Preschool Paraeducator​/Interventionist, SY 26​/27

Para educator Opportunity

Essex Westford School District (EWSD) has an opportunity for a full-time para educator split between two preschool programs. The position would serve as a Mainstream Instructional Assistant for our preschool program at Westford School for the morning session, and as an Interventionist in our preschool program at Essex Elementary School for the afternoon session.

The Mainstream IA role assists and supervises assigned students instructionally, behaviorally, and physically in the general mainstream program. This position requires working with a student individually and/or in small groups in collaboration with a special educator. Experience working with students with emotional challenges and mental health diagnoses is preferred but not required.

The Interventionist role supports the delivery of services for students with behavioral and academic challenges by providing intensive therapeutic support in the least restrictive environment so students can be successful in school.

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.

Pay: $23.51/hour+ for the Mainstream IA role, and $26.21+/hour for the Interventionist role.

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.
• Implement behavior modification plans, provide crisis intervention, and manage aggressive behaviors.
• 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.

Candidates with the following qualifications are encouraged to apply:

• 1 to 2 years of directly related experience or training.
• Ability to implement behavioral modification plans, provide crisis intervention, and manage aggressive behaviors.
• Ability to use adaptive technology.
• Dedication to providing a safe and respectful learning environment for all students.
• Willingness and ability to be trained in restrictive behavioral intervention.
• Ability to read and interpret educational plans and behavioral data documents.
• Ability to attend an evening course on direct instruction and after-school training sessions.
• Bachelor's degree in psychology, mental health, education, or other appropriate disciplines is preferred but not required.

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, 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.