Position:                 Learning Project Team Paraprofessional      

Term:                      9 months      

Classification:         Classified/Non-Exempt 

Location:                 Administration    

Qualifications:     

• 60 college credit hours; or
• Associate’s degree or higher; or
• Missouri ParaPro Assessment passing score (before September 23, 2013); or
• Missouri Paraprofessional Assessment passing score (after September 23, 2013); or
• Completed Missouri’s 20-hour online substitute training program

Chosen candidates will be expected to apply for and maintain a valid MO Substitute Teaching Certification.

 

Supervisory:           No

Reports to:             Director of Student Services

Code:                      001-1251-6152-0845-45100-4-000

Job Number:          2793

 

Why Joplin Schools:

Change Lives: Work with a dynamic trauma-informed team providing behavior support services in a collaborative approach. You will have the opportunity to partner with students and families as they develop new skills to transform their learning trajectories. This position is part of an innovative project focused on proactive behavior intervention and teaching kids new skills to support their learning in general education classrooms and beyond. 

 

Supportive Team: Joplin Schools has a team of innovative leaders, including Board Certified Behavior Analysts,  that specifically plan for initial and ongoing professional and personal development. This team values the voices of staff to push initiatives forward in the name of student learning and staff empowerment.

  

The job of the paraprofessional is to support The Learning Project Team in the development, implementation and monitoring of a program designed to enhance the success of students academically and behaviorally.

 

 

General Expectations

• Supports the mission of Joplin Schools.
• Supports the value of education.
• Become familiar with, enforce, and follow all applicable Board policies and regulations, administrative procedures, other directions given by district administrators and supervisors, and state and federal laws.
• Properly supervise students at all times, if applicable to essential job functions.
• Obey all safety rules, including rules protecting the safety and welfare of students.
• Care for, properly use, and protect school property.
• Maintain courteous and professional relationships with students, parents/guardians, other district employees and the public.
• Communicate effectively with supervisors, department staff, all members of the school district, and community as required. 
• Provides excellence in customer service both internally and externally.
• Complies with privacy rights and safeguards confidential and/or sensitive information pertaining to staff and students.
• Reacts to change productively and receive and transmit constructive criticism as it relates to job duties.
• Actively participate in professional development and obtain skills and information necessary to effectively perform job duties.
• Conduct all official business in a professional and timely manner, utilizing district technology resources.
• Arrive to work and leave work at the time specified by supervisors and attend all required meetings pertinent to the position.
• Maintains accurate records and filing systems for accountability and audit purposes as required by law and Board policy.
• Solve practical problems utilizing math functions as needed to complete job duties. 
• Read and interpret documents such as work orders, safety rules, and handbooks and apply to job duties.

 

Essential Functions:

Learning Project Team (LPT) Paraprofessionals will work closely with staff members, including Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) to collaborate on trauma-informed practices, behavior intervention and crisis plans, all while maintaining a special focus on proactive strategies and building replacement skills with students. 

LPT Paraprofessionals can expect to: 

• Connect with BCBA mentors and on a regular basis. 
• Be deployed to elementary school buildings to support students' needs and collaborate with team members on proactive strategies to grow the skill sets of students. 
• Support students with skills involving expression of emotions, tolerating challenging tasks, transitioning between activities, making mistakes, accepting feedback and using coping skills. 
• Work alongside team members to assist students with de-escalation strategies and brainstorming approaches built into behavior support plans. 
• Gather data and documentation to monitor the progress of interventions.
• Support students needs in 1-on-1 settings in and outside of the general education classroom. 
• Carry-out small group activities with guidance from BCBA mentors. 

• With guidance from Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) mentors, collaborate on interventions and model approaches for building-level staff.
• Based on the needs of students and staff rotations, travel to elementary buildings to provide direct behavior support according to the schedule provided. 
• Implement preventative and responsive behavior strategies aligned with behavior intervention and crisis plans. 
• Carry out all other duties as assigned

 

Physical Demands

• Occasionally lift 50 pounds
• Frequently walk up and down stairs while assisting students
• Frequently walk on a variety of ground surfaces, including, but not limited to, paved, gravel, grass, or dirt
• Frequently bend and twist the torso and neck
• Frequently squat or kneel to the ground
• Frequently use repetitive arm, wrist and hand movements
• Use close, distance and peripheral vision as well as depth perception

 

Attendance

Regular and consistent attendance is an essential function of this position.  

 

The work conditions and environment described here are representative of those that an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

 

Conditions and Environment

The conditions and environment reflect that of a typical classroom setting.

 

Note:  The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees, and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.  Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.