Education Assistant Certified

Parkland School Division; City of Spruce Grove; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

A progressive school division in Canada is seeking EA Certified employees to assist in classrooms and support students with diverse needs. Responsibilities include providing instructional help, personal care, and maintaining a safe environment. Ideal candidates will have an Educational Assistant Certificate and strong communication skills. The role offers 31.25 hours/week and a competitive pay rate. Join a dedicated team fostering student success in an inclusive educational setting.

Benefits

Flexible health benefits package

Professional learning opportunities

Qualifications

• Educational Assistant Certificate or comparable education required.
• Training in special needs or crisis intervention valued.
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work independently.

Responsibilities

• Assist teachers in the classroom and with student support activities.
• Provide personal care and assistance to students with special needs.
• Maintain a safe and supportive learning environment.

Skills

Good communication skills

Flexibility and patience

Ability to work with special needs

Team player

Education

Educational Assistant Certificate

High School Diploma

Job description

Are you interested in working with our dynamic and progressive school division to pursue excellence in education for students, professional learning opportunities, a flexible health benefits package, and a workplace that embraces diversity? Then we are the place for you!

Who We Are And What We Value

Parkland School Division (PSD) is a large progressive school jurisdiction serving Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Fort Chipewyan and Parkland County. PSD meets the diverse educational needs of over 12,000 rural and urban students among 23 sites, including outreach schools and alternative education programs. Our values guide us: purposeful, essential, relevant, authentic and responsive learning; trustworthy, respectful relationships that promote resilience; and the ultimate goal of Student Success & Well‑being.

Function and Purpose of Position

EA Certified employees assist teachers with many instructional and non‑instructional tasks in the classroom and with other school activities. They also work as members of the school and of a student support team. The minimum mandatory educational requirement is an Educational Assistant Certificate or comparable education.

These temporary positions are not eligible for benefits or leave entitlements.

EA Certified Employees May

• Work under the supervision of one teacher or several teachers
• Work independently with students or in the classroom with the teacher
• Work with a particular special‑needs student or a group of students within a class or in a special program
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Perform clerical tasks in the classroom or school

Instructional Support

• Provide assistance in all curriculum areas / one‑on‑one or in small groups as directed by the teacher
• Help with organizing notebooks, timetables, agendas, and lockers
• Scribe notes from the board, scribe and read exams for students as required
• Modify and adapt the program for individual students as directed by the classroom teacher
• Assist in the implementation of Individual Program Plan (IPP) goals and adaptive devices
• Assist students with computer access
• Provide support to students utilizing various educational software packages
• Assist in communicating with peers and adults in the school (e.g. American Sign Language, assistive tech. devices)
• Apply foundational knowledge about First Nations, Métis and Inuit for the benefit of all students

Behaviour

• Observe, chart and monitor individual student progress and behavior under the teacher’s direction
• Assist the teacher in maintaining a safe and secure environment for both students and staff through de‑escalation strategies and non‑violent physical intervention techniques
• Provide behavioural management assistance for students with behavioural disorders using non‑aversive disciplinary methods and non‑violent crisis intervention techniques to diffuse escalating behaviour
• Deal with student behaviour and assist with classroom discipline

Student Assistance and Personal Care

• Assist student with walking (e.g. holding their hand, stabilizing them, guiding on stairs)
• Assist student with personal care and hygiene, which may include food preparation, dressing, grooming and toileting
• Provide feeding assistance (including spoon or tube feeding), lifting and handling of medically fragile students
• Manipulate assistive devices (e.g. insulin pumps, braces, dressing fasteners, fasten seat belts, etc.)
• Catheterization
• Respiratory therapy interventions, physiotherapy interventions and other medically related tasks
• Administer medication as required
• Toileting and diapering for students who are physically dependent
• Assist and or participate in exercising, implementing adaptive physical education, range of motion programs, fine and gross motor skills development, individualized or group communication techniques and life skills management
• Monitor feeding, tube feeding and breathing apparatuses, seizure management (e.g. monitor and assess severity of seizure through the use of medical equipment and administer oxygen if required), and catheterization
• Operate specialized equipment to support instruction for students with physical care needs (e.g. wheelchairs, mechanical lifts, walkers, transfer belt, FM and/or communications systems and hearing aid equipment)
• Lifting and carrying students into and out of specialized equipment (e.g., gym equipment, sensory equipment, walkers, wheelchairs, toilets, commodes) to carry out program requirements as well as personal hygiene care

Speech Therapy/Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy

• Help student with speech language difficulties, as instructed by Speech Pathologist
• Update progress on a daily basis for Individual Program Plan purposes
• Provide physiotherapy program as directed
• Model and practice speech program
• Liaise with members of the Therapy Team to monitor student progress and use of Assistive Technology / Devices

Communication and Reporting

• Communicate observations regarding health and behaviours to the teacher as requested (logs, charts, data sheets)
• Maintain accurate medication data sheets, record medical situations
• Participate in student team conferences when requested
• Maintain a home‑school communication book under the teacher’s direction

Assist Teacher/Classroom Preparation

• Organize bulletin board display, photocopy material, laminate articles and prepare snacks
• Modify and prepare materials for special‑needs students
• Ensure equipment and facilities are kept clean, safe and orderly
• Assist in marking, testing and filing of student work
• Prepare, set up and dismantle displays, information areas and work areas

Supervise Students

• Supervise and assist students in preparing for special activities (e.g., swimming lessons, skating)
• Work in a variety of environments and conditions (e.g., swimming, playground equipment, community facilities)
• Provide active supervision and support during typical school‑related physical activities for full work hours (including gym, playground equipment, track and field, classroom and hallways)
• Supervise small groups on field trips
• Assist students boarding and disembarking from buses

Community Living And Vocational Skills

• Travel with student to job placement, provide job training
• Assist students to be integrated into the regular classroom
• Facilitate the development of social skills
• Assist students in recreation activities (crafts, preparing meals)
• Travel with individuals or small groups to community outings such as banking and/or shopping
• Journal and assist in choosing books

Student Personal Development

• Assist in building self‑esteem and self‑confidence of students
• Encourage students to participate in classroom activities to build social skills
• Provide and encourage routine and repetitive personal care to students
• Administer first aid as required

Other Duties

• May provide Braille to students starting to learn Braille (specification)
• May provide signing to students (American Sign Language or Signed Exact English) (specification)
• Other duties as assigned (specification)

Education And Experience

• High School Diploma
• Teacher Assistant Certificate/Educational Assistant Certificate
• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention and First Aid Certificate would be an asset
• Courses related to working with students with special needs or specifically related to the above‑mentioned duties
• Training and experience in working with children with challenging behaviours, strong technology skills, ability to build strong relationships and a team player

Knowledge, Skills And Attitudes

• Good oral and written communication skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to take direction and work independently
• Flexibility, patience, sensitivity, tolerance, enthusiasm, creativity and imagination
• Ability to deal with the emotional and mental stress of working with children / group of children / school setting
• First Aid Certificate
• Courses or training in Attention Deficit Disorder, Special Needs Disorders, English as a Second Language, Behaviour Management, Crisis Prevention, Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, and Food Handling and Preparation would be an asset
• Lifts and transfers
• G‑tube feeding, catheterization
• Knowledge of office equipment
• Knowledge of computers
• Some assignments may require use of own vehicle

This work is most rewarding for those who enjoy working with people (especially physically, emotionally and behavior clear rules and guidelines for their work, and finding innovative ways to handle situations.

Decision Making

EA Certified employees make decisions in order to assist the implementation of instructional plans as directed by the teacher. Examples: decide on the sequence of events such as, decide on supervision of student activities, and design and set up bulletin board displays to support instructional objectives.

Working With Others

• Employees in the same school share everyday information and may require explanation and interpretation of that information
• Employees in other schools exchange factual or everyday information
• Daily communication with students requires explanation and interpretation of everyday information
• Communicate observations regarding health and behaviours to the teacher under the teacher’s direction

Physical Demands

• Ability to complete one‑person lifts for students up to 35 lbs or two‑person lifts for students up to 50 lbs, and assist with mechanical lifts for students >50 lbs
• Ability to work with students in a variety of positions (chair, floor, kneel, stand, bend or reach)
• Ability to walk easily, maneuver stairs and move around with sufficient ease to respond to student need in a timely manner
• Assist with student transfer (floor–chair, standing, sit, standing transfers as needed per weight of student)

Working Conditions

EA Certified employees will work indoors except when supervising children outdoors or on field trips. They share the same holiday schedule as teachers, including a long summer break, and work on a ten‑month contract basis (unpaid during summer).

Additional Information

EA Certified employees must agree to respect the confidentiality and personal integrity of students, parents, teachers and other staff.

This position requires an original copy of a current clean criminal record check with vulnerable sector and an original copy of a child intervention record check.

This position is covered by the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 5543.

Hours of Work: 31.25 hours/week (Monday to Friday, 7:50 AM to 2:35 PM)

Pay Rate: $25.35‑$28.39/hr (Pay Group 3) for EA Certified Employees and $24.17‑$26.98/hr for EA Non‑Certified Employees

ONLY ONLINE APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED THROUGH APPLY TO EDUCATION WILL BE ACCEPTED.

How To Apply

• Click the position title of the job that you wish to apply to and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click ‘APPLY’.
• Jobs that you have applied to will appear under the ‘Jobs Applied To’ tab in the Job Postings section. You will also receive a confirmation email.

For technical support while applying to a position online, please contact our service provider for assistance: Apply to Education (Phone: 1‑877‑900‑5627, Email: [e-mail], Hours: 5:30 am‑5:00 pm, Monday through Friday).

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.