Muscatine Schools is hiring a Special Education Aide for the Muskie Early Learning Center. Special Education Aides are assigned to work 9-months/year while school is in session. This position is scheduled for 6.25 hrs/day, Monday through Friday, with an approximate schedule of 7:40am - 2:25pm (subject to change based on student(s)/building needs). Starting pay for this position is $17.53/hour. Bilingual preferred or highly desirable. All essential functions must be performed on-site. 

Please see below job description for a list of the duties and responsibilities of a Special Education Aide.

An interview, pre-employment background check, and onboarding/training session will be required prior to a candidate beginning as a Paraeducator/Aide with Muscatine Schools. All positions are open until filled.

For assistance with the online application, please contact the Muscatine School District Human Resources Department at 563-263-7223.                      

 

MUSCATINE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

JOB REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS

 

POSITION TITLE:           Special Education Paraeducator

EMPLOYEE UNIT:            Clerical/Secretarial/Aide/Paraeducator Unit

FUNCTIONAL AREA:        Support Staff

REPORT TO:                    Principal; Special Education Teacher

STATUS:                          Hourly Nine (9) month position

FLSA STATUS:                  Non-exempt

 

Normal Work Day: 

The schedule of a Special Education Para is based upon both the number of students, the Individual Education Program (IEP) of each of the students, and the need of the students. These positions may begin/end with very little notice. The District sets the total paid hours for each position based on the recommendation of the Director of Teaching and Learning.

           

CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:    

May be required to be certified to administer medication. Required to take Chapter 103 Training __ Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training (includes preventative strategies, de-escalation skills, and communication techniques) which will be provided through internal training. May receive other training(s) as required.

 

OBJECTIVE:

Assist classroom teacher in helping students to increase their academic and behavioral goals, and social skills. 

 

MAJOR DUTIES:

Under direction of professional staff, supervise and assist students, individually or in group settings as follows:

 

1. Responsible for students with academic, social and emotional needs
2. May include working one to one with student to complete assigned tasks
3. Ability to support data collection systems under teacher directions
4. May need to assist in the restroom or with personal hygiene
5. Regular attendance to ensure consistency with students
6. Other duties as may be assigned.

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Qualified candidates are required to have a high school diploma or GED.
• Bilingual preferred or highly desirable.
• While all positions allow the employee to start in a position prior to receiving certain training there are some that cannot be performed well until after being trained. In all cases if the employee does not take the training when it is offered they are no longer eligible to hold the position.
• Some positions require a valid driver's license, as the major focus of the position is community mobility and will require the employee to use his/her own car.
• The employee must have the physical capacity to assist the physically challenged student including lifting the student as required.

 

LOCATION:  As assigned

 

Knowledge skills and abilities required to carry out the job satisfactorily.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Computer proficient in skill level appropriate software
• Experience working with challenged students
• Self-starter and able to help student become more self-sufficient and/or successful in classes
• Physically able to help students
• Capable of small group drill-work, remediation or one on one tutoring
• Proficient in student's equipment included but not limited to the computer, wheel chair, health, mobilizer, immobilizer
• Building and school bus safety procedures
• Building and school alarm systems
• Must genuinely like children and enjoy working with young people
• Must not get upset by occasional bad language, threat of physical violence or personal habits of student
• Possess patience so you do not get easily discouraged
• Willingness to assume responsibility
• Help students to become one of the class
• Human relations skills and good interpersonal skills
• May participate in home visit accompanied by the teacher
• Confidentiality of all information is critical
• Ability to work well with others

 

AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT STATEMENT:

The information contained in this job description is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position.  Additional duties are performed by the individual holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Employee must be capable of working under stress with large numbers of students, parents and co-workers. Lack of mobility may limit assignment(s). Mental acuity is required and mental and physical ability to manage workload is essential.

 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands and fingers to handle and/or feel objects, tools or controls; talk and hear.  The employee frequently must squat, stoop or kneel, reach above the head and forward 0 to 24 inches and on occasion up to 36 inches.  The employee continuously uses hand strength to grasp items.  The employee will frequently bend or twist at the neck and trunk more than the average person while performing the duties of this job.  The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds 0 to 12 feet and occasionally up to 20 feet, such as curriculum materials, desks, chairs, and boxes.  The employee will sometimes push/pull items such as tables and carts.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision and the ability to adjust focus while supervising students and working with computers, written materials, reports, assessment data, etc.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. The position requires the commitment of professional working hours that may require the employee to extend beyond a typical 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. workday. The employee will frequently work in different areas of the classroom including in/at desks, on or near the floor, standing, in movement while supervising indoor and outdoor activities, etc. The employee will usually work in indoor temperatures but will work outdoors when supervising students outside of the classroom.
 
It is the policy of the Muscatine Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socioeconomic status in its employment practices.  For assistance or consultation contact the Director of Human Resources. The Muscatine Community School District is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer.

 

The statements contained herein describe the scope of the responsibilities, essential functions, physical requirements, and working conditions of the Special Education Paraeducator position, but should not be considered to be an all-inclusive list.  An employee serving in the Special Education Paraeducator position may perform other duties as assigned.  Nothing in this job description restricts the District’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to the Special Education Paraeducator position at any time.

 

EVALUATION:  Principal shall evaluate no less than once annually with input from the teacher.

 

Whenever a job opening occurs, other than a temporary opening as defined below, in any
existing job classification or as the result of the development of a new job classification, a
notice of such an opening shall be posted on the district’s website for a minimum of five
(5) working days, unless extenuating circumstances require fewer days. The notice shall
include rate of pay, classification title, closing date, and minimum qualifications required
for the job. Minimum qualifications may include successful testing, physical demands,
working environment, bilingual skills and other minimum qualifications.

 

Applicants, who wish to apply for the opening including employees and employees on layoff from any classification, may do so. The district shall fill the opening, after
interviewing the top applicants, by selecting from the applicant pool the candidate it
believes who most closely matches the requirements of the position. Employees who are
offered and accept a position in a different classification will begin at Year 1; or if the
employee had prior years of service in that classification, will begin at the year following
the number of prior years of experience on the wage scale.

During the first ninety (90) working days of employment or appointment to a new
position, an employee will not be eligible to apply for vacancies in order to provide
consistency for students. The contents of this section shall be noted prominently on all
postings.

Pre-employment fitness-to-perform examinations may be required. Such examinations
shall be specific to actual job requirements and essential functions of the job for which
the applicant has applied and if required shall be paid in full by the district. Failure to
meet the standardized medically valid criteria specific to the job requirements of the
specific job for which the applicant has applied shall be valid grounds not to hire.
However, the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) requirements for reasonable
accommodation shall remain in force.