2026-2027 Instructional Assistant IV

Newport News Public Schools; Newport News (VA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Newport News Public Schools is looking for an instructional assistant to support teachers with classroom management and instruction. This role involves monitoring student behavior, preparing instructional materials, and assisting with special education needs. Ideal candidates must have 48 college credit hours or equivalent qualifications. Responsibilities include providing lessons, assessing student progress, and maintaining student records. Strong communication skills and the ability to read and interpret documents are essential for success in this position.

Qualifications

• Must possess 48 college credit hours, an Associate's degree or successfully passed ParaPro test.
• Ability to read and interpret documents and write routine reports.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, divide, and use common fractions.

Responsibilities

• Provide instructional lessons to reach achievement goals for students.
• Monitor and report students' progress to teachers.
• Assist with behavioral management programs in the classroom.

Job description

Job Summary

Position provides assistance to teachers in the daily management and instruction of students. The work involves observing and reporting on the behavior and learning of students, and may be assigned to a secondary classroom, a pre-kindergarten classroom, an elementary grade level, or special education classroom, closely monitoring the needs of children. All important aspects of the work are subject to detailed and specific procedures which employees follow closely.

Essential Duties

• Provide instructional lessons to reach achievement goals for individual students and targeted student groups in collaboration with classroom teacher and/or reading specialist.
• Follow the instructional schedule developed by personnel working with the assistant.
• Prepare instructional materials as requested; perform designated learning tasks with students covering lessons, topics and exercises; demonstrate or explain lessons, ask questions and prompt students for answers; use supplementary learning materials.
• Administer assessment tools to assess student abilities related to desired educational goals, objectives, and outcomes; assist in assessing and evaluating student achievement.
• Monitor activities in drawing, writing, independent study and other classroom activities.
• Observe and report students' progress to teachers, reading specialists, or other appropriate individuals.
• Work with students requiring individual or close attention and those experiencing difficulty; reinforce skills taught by the classroom teacher to small and large groups.
• Assist with instructional activities.
• Escort students on field trips and at school; escort and assist students in physical and playground activities; accompany children to restrooms.
• Maintain bulletin boards, student records for daily attendance, lunch tickets, health charts and classroom supplies.
• Special Education assistants attend to the needs of students with disabilities that may include lifting, feeding, toileting, and monitoring supportive medical equipment, i.e., walkers, wheelchairs, etc.
• Read to students and listen to students recite passages.
• Assist with behavioral management programs in the classroom.
• Participate in designated staff development and training activities. Special Education assistants who may be required to physically restrain students to ensure their safety and care will be provided appropriate training.
• Participate in planning meetings with assigned teacher(s).
• May perform general clerical tasks for the assigned classroom: distribute, and collect instructional materials and reports.
• Become knowledgeable of teaching methods and materials to support early literacy development.
• Model nondiscriminatory practices in all activities.

Other Duties

• Perform any other related duties as assigned by the Principal or other appropriate administrator.

Minimum Qualifications

Must possess 48 college credit hours, an Associate's degree or successfully passed ParaPro test. Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to speak effectively using proper grammar. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. 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.