Instructional Assistant

Instructional Assistant

Aspire Public Schools is building a pool of exceptional candidates for current and future opportunities. This posting represents a pool of candidates for SY26/27.

Compensation: Aspire Public Schools is dedicated to our teammate's well-being! In addition to a competitive base salary that is benchmarked against local districts and charter schools, we offer employees exceptional benefits, including paid time off, 100% core health benefits coverage on select plans, life insurance/long-term disability, participation in a CA state retirement plan, tuition reimbursement plan, and adoption assistance program.

ABOUT ASPIRE

Aspire Public Schools operates a network of high-performing, college preparatory charter schools serving TK-12 scholars in communities across California. Founded in 1998—in an effort to transform the inequitable racial, social, and gender outcomes that our communities persist through—Aspire is one of the largest and most forward-thinking open-enrollment public charter school systems in the nation.

Our purpose is to prepare our scholars for success in college, career, and life. At Aspire, we set a foundation for our scholars to gain knowledge, skills, and power to access and make choices for their families and post-secondary lives. Every day, our community of students, families, teachers and staff comes together to learn, work, and play in an environment grounded in our values of Bienestar (Well-Being), Culture of Belonging, Community Partnership, Agency & Self-Determination, and Joy.

General Summary

The Instructional Assistant supports classroom teacher(s) in providing a high quality, personalized education program for students. S/he works during the school day and/or the after school program. The ideal candidate for this position is a recent college graduate who has an interest in pursuing a career as an educator.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Support classroom systems/procedures and help manage student behavior to ensure all students are fully engaged in learning
• Develop and implement lesson plans and classroom activities consistent with California State Standards and Aspire Instructional Guidelines
• Assess students regularly in accordance with Aspire guidelines and analyze assessment data
• Collaborate with Aspire team members to improve own and others' instructional practices; share best practices
• Help classroom teacher(s) provide students and their families with regular and timely information on classroom activities and student progress
• May help track critical student information and maintain accurate student records, including attendance, in accordance with Aspire procedures
• Identify unique student needs and collaborate with other team members and outside service providers to diagnose and address learning challenges
• Assist with planning and executing differentiated instruction for students with a variety of needs, including: parallel teaching, small group and/or one-on-one instruction.
• Teach students in the after school program, especially intervention and acceleration for students below grade level
• Support a school-wide culture of high expectations that includes college preparation for all students; work with College and Academic Counselor to support students with academic progress and college application processes
• Teach or co-teach Advisory class with the objective of developing students' character and habits
• Actively participate in professional development activities, including: training sessions and working with lead teacher, principal, instructional coaches
• Work towards career as an educator, which may include enrolling in teacher credential program
• Demonstrate knowledge of, and support, Aspire Public Schools mission, vision, value statements, standards, policies and procedures, operating instructions, confidentiality standards, and the code of ethical behavior
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned

Qualifications

• Competencies:
• Knowledge of child cognitive development and different learning styles
• Ability and willingness to implement Aspire Instructional Guidelines and Best Practices
• Ability and willingness to reflect and improve
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to collaborate with colleagues, parents and community
• Minimum educational level:
• Associate's degree or successful completion of 48 units of college credit or passing of Paraprofessional Test
• Bachelor's degree in Education, Teaching, or related field preferred
• Physical requirements:
• Stand, walk or bend over, kneel, crouch, reach overhead, grasp, push, and pull. Move, lift and/or carry up to 30 pounds to shoulder height
• Repetitive use of hands (i.e. fine manipulation, simple grasping, and power grasping)
• Demonstrate normal depth perception
• Sitting, walking or standing for extended periods of time
• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, operate standard office equipment, and use a telephone
• See and read a computer screen and printed matter with or without vision aids
• Hear and understand speech at normal levels and on the telephone with or without auditory aides
• Experience required:
• 1+ year working with students as a teacher, teacher intern, or teaching assistant preferred
• Work authorization requirements:
• Clear the Department of Justice background screening
• Authorized to work in the United States
• Provide health (TB) clearance (update every four years)

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics are representative of those in a normal office, classroom/school setting which one might encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work indoors in a standard office environment, computer lab, and/or classroom environment
• Work is performed in indoor and outdoor environments
• Exposure to dust, oils, and cleaning chemicals
• Some exposure to childhood and other diseases in a school environment
• May be required to work outside of typical work days and office hours to meet operational deadlines

EEO Statement

Aspire Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. This position description intends to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. It is not intended to include all duties and responsibilities. The order in which duties and responsibilities are listed is not significant.