Educational Support Professional

Educational Support Professional 

DEFINITION

The Educational Professional assists the Special Ed. Teacher in providing additional, educational support for students in special education classes. A priority for students with Autism, Intellectual Disability and Developmental delays is to support these students to acquire, develop, and maintain skills to direct their own personal care and foster independence. The goal is that each student is able to achieve their optimal develop. The Educational Professional is responsible for providing interventions and support to meet safety, health and personal care. These needs may include lifting, translocating, movement and positioning, feeding, toileting including changing of diapers. 

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Receives supervision from the School Principal, Special Ed. Teacher.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Implement instruction in various environments, based on lesson plans provided by the Teacher

• Curriculum delivery

• Reinforce learning with individuals or small groups

• Assist individuals with self-care, personal care, and mobility

• Assist with on-going behavior management

• Assist in data collection and other clerical tasks

• Prepare, produce, and maintain instructional materials

• Help develop student schedules

• Participate with other assistants as an educational team

ABILITY TO

• Communicate effectively in a sensitive, courteous manner with students, parents, SEC staff, service delivery professionals and the general public even in difficult situations

• Use interpersonal skills: tact, patience, and courtesy

• Ability to be a TEAM player

• Keep and maintain accurate records/data

• Establish and maintain cooperation and effective working relationships with others

• Understanding and a commitment to CONFIDENTIALITY

• Understand and carry out oral and written directions 

• Prepare clear and concise reports 

• Learn, interpret, apply and explain policies and procedures 

• Physically implement emergency behavior interventions, when trained in an appropriate program for proactive management of student assaultive behaviors

• Follow procedures for handling contact with sick children, dissatisfied or abusive individuals; possible contact with blood borne pathogens and/or bodily fluids; possible injury from punching, hitting, slapping, pushing and biting; exposure to profanity, obscene language and personal verbal attacks, when trained and provided appropriate materials 

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

· Any combination of training, experience, and/or education equivalent to graduation from high school and experience with special needs students is preferred

LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE:

· Possession of a valid California Class C Driver License, Possession of a valid First Aid and CPR Certificate within the first 3 months of employment.

KNOWLEDGE OF: 

· Characteristics of a range of disabilities including but not limited to autism, traumatic brain injury and emotional disturbance 

· Student guidance principles and practices, especially as related to special needs students 

· Interpersonal skills using tact, patience and courtesy 

· Data collection and report writing 

· Positive behavioral intervention strategies 

· Modern office methods utilizing computer technology and assigned software 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: 

Employees in this position must have the ability to: 

· Sit for prolonged periods of time

· Stand and walk on hard and/or uneven surfaces for extended periods of time

· Frequent bending/stooping; squatting, crouching, kneeling

· Occasional reaching overhead, above shoulder height and horizontally

· Occasional to frequent pushing/pulling, lifting, reaching overhead to assist with instructional activities

· Frequent simple to firm grasping to seize, hold, grasp, turn or otherwise work with hands to assist with instructional activities

· Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, to assist with instructional activities

· See, hear and speak with/without assistive devices sufficient to communicate effectively with others

· Ability to read a variety of materials, to monitor student behavior and to assist students with learning tasks

· In carrying out the maneuvers required to complete student interventions, the employee must utilize a full body range of motion. These physical requirements are based on two-person interventions.

· Stand on a variety of surfaces 

· Walk/run on a variety of surfaces, at a pace dependent upon the situation

· Sit on a chair to protect self by bending forward, or use the chair as a backwards propelling tool to escape a grab of an attacker

· Push/pull with sufficient intensity to achieve desired result

· Lifting and/or carrying up to 100 lbs. for short periods of time

· Stoop/knee/crouch/crawl: these movements occur in multiple intervention strategies

· Reaching in any direction. Depending on age and statute of student, reaching may occur at all levels; waist to knees, waist to chest, below knee, chest to shoulders, and/or above shoulder 

· Constant handling: Seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or otherwise working with the hand or hands. Includes simple and power grasping

· Fingering: Fine manipulation is required in releasing an individual’s hand grab/grip, as well as releasing tension and/or constraints

· Balancing: Body postures and maneuvers taught require maintaining body balance through positioning of the lower extremities, including pivoting, rotating, and flipping an individual if required

· Climbing: In the event of stairs, the employee must be able to climb or descend down the stairs as needed. And/or climbing over obstacles or objects may be required such as an upside down table or chair 

· Twisting: Upper and lower torso twisting is required in multiple intervention strategies

· See, hear and speak with/without assistive devices sufficient to perform Emergency Behavior Intervention techniques, resolve the situation and return student and employee to safety 

HAZARDS:

· Exposure to blood-borne pathogens and bodily fluids; exposure to students being physically aggressive

Salary : $18 - $25