Special Services Assistant​/Paraprofessional

Overview

JOB PURPOSE STATEMENT/S The job of “Special Services Assistant” (SSA) is done for the purpose/s of assisting (under supervision of the Special Education Teacher, Principal, Associate Principal and/or Director of Special Services) and accepting direction from the instructional staff to implement a student’s IEP. The instructional staff could include a Special Education Teacher, General Education Teacher, Behavior Specialist, Occupational Therapist, Speech-Language Pathologist, School Nurse or other service provider.

• Assists in providing an environment in which students with exceptional needs can have access to the instructional program and available resources; assists with implementation of instructional plans for individual students; implementation of goals in student’s IEP’s; assists with implementation of Behavior Intervention Plans and keeps students focused and on task during group activities; assists students working on individualized programs in speech development, cognitive, self-help, gross and fine motor, social-emotional, toileting and vocational skills and assists students with the use of specialized equipment and modification of general equipment, e.g. communication board, computer use and adaptive equipment
• Prepares lesson materials under the supervision of the teacher; maintains and organizes students’ records and files under the supervision of the teacher; maintains individual treatment and medication records for student(s) as directed by the School Nurse or appropriate administrator and maintains the confidentiality and security of sensitive information
• Provides intensive support to students with special needs in the Instructional Support Program; in small groups or one-on-one in the general education or special education settings or on the playground; attends IEP meetings as needed
• Performs necessary services required for the physical, social-emotional and academic needs of the special education student
• Maintains data logs regarding student’s performances in various instructional and IEP objectives in order to measure student progress; assists with instructional related activities such as correcting tests and homework, organizing and implementing planned activities with supervision; performs duties related to the student’s specific disability as may be assigned, e.g. taking notes, reading and recording information; organizes students’ records and files under the supervision of the teacher;
  
  individual treatment and medication records for student(s) as directed by the School Nurse or appropriate administrator; confidentiality and security of sensitive information

• Monitors safety and teaches social skills in a variety of settings including lunch, recess, field trips and the classroom; acts as a conduit between the general education and special education teacher; assists students
• Manages students with extreme behaviors (tantrums, self-injurious behaviors, property destruction, etc.; incorporates sensory activities under Occupational Therapist’s supervision to help calm specific students or teach specific skills; assists students with special physical needs with mobility, structural adaptation, personal hygiene requirements (bathroom assistance, clean intermittent catheterization), eating requirements, washing hands, etc., when necessary; may need to provide life sustaining procedures (with training) as identified in the assigned student’s IEP, and may need to provide specialized health care which includes, but is not limited to, specialized feeding, dispensing medication, tracheotomy, tube suctioning, etc.
• Supports students in general education classes by helping them access the general curriculum and implementing modifications and accommodations as specified in the IEP
• Maintains appropriate communication with parents via phone calls or written communication as directed by supervisor(s) JOB

• Experience working with children in an educational setting, preferably experience working in Special Education; experience in the care and supervision of students with special needs, autism, emotional disturbances, behavioral disorders,…