Personal Care Assistant ( PCA)

PCA Position

The Bensalem School District is looking to hire several PCA's to help within different schools in the district. The Personal Care Assistant is directly responsible to and works under the direction of the principal and certified school staff members (e.g. Special Education and General Education teachers, nurse) providing one-to-one support and assistance to a student consistent with the student's current and approved Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Position goal: Support student as a one-on-one aide consistent with the approved Individualized Educational Program (IEP) and complete all data collection material and required daily ACCESS logs.

Specific qualifications:

• Minimum of a high school diploma required.
• Previous experience in interacting with students in a school setting/environment.
• Commitment to supporting school age children requiring additional support.
• Must interact courteously with students, co-workers, parents and others and have the ability to deal with students, emergencies and the unexpected in a calm and professional manner.
• Must be a good communicator both orally and in writing.
• Able to accept constructive criticism and willing to implement the necessary changes

Essential duties and responsibilities:

Depending upon the IEP of the student being supported the PCA may have one or more of the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Collaborate with teaching staff to develop communication log, data collection, data review and strategies to address the individual student needs.
2. Consult/collaborate with general education and/or learning support teachers and/or related service providers.
3. Follow established prompt hierarchy to assist student in maximizing on-task behavior.
4. Implement IEP behavior strategies and/or the positive behavioral program throughout the day, as directed by the Behavior Specialist and Special Education teacher.
5. Assist student in maintaining organization of materials and with direct instruction of the student.
6. Shadow student at recess and lunch and intervene when problem behaviors are demonstrated by student in order to prevent escalation.
7. Intervene with student who appears upset and redirect student by escorting on walk around school and/or talking with him/her about problem.
8. Redirect socially inappropriate behaviors by interrupting and teaching appropriate behaviors. Provide positive reinforcement of appropriate replacement behaviors.
9. Assist student getting on and off the bus.
10. Provide supervision in classroom, hallway and during outdoor activities.
11. May need to assist students in the lavatory with toileting issues and possible with feminine hygiene issues as necessary.
12. May need to assist in transferring students from wheelchair to chair for desk work.
13. Complete ACCESS Log reports on a daily basis.