Tacoma Public Schools

Expected Start Date: September 1, 2021

FTE: .8125

Hours per day: 6.5 hour day/ 5 days per week

Salary Level: PA4 - $19.29 (at 2020-21 rate)

Union/Days per year: Para 182 + 11 holidays Active

Benefits: This job has the full range of benefits offered by Tacoma Public Schools.

Summary:
This position assists a certificated teacher with instructional and non-instructional activities for students with emotional and/or behavior disabilities and, possibly, with learning and/or physical disabilities in the assigned school/center.

Responsibilities:
1. Tutors students individually or in small groups in assigned learning activity; provides assistance to students as necessary; provides encouragement to students.
2. Monitors student progress on daily logs and prepares reports; maintains communication with classroom teacher and program administrator; maintains student records; communicates with parents as assigned.
3. Acts as a positive model for student behavior; corrects inappropriate and demonstrates appropriate behavior; assists in classroom management; administers discipline according to classroom rules; resolves student conflicts and de-escalates situations; instructs student in appropriate conflict resolution.
4. Assists teacher in planning and adapting materials and activities as directed; plans and delivers assigned lessons to class or small groups of students; assists in administering standardized tests as assigned.
5. Monitors students to ensure they remain in class and do not injure themselves or others; restrains and calms students when they become violent or destructive; supervises students in the assigned program at recess/breaks, in hallways and cafeteria, etc.; escorts students in the assigned program to and from buses.
6. In the autism program, assists students with toileting; changes diapers as needed, assists students with other grooming and hygiene needs; may assist students with self-feeding as needed; may use basic sign language as needed; restrains and calms students when they become self-abusive or violent toward others; monitors and protects students through seizures and other physical emergencies; supervises student vocational training such as laundry or recycling services; performs sensory stimulation activities as assigned; uses adaptive equipment; assists students to perform activities during adaptive physical education; administers and logs medications as assigned.
7. Participates in building staff meetings; provides information regarding students.
8. Assists in planning special activities for students; accompanies students on field trips and all special activities, including inclusion periods.
9. Provides general clerical assistance; duplicates materials and completes necessary paperwork; tests students and records scores.
10. Supervises students for brief periods when teacher is out of the room or during teacher's planning period.

OTHER JOB DUTIES

1. May perform cleansing intermittent catheterizations after receiving required training.
2. May pick-up and serve lunches, may be assigned to other classrooms as needed.
3. Performs related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
Other information:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience
Associate's degree or 72 credit hours of post secondary education or passing state test to demonstrate knowledge and ability to assist in instructing students; one year of experience in working with special needs students; or any combination of experience and training which provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and ability required to perform the work and that meets state and federal requirements.

Allowable Substitution
Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be evaluated by the Human Resources department for comparability.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Knowledge of behavioral disabilities in children.
Knowledge of effective instructional methods for students with behavioral disabilities.
Knowledge of assigned subject areas.
Basic knowledge of learning styles.
Excellent interpersonal skills required for dealing with students with disabilities.
Skills in obtaining, clarifying, and exchanging information.
Ability to tutor students at the assigned grade level.
Ability to defuse student anger and resolve conflict.
Ability to follow instructions.
Ability to organize and coordinate activities.
Ability to appropriately physically restrain students as necessary.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of people in a multicultural, diverse socio-economic setting.

Licenses/Special Requirements
Required to obtain CPR and First Aid Certification.
Required to complete MANDT training.
May be required to complete cleansing intermittent catheterization (CIC) training.

Job Locator Number: D24-37

This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Tacoma School District administration has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice. The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the primary functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required and the scope of responsibility, but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods or otherwise balance the workload.

Tacoma Public Schools does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Civil Rights Coordinator: Lisa Nolan, 253-571-1252, lnolan@tacoma.k12.wa.us; Title IX Coordinator: Eric Hogan, 253-571-1191, ehogan1@tacoma.k12.wa.us; and 504 Coordinator: Elementary, Elise Friedrich-Nielsen, efriedr@tacoma.k12.wa.us, 253-571-1096; Secondary, Cari Ake, cake@tacoma.k12.wa.us, 253-571-1225. Address: P.O. Box 1357, Tacoma, WA 98401-1357.

HRInfo@tacoma.k12.wa.us, (253) 571-1250