Instructional Assistant - Special Education; SPED Carysbrook Elementary

Instructional Assistant - Special Education (SPED)

Starting Date:
Aug 1, 2026

Work closely with one or a few handicapped pupils on a regular basis in an effort to provide them with the physical help and emotional support they need to gain benefits from the division's special education program.

• Discusses assigned teaching area with classroom teacher to coordinate instructional efforts.
• Prepares lesson outline and plan in assigned area and submits outline to teacher for review.
• Plans, prepares, and develops various teaching aids such as bibliographies, charts, and graphs.
• Presents subject matter to students, utilizing variety of methods and techniques such as lecture, discussion, and supervised role playing.
• Prepares, administers, and grades examinations.
• Assists students, individually or in groups, with lesson assignments to present or reinforce learning concepts by:
  • Reading to children
  • Assisting children in the library
  • Writing the dictation given by young children
  • Helping children locate and use materials
  • Encouraging safety habits in work and play
  • Encouraging children to work independently
  • Listening to children
• Confers with parents on progress of students.
• Assists teachers with routine tasks such as:
  • Recording attendance and other information
  • Collecting money
  • Gathering resource and supplementary materials
  • Setting up and operating audiovisual equipment
  • Fire drills
  • Field trips (during the assigned working hours)
  • Special events (during the assigned working hours)
  • Clerical duties including dictation, typing and record keeping
  • Correct student work
  • Supervise the entire classroom when called upon to do so by the classroom teacher or building principal
• Attend parent/teacher meetings (if appropriate)
• Assists the student(s) to whom assigned in all facets of daily living to include but not limited to moving from room to room, toiletry, personal hygiene assistance along with changing/cleaning, undergarments, outerwear and feeding.
• Hears the student(s) in recitation, reading, and other curriculum tasks, guiding and helping them but not teaching them.
• Performs simple errands and tasks for student(s) such as sharpening pencils, carrying lunch trays, and the like.
• Under supervision of the special education teacher, works with small groups of students to reinforce material initially introduced by the teacher.
• Accompanies the student(s) to whom assigned when trips to the office or to the school nurse are necessary.
• Establishes as fully as possible a supportive and sympathetic relationship with the student(s) without fostering or encouraging intense emotional involvement.
• Serves as a resource person, if and when requested, to the student personnel evaluation team conferring about one of the students to whom assigned.
• Assist with student transportation and medical delivery as needed or assigned.
• Other duties as assigned.

Valid Virginia Driver's license required.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Completed two years of study at an institution of higher education; or
• Obtained an associate's (or higher) degree; or
• Met a rigorous standard of quality and be able to demonstrate, through a formal state or local academic assessment, knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing, reading, writing, and mathematics (or, as appropriate, reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness). Example includes the Para Pro Assessment.

Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to sit and climb or balance. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

The employee must be able to push items of 50 pounds such as pushing a child on a bike or swing, or…