1:1 Individual Student Aide Paraprofessional

Job Description

As a 1:1 Individual Student Aide Paraprofessional with The Menta Education Group, you will be responsible for working with classroom instructors and staff to offer targeted teaching and support to students in the classroom, as well as general support for all students in the school.

605 S. Albany Ave. Chicago, IL 60612

6:45am-2:15pm CT, Monday-Friday, following a school calendar

Hiring for All Grade Levels K-21, Small Self-Contained Rooms

Direct Hire with our school: Return school year after school year (no annual contract)

• Individually monitor the assigned student addressing academic, functional, behavioral, or safety concerns as noted in the IEP under the supervision of licensed professional staff.
• Prepare and adapt materials for use in the classroom; maintain classrooms and materials in good order.
• Inform clinical staff of social, emotional, or behavioral concerns of students.
• Implement and maintain behavior program policies and data.
• Coordinate and communicate with administration and other staff members in order to ensure consistent application of the academic and therapeutic program.
• Fill in as needed and as requested throughout the program.
• Have awareness of other students in the program in order to ensure consistent application of the academic and therapeutic program.
• Maintain confidentiality of students and student records.
• Attend all staff meetings and in-service training as requested.
• Report any unusual incidents or safety concerns to the administration.
• Support and promote administrative policies and goals.

• Paraprofessional Certification is preferred, but not required
• Ability to operate tactfully under stress
• Flexibility to change in routines
• At least 23 years of age
• Able to work with high-risk special needs students

• In accordance with the Pay Transparency amendment to the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003, information about pay ranges and employee benefits can be found at the following links:
• Compensation Information:
• Please refer to the "Classroom Support" section for this position's category.
• Our benefits package includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance; paid time off (PTO); and a 403(b) retirement plan with an employer match. For more information visit:

$17.97 - $27.06 an hour

Menta Academy Oak Park

Menta Academy Oak Park has relocated to Chicago

605 S Albany Ave, Chicago, IL 60612

Our unique, innovative learning environment provides the ideal instructional formula in Menta’s focus on personalized learning, which allows students to have some level of voice and choice on what they learn, the pace at which they learn and to some extent where they learn. Tailoring the learning experiences via a student’s Individual Educational Plan, with an emphasis on student inquiry and interests increases engagement and optimizes learning.

Menta Academy Oak Park is one of the most unique educational settings around. The school was designed to look like a Google office since the learning environment mirrors that of a business setting. Students, facilitated by highly skilled educators, learn in a blended learning environment using digital online media, group problem solving, and individual self directed learning. Our methods are steeped in highly recognized scientific research which is designed to provide data driven outcomes. The students will work in any number of spaces created to provide structure, consistency and predictability, all necessary ingredients for a successful educational experience. Areas of learning may include CEO conference table for group work and analysis, a Think Tank where students collaborate in small groups learning to be productive team members, and Socratic Discourse Bleachers where larger groups meet with teacher facilitators to address challenges that require development and critical thinking skills.

Students Served: High School-21

More About The Menta Education Group

The Menta Education Group’s mission is “To provide innovative solutions to critical problems in education and human services.” Menta brings a framework of educational practices that have been designed and are supported through evidence based practices. Menta’s collaborative process with various school and community stakeholders has resulted in programs designed to educate, support, challenge, empower and celebrate students who present with a range of academic, social and emotional needs. At the beginning of a student’s experience with Menta, a collaborative meeting is held that includes the student, significant people in their lives, Menta staff and other professionals as appropriate. During that meeting, a comprehensive assessment of the student’s past, present and future desires is used to establish a student centered plan (MAP) that serves as a foundation of the student’s Menta programming. A guiding principle of Menta is ‘we do not give up’, while also holding our students and staff to high expectations. The educational offerings at a Menta program provides students with a quality education that is designed to nurture and enhance the skills and maturity needed to meet the challenges of being productive adults and citizens in a rapidly changing 21st century world.

Menta’s programs utilize a unique curricular framework that relies on the Expanded Menta Method and Trauma Informed Practices as the foundational principles for the teaching, counseling and mentoring work done by our highly trained staff. Personalized learning is the hub of our strategic curricular design intended to meet the needs of every student. Starting with the end in mind (learning targets and academic goals), a leveraging of current technologies coupled with highly trained instructional facilitators creates a rich learning environment supporting all student needs. Menta’s learning spaces are unique and specially designed to combine traditional teacher/student interaction with state of the art technology and learning innovations. Those learning spaces are flexible and can accommodate a variety of learning activities, such as inquiry learning and project based learning. Our spaces are designed to mimic productive spaces learners would find in business and/or corporate environments, thereby helping students achieve a mind-set designed for adult learning and work.

Professional Associations and/or Partnerships

The Menta Education Group affiliates are members/partners with CEC, CASE, Autism Speaks, ASBA, AAPSEC, AASA, CCSSO, SEAA, ASCD, and many more associations that focus on the education of children with disabilities.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Menta Education Group (“Menta”) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, gender identity and gender expression), color, national origin, religion, age, pregnancy or related conditions, veteran status, sexual orientation, disability or any other basis protected under federal, state or local law. Any individual needing assistance in making an application for any opening should contact Menta’s office.