Paraprofessional

ABOUT US

At Chicago Collegiate, you are part of a Pride comprised of hard-working professionals, our scholars, our families, and the broader far South Side of Chicago community. Every day is an opportunity to grow, and you will be inspired to constantly learn and improve. You will be part of a world-changing experience as we embark on a journey in pursuit of supporting our scholars to and through college.

For the 2024-2025 school year, we plan to employ approximately 48 staff members and serve approximately 300 students. In our first senior class in the spring of 2021, 100% of our graduates were admitted to over 200 universities, earning over 3.6 million dollars in merit scholarships.

ABOUT YOU

The Paraprofessional is directly accountable to the Student Support Services team for the academic growth and achievement of students with special education needs requiring paraprofessional. As a Paraprofessional, you are a key member to the population of students who require specialized services. You are essential to ensuring that we reach our mission and vision.

Responsibilities:

Ensure all students assigned to your role make significant academic progress despite any individual challenges or barriers they may face. Ensure students learn the academic skills, possess the intellectual habits, and demonstrate the character traits needed to succeed in college, lead in their communities, and change the world.

Exemplify and demonstrate Excellence in a variety of areas, by:

• Working with the Learning Specialist and/or General Education teacher to execute daily lesson plans for individual or small groups of students.
• Maintaining a classroom culture that exemplifies high academic and behavioral expectations
• Administering a variety of assessments to measure student growth towards goals.
• Utilizing IEPs to adapt instruction to reach the needs of students with disabilities in an inclusion setting
• Assisting in implementing school wide procedures, routines, academic and cultural initiatives.

Exemplify and demonstrate Courage in a variety of areas, by:

• Demonstrating personal responsibility for both the growth and absolute achievement of all students
• Seeking feedback out to improve instructional and professional practices
• Analyzing assessment data, adjusting plans, and targeting interventions
• Reflecting on practices to meet student goals and individual professional development growth goals
• Acting in a way that demonstrates high expectations and our belief that demographics are not destiny
• Modeling and teaching the values of Chicago Collegiate and upholding the Commitment to Excellence

Exemplify and demonstrate Pride in a variety of areas, by:

• Communicating with classroom teachers, students, and parents about IEPs and student progress
• Collaborating with teachers regularly to help problem solve and plan interventions for students
• Establishing and maintaining relationships with students, families, and colleagues

Exemplify and demonstrate Grit in a variety of areas, by:

• Ensuring students are making significant progress and meeting or exceeding the goals of their IEPs
• Collaborating with teachers to provide the instructional support for dramatic academic gains for students
• Approaching practice with a strong sense of urgency to maximize instructional time

Exemplify and demonstrate Courage in a variety of areas, by:

• Doing whatever it takes to ensure students are on track to succeeding in college

Qualifications:

• Please note that due to legal requirements, all applicants MUST be certified as a paraprofessional in the state of Illinois
• Demonstrated record of success with low-income students of color who have IEPs/504s on both quantitative, objective measures as well as qualitative measures
• Passionate belief in Chicago Collegiate’s mission and an unwavering belief that all students, regardless of demographics, can achieve at the highest academic level
• Deep instructional knowledge and thoughtfulness, willing and able to work across all core subjects
• Excellent organizational skills
• Data-driven orientation and focus on results
• A passion for being part of a team-oriented, mission-driven school culture
• Strong communication skills with individuals of varying backgrounds
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment; flexible, able to work autonomously as well as take direction as needed
• Strong work ethic that accommodates high levels of responsibility, as well as strong prioritization and organizational skills with a detail-driven orientation as needed
• A strong desire to change the world through the impact of this position
• Strong evidence of self awareness, humility, openness to feedback, grit, gratitude, and a sense of humor
• A positive, high-energy attitude and the ability to problem solve and maintain a solutions oriented approach

SALARY & BENEFITS

Salary range for this position is $35,000-$40,000 per year and depends on years of relevant experience, history of achieving measurable results, and other qualifications such as certifications/advanced degrees. The full compensation package includes medical/dental/vision, PTO and vacation time, and other benefits.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

Chicago Collegiate is actively seeking to build a diverse and experienced team of educators. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin and are an equal opportunity employer.