Personal Care Assistant (PCA)- Exceptional Children

Position Type:
Support Staff/Special Education Assistant

Date Posted:
4/3/2024

Location:
District Wide Title : Personal Care Assistant (PCA) - Exceptional Children

Purpose:
To assist the teacher by monitoring and assisting special needs students in the classroom and during other activities to ensure the provision of quality instruction in a safe environment.



Reports to : Director of Special Services and Building Principal

Job Goal :
To assist the teacher by monitoring and assisting special needs students in the classroom and during other activities to ensure the provision of quality instruction in a safe environment.



Performance Responsibilities :

• Position may be indistrict or for an out of district placement.
• Follows all rules, policies, and procedures of Garfield Public Schools, along with state and federal regulations pertaining to special education.
• Administers scores and records such achievement and diagnostic tests as the teacher recommends for individual students.
• Works with individual students or small groups of students to reinforce learning of material or skills initially introduced by the teacher; create and modify materials to match student abilities.
• Assists the teacher in devising special strategies for reinforcing material or skills based on an understanding of individual students, their needs, interests, and abilities.
• Operates and cares for equipment used in the classroom for instructional purposes.
• Helps students master equipment used in the classroom for instructional purposes.
• Monitors student behavior and helps maintain discipline in the classroom; records time-out and in-class suspensions; assists with crisis prevention; assist with de-escalation techniques with students as needed.
• Assists with the delivery of special services; assist with daily living skills; feed and toilet students if necessary; and assist with any other task students are unable to perform for themselves as directed by the supervising teacher.
• Assists students with mobility needs including transferring students to and from wheelchairs/toilets as well as any individual equipment.
• Constantly monitors the safety and well-being of students; employs strategies as necessary to protect a student, students, or others from injury; monitors student attitudes and encourages self-esteem.
• Collaborates with teachers to incorporate information provided by parents, doctors, nurses, therapists, and others in order to understand the needs of and provide services for students.
• Performs various clerical duties as needed, maintains records of student progress; develops and files incident reports; grades student papers; checks daily attendance; makes copies; distributes materials to students; develops classroom displays and instructional material; maintains and operates audiovisual equipment; maintain class files.
• Maintains the same high level of ethical behavior and confidentiality of information about students as is expected of teachers.
• Strives to maintain and improve professional competence. Participates in the development and support of special education programs.
• Assists with the supervision of students during emergency drills, assemblies, play periods, and field trips.
• Alerts the regular teacher to any problem or special information about an individual student.
• Performs related duties and responsibilities as requested by the teacher and/or principal.

Note : The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so employed.



Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :

• Ability to maintain confidentiality of student information.
• Ability to follow detailed written and oral instructions.
• Ability to read a variety of correspondence, reports, handbooks, forms, lists, etc.
• Working knowledge of effective methods of dealing with children.
• General knowledge of methods of adapting instruction, equipment, and tools for students with special needs.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; ability to communicate with school personnel, students, and parents while complying with the confidentiality requirements in local, state, and federal policies and statutes.
• Ability to constantly monitor the safety and well-being of students.
• Physical ability to frequently or constantly lift, carry, push, toilet, diaper, and feed assigned students.
• Physical ability (able to exert up to 80 pounds of force occasionally) and dexterity to perform the duties and responsibilities of the job, such as walking, lifting, stooping, standing, grasping, kneeling, crouching, and key-requiring repetitive motions.
• Physical ability to lift students of various weights independently and share responsibilities.

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. The individuals currently holding this position perform additional duties and additional duties may be assigned.



Qualifications :

• High school diploma or equivalent
• NJ Driver's License
• Experience working with physically and/or behaviorally disabled children

Experience:
Successful prior experience working with children a plus.



Application Procedure:
All interested candidates must apply online. All certifications, resume, letters of reference, praxis scores and transcripts must be uploaded prior to the closing date of the posting to be considered for any position in the Garfield School District. Do not mail these documents. Once you submit an application you will receive an email confirmation. This is your confirmation; please do not call to inquire if it was received. All candidates of interest will be contacted by the hiring administrator.



Selection Procedure:
Candidates being considered for the position will be contacted by the hiring administrator to schedule an interview. Effective September 1, 2011, all employees of school districts must reside in the State of New Jersey, unless exempted under law. If you already work for the school district as of September 1, 2011, and you do not live in New Jersey, you are not required to move to New Jersey. However, if you begin your office, position or employment on September 1, 2011 or later, you must reside in New Jersey. If you do not reside in New Jersey, you have one year after the date you take your office, position or employment to relocate your residence to New Jersey. If you do not do so, you are subject to removal from your office, position or employment.

• Garfield Board of Education is an equal opportunity employer.
• This position does not offer benefits, it is a part-time positon 29.5 hours a week
• Rate of pay is $20 an hour

Terms of Employment : Ten-month year/At will/FLSA Non-Exempt