Preschool Teacher Assistant

Exceptional Children Teacher AssistantReports to: Principal/Exceptional Children TeacherSupervises: NoneTerm of Employment: 10 monthsSalary: Teacher Assistant II - 58FLSA Exempt/Non-Exempt: Non-ExemptQualifications:High School diploma; or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilitiesMust meet paraprofessional requirements under "No Child Left Behind":Associate degreeHold an associate degree or be working toward an associate degree or higher in Birth through Kindergarten, Child Development, Early Childhood Education, or an early childhood education-related fieldTeacher assistants working toward the associate degree shall make progress by completing a minimum of six semester hours per year, complete a minimum of 15 hours of annual in-service professional development, and a combination of college coursework, Continuing Education Units (CEUs), or clock hours may be used to complete the requirements of this rule.Completion of 48 semester hours of college credits, orSuccessful completion of a series of WorkKeys assessments plus earn 96 contact hours of appropriate staff developmentDue to licensing regulations, preschool assistants must have an associate degree in Early Childhood DevelopmentEssential Job Functions:Performs, under general supervision, a variety of technical and clerical tasks in assisting a teacher of students with disabilitiesPerforms a wide range of tasks in order to support the efforts of the teacher, meet the needs of all students, and ensure the provision of quality instruction for all studentsProvides one-on-one assistance with academics and behavioral problems and may lead small group activitiesAssists teacher with general housekeeping, clerical duties and repair/maintenance of school equipmentStays abreast of activities performed by the teacher, daily routines of the classroom, student handbook rules, handbook of Parent's Rights and procedures to follow in the event of an emergencyObtains and maintains basic first aid and CPR certificationComplete State and Federal Background Check prior to working with studentsStays abreast of the following: methods of adapting instruction, equipment and tools for children with special needs; confidentiality regulations; principles of organization and administration of the school district; curriculum for the grade/age of the children with which assistant is assigned to work; child development disabilitiesAssists teacher with executing instruction and evaluating its effectivenessConstantly monitors the safety and well-being of students; monitors student attitudes and encourages self esteem; assists students with becoming increasingly independentMonitors student behavior and helps maintain discipline in the classroom; records time out and in-class suspension; assists with crisis prevention; restrains students as neededAssists students with learning; reinforces and clarifies instructions; conducts short sessions on improving study skills; creates and modifies materials to match student abilities; provides one-on-one assistance as neededMaintains standardized records and documentation concerning the progress of studentsPerforms various clerical duties as needed, maintains records of student progress; develops and files incident reports; checks daily attendance; makes copies; develops classroom display and instructional materials; maintains and operates audiovisual equipment; maintains class files and child care documentation, etc.Feeds students when necessary; toilets students, if needed; and assists with any other tasks students are not able to perform for themselvesParticipates in staff development as directedPerforms other duties and responsibilities as assigned by supervisorLife Skills and other EC classes (and other students as appropriate):Assists with the delivery of special services for students in need of functional life skills; assists with daily living skills (includes but is not limited to tube feeding, catheterization, toileting, changing diapers, lifting, pushing wheelchairs, use of other adapted equipment; and other necessary and appropriate medical procedures under the training and supervision of the school nurse); provides one-on-one academic instruction under the supervision of the classroom teacher; works to keep students on task during group instructionAssists with therapeutic rehabilitation; prepares students for therapy and other special classes; administers the taking of medicine; monitors special dietsAttempts to incorporate fine motor skills, sensory stimulation, self-help skills, social skills and computer skills into classroom activitiesPerforms general housekeeping duties; sets up various equipment each morning; puts equipment away at the end of the day; washes mats, toys, equipment, etc. with appropriate cleaning supplies; performs simple repairs and maintenance related to student and school equipmentAccepts possible exposure to blood borne pathogens and other bodily fluids and may be required to wear personal protective equipment such as latex glovesPre-Kindergarten Classes:Assists the teacher in setting up the room for morning activities; greets students; assists students with the placement of personal belongingsSupplements the activities of the teacher; assists students with activities; reinforces learning in small groups; provides one-on-one assistance; facilitates learning during centers; participates in activities for children with special needs; assists students with independent projects; listens to students; reads storiesConstantly monitors the behavior of students; rewards good behavior; responds to inappropriate behavior as instructed by teacher; supervises free time and situations when the classroom teacher is out of the roomPrepares daily snackMay work with special programs in the school as follows: accompany classes on field trips; assist with physical education class; assist with the instruction of emergency procedures; performs lunch, bus, hall duty, etc.; keeps abreast of and adheres to childcare licensure and sanitation rules and regulationsMay accompany teacher on home visitsPhysical and Cognitive Requirements:The major physical and cognitive requirements listed below are applicable to this job classification within Moore County Schools.Work in this classification is considered light physical work requiring the exertion of up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects.Must be able to:walk, lift, reach, stoop, stand, grasp, kneel, crouch, key requiring repetitive motionsuse visual acuity in preparing and analyzing written or computer datavisually inspect small defects and/or small partsoperate a variety of machines, motor vehicles, hand, and job specific equipment and toolsdetermine the accuracy and thoroughness of workobserve general surroundings and activitiescommunicate by spoken word to express or exchange ideas and convey detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly, or quicklysafely work in situations of exposure to blood borne pathogens which may require specialized personal protective equipmentcommunicate effectively orally and in writingestablish positive relationships with studentsdeal with people beyond giving and receiving instructionsperform under stress, deal with persons acting under stress and adapt when confronted with emergency situationswork with both children and adults with disabilitiestalk and hear: (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving nature of sounds by ear.)lift students of various weights independently and with shared responsibility