Sign Language Education Assistant Specialist

Job Title

This position is 7 hours/day, 183 days/year, supporting District 622 at Carver Elementary. Starting hourly pay is $24 and will receive an additional hourly stipend of $1.50. This position is fully benefit eligible.

Job Description

Incumbents are responsible for providing instructional and behavioral support to students individually or in small groups, and ensuring a safe and healthy education environment. Responsibilities may include: assisting teachers with modifying curriculum, class activities or materials; providing instructional support in various disciplines and facilitating social skills; monitoring students' behavior to ensure a safe and healthy environment; de-escalating student issues; providing physical care; and maintaining and preparing routine records and reports.

Typical Class Responsibilities

• Assists teachers by providing instructional support to students where differentiated/modified instruction is needed; secures the necessary equipment needed within the class to accommodate specialized student needs.
• Assists teachers with overseeing the safety, personal conduct, personal care, and behavior of the students; redirects students engaging in negative or unexpected behavior; documents behaviors; implements behavior support plans and monitors for effectiveness; intervenes when necessary to deescalate students deemed to be in crises.
• Assists with the instruction of student workers by providing guidance in the handling of industry specific tools and machinery, maintaining work areas, and preventing accidents.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.

Functional Class Responsibilities

• Ensures communication access via sign language and augmentative communication tools.
• Ability to expand functional Sign Language vocabulary and utilize basic sign expansion strategies when specific vocabulary is unknown.
• Demonstrates competency of expressive use of Sign Language for dialogues and short sentences, narratives and/or stories utilizing important ASL grammatical features.

Training and Experience Requirements

• Basic sign language skills required. Completion of ASL Level III coursework preferred.
• High School Diploma or equivalent (G.E.D.)
• Two years of study at an institution of higher education (60 college credits), an Associate degree (or higher) or successful completion of the Paraeducator training and assessments (District funded)
• 1 to 3 years successful experience working with adolescents, and/or individuals with special needs. Other successful work experience can be considered

Knowledge Requirements

• Applicable subject matter(s)
• Assistive learning tools
• Student support principles
• Recordkeeping principles
• Applicable local, state and federal laws, rules, and regulations
• Computers and related software applications

Skill Requirements

• Sign language
• Providing student support
• Using assistive learning tools
• Applying local, state and federal laws, rules, and regulations
• Operating a computer and applicable software applications
• Communication, interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with subordinates, coworkers, supervisor, the general public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction

Physical Requirements

Positions in this class typically require: climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motions.

Medium Work: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

Commitment to Equity

At Northeast Metro 916, equity means that everyone has access to what they need in order to learn, grow and thrive.

Northeast Metro 916 will not discriminate against individuals based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, parental status, status with regard to public assistance, disability, age or sexual orientation.