Teacher Assistant (English)

Job Description

Job Description

Department: Education
Reports To: Principal
Schedule: 10-Month Position

Position Summary
The Teacher Assistant collaborates with the Lead Teacher to provide high-impact instructional, behavioral, and organizational support across all classroom activities. Serving within a dual-language immersion community, this role delivers individualized and small-group learning interventions, prepares differentiated materials, and supports data collection for students with diverse learning needs and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The Teacher Assistant actively reinforces a safe, nurturing, and culturally responsive learning environment by facilitating positive classroom routines, guiding transitions, and modeling the school’s core values of mutual respect, peaceful conflict resolution, and enthusiasm for lifelong learning. 

Duties and Responsibilities
Duties and responsibilities include the following (asterisks [*] designate ADA-defined essential functions): 

1. Small-Group & Individualized Instruction: Collaborates with the Lead Teacher to deliver engaging, differentiated lesson plans, projects, and thematic units of inquiry; provides targeted, one-on-one and small-group instruction to reinforce literacy, math, and core academic concepts.* 
2. Specialized Learning & IEP Support: Implements individualized instructional and behavioral interventions recommended by the Learning Specialist; assists in tracking student progress toward IEP goals, 504 accommodations, and language acquisition milestones.* 
3. Instructional Coverage & Classroom Continuity: Assumes leadership of the classroom to maintain instructional continuity, lesson execution, and student safety in the temporary absence of the Lead Teacher.* 
4. Learning Environment & Materials Management: Prepares instructional supplies, projects, and educational displays (including quarterly bulletin board presentations); organizes classroom materials to ensure an accessible, stimulating, and differentiated learning space.* 
5. Classroom Culture & Restorative Routines: Supports the implementation of Responsive Classroom and restorative practices; reinforces routines that promote social-emotional learning, self-regulation, and collaborative, peaceful problem-solving among scholars.* 
6. Campus Movement & Transitional Supervision: Actively monitors and guides students during critical campus transitions, including morning line-up, hallway movement, bathroom breaks, and afternoon dismissal procedures.* 
7. Mealtime & Recess Duty: Actively supervises assigned lunch periods and playground recess, facilitating safe, cooperative play, encouraging positive table manners, and reporting safety hazards or injuries promptly to administration or the School Nurse.* 
8. Academic & Behavioral Data Collection: Assists the Lead Teacher in observing, recording, and documenting student performance and behavioral data; shares objective tracking records with co-teachers, instructional coaches, and learning specialists to guide intervention planning.* 
9. Family & Community Engagement: Participates in schoolwide community events, parent orientations, and goal-setting parent-teacher conferences; maintains respectful, culturally competent communication with families in support of student growth.* 
10. Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Education and Experience

• Associate degree, minimum of 48 completed college credits, or passing score on the ParaPro Assessment required (in compliance with District of Columbia and federal Title I standards); Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, Child Development, or a related field strongly preferred. 
• Minimum of one (1) year of successful experience working with elementary-aged children in an educational setting, early learning center, or structured youth development program. 
• Demonstrated understanding of positive child guidance, inquiry-based learning, and inclusive classroom practices. Bilingual Language Proficiency & Communication Skills
• Clear, professional, and culturally sensitive verbal and written communication skills in English. 
• Professional or native fluency in Spanish (or French) is required for Target Language (TL) immersion classrooms, with the ability to instruct, converse, and model linguistic accuracy in the target language. 
  • Mathematical & Analytical Reasoning Ability
    • Ability to understand basic mathematical concepts, track student quantitative scores, record behavioral tally data, and calculate time intervals accurately. 
    • Ability to apply common sense and logical reasoning to carry out written and oral instructional directions, identify classroom safety concerns, and use sound judgment during student redirection.

• • Computer & Educational Technology Skills

• • • Basic proficiency with standard productivity and instructional applications, including Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).
    • Ability to learn and navigate educational platforms, Student Information Systems (e.g., PowerSchool), and web-based HR/timekeeping portals (e.g., ADP, BambooHR). 
      

Compliance Notice

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a comprehensive background check, FBI fingerprinting, and a Child Protection Register clearance in compliance with DC Public Charter School regulations. This position is a Mandated Reporter for child abuse and neglect under DC law.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or any other protected trait under federal or District of Columbia law.