Paraeducator - Mainstream Instructional Assistant, SY

Position: Para educator - Mainstream Instructional Assistant, SY 26/27
Location: Essex Junction

Essex Westford School District (EWSD) has opportunities for full-time Mainstream Instructional Assistants at Essex High School beginning with the 2025-26 school year.

This role assists and supervises assigned students instructionally, behaviorally, and physically in the general mainstream program. This position requires working with a student individually in collaboration with a special educator.

Our Mainstream IA positions primarily involve supporting students in our ExCEL program. ExCEL offers functional life skills, academics, social communication skills and employment development skills for students with intellectual disabilities that significantly impact their academic achievement. Core classes are taught by a team of special educators. Students also attend mainstream classes based on their needs and interests, with appropriate accommodations and supports.

A student centered, collaborative approach includes interwoven services by certified therapists and specialists. Thoughtful, individualized transition planning connects students with available community and adult supports to assist with their post graduation plans.

Mainstream IAs will be supporting students in the following core classes, under the direction of the ExCEL teacher:

• Functional Math Skills
• Literacy and Communication Skills
• Current Events
• Civics
• Independent Living and Learning/ Transition Skills

Pay: Starts at $23.51/hour, with additional consideration given based years of experience

EWSD offers excellent benefits including generous paid time off, medical, and dental insurance, life insurance, tuition reimbursement, and a retirement plan with up to 6% employer contribution.

Primary job duties include but are not limited to, the following:

• Facilitate social and inclusive interactions among the student and their peers in the regular student environment.
• Supervise student(s) when the teacher is absent from the room.
• Support assigned students with their classroom work in a separate learning environment temporarily as needed or requested.
• Manage student learning material and maintain a student performance record through data collection daily as necessary or requested.

For additional information,  for a copy of the full job description.

Our district vision is: "Growing hearts and minds, for a better today and tomorrow: every day, every way, every one."

EWSD is committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive environment. Successful candidates must be committed to working effectively with diverse community populations and are expected to strengthen such capacity if hired. Candidates with experience working in another country, the ability to fluently speak more than one language, and/or peace corp experience are encouraged to apply to help contribute to a diversity of thinking and grow our organizational practices.

EWSD conducts thorough screenings of all applicants being recommended for hire, which may include contacting references not listed on your application. Selected individuals are subject to criminal records background checks and child and adult abuse registry checks. Any offer of employment will be contingent upon acceptable results of these checks at the sole discretion of the Superintendent or his/her designee. Please  for additional background check information.