Saint Joseph | Moderate Mental Disability Special Education Assistant

Fort Wayne Community Schools Saint Joseph Central Elementary School
- Fort Wayne, Indiana Open in Google Maps

Fort Wayne Community Schools Saint Joseph Central Elementary School
- Fort Wayne, Indiana Open in Google Maps

This job is also posted in Fort Wayne Community Schools

Starting Date: To Be Determined

PURPOSE

Assist teachers with a variety of instructional, clerical, student management, and daily life activities for special education students in special education or general classrooms.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Candidate must have a high school diploma or GED. Prefer candidate who has previous experience working with students with special needs.

• Must be flexible to meet the changing needs of students and have strong tutorial skills. Must be able to relate well with students, staff and parents.

• C andidate must have a strong desire to see young people be successful.

• Must have a positive attitude and be able to complete tasks independently.

• Must have strong office, computer, and oral and written communication skills.

• Incumbents must possess knowledge of child guidance principles and practices, and basic instructional methods and techniques.

• Must be willing to supervise students in community settings.

• Must participate in training provided by the Special Education Department.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provide continuous or designated one-to-one support to the assigned student throughout the school day and during school-sponsored activities, as directed by the student's IEP and educational team.

• Assist the student in accessing instruction, classroom activities, school routines, and the general education environment to the greatest extent appropriate .

• Modify or adapt materials and activities as directed by licensed instructional staff.

• Reinforce academic concepts and skills previously introduced by the classroom or special education teacher.

• Provide prompts, cues, modeling, redirection, and reinforcement consistent with the student's educational plan.

• Support the student's functional communication across classroom, social, and school environments.

• Assist the student with use of augmentative or alternative communication systems, visual schedules, communication devices, picture systems, or other communication supports when applicable.

• Reinforce appropriate social interaction, peer engagement, turn-taking, self-advocacy, and other social skills identified by the educational team.

• Encourage developmentally appropriate communication and interaction while maintaining the student's dignity and respecting individual communication preferences.

• Implement behavioral strategies, positive behavioral supports , reinforcement systems, sensory supports , visual supports , and structured routines as directed by the student's IEP, BIP, or educational team.

• Recognize signs that the student may be becoming overwhelmed, frustrated, anxious, dysregulated, or otherwise in need of additional support and respond according to established plans and training.

• Assist the student in using taught coping, self-regulation, sensory, and de-escalation strategies.

• Respond appropriately to challenging behaviors while maintaining a calm, professional, and supportive approach.

• Avoid the use of punishment, humiliation, unnecessary confrontation, or behavioral practices not authorized by the student's educational plan or district procedures.

• Provide the minimum level of assistance necessary for the student to participate successfully and safely.

• Systematically reduce or fade prompts and adult assistance when appropriate and as directed by the educational team.

• Encourage the student to make choices, communicate needs, solve problems, participate with peers, and perform tasks independently whenever possible.

• Maintain appropriate supervision of the assigned student throughout the school day and during transitions, arrival, dismissal, meals, recess, transportation, community-based activities, and other assigned settings.

• Closely monitor the student's safety when the student's disability may affect awareness of hazards, impulse control, elopement, communication of needs, or other safety-related skills.

• Follow established procedures for students who wander, elope, engage in unsafe behavior, or require enhanced…