status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), age, ancestry, national origin, disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender identity, arrest and conviction records, the use or nonuse of lawful products off the employers’ premises during nonwork hours, declining to attend meetings or participate in communications about religious or political matters, or any other characteristic protected by law.