ECSE Paraeducator

Avondale School District; Troy (MI); On-site; USD 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

The Avondale School District is seeking an ECSE Paraeducator to join Woodland Early Learning Center in Troy, Michigan. This role involves providing support to students, helping them build strong academic foundations. Candidates should possess an Associate's Degree, ETS Parapro Assessment, and have a passion for engaging young learners.

Join a collaborative and innovative team, making a difference in the lives of children with unique educational needs.

Qualifications

• ETS Parapro Assessment required.
• Regular and reliable attendance is essential.
• Ability to relate positively to children and adults.

Responsibilities

• Provide academic support to eligible special education students.
• Assist in meeting students' personal, health, and behavioral needs.
• Maintain confidentiality of school-related information.

Skills

Positive interaction with children and adults

Basic computer skills

Experience working with groups of children

Education

Associate’s Degree preferred

Training in early childhood or child development

Job description

AVONDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Join the Avondale Team! At Avondale, we’re more than a school district—we’re a supportive community dedicated to personal growth, resilience, and discovery. We invest in our staff through strong professional development and a collaborative network, empowering educators to create exceptional, individualized learning experiences where every student matters and every story counts.

Position Opening

ECSE Paraeducator – Inspire and Empower Young Minds!

Woodland Early Childhood Special Education Paraeducator 1.0 FTE 37.5 Hours/week

In This Role

Join a passionate team at Woodland Early Learning Center where innovation, collaboration, and student-centered learning thrive. As an ECSE Paraeducator, you’ll engage curious, energetic learners during a pivotal stage in their growth—helping them build strong academic foundations while fostering critical thinking, creativity, and confidence. With robust professional development, a supportive community, and the freedom to bring lessons to life in meaningful ways, this is an exciting opportunity to make a lasting impact on students and shape their journey toward success.

What You Need

• Associate’s Degree preferred
• ETS Parapro Assessment required
• Regular, reliable and punctual attendance is an essential function of this job.
• Relate to children and adults in a positive manner
• Training or coursework in the area of early childhood, education or child development
• Successful experience working with groups of children
• Skills to support the school district's curriculum
• Basic computer skills

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides general education classroom based academic support (reinforcement) to eligible special education students as directed by the special education teacher. Such support may extend to non special education students in the same classroom who, as directed by the general education teacher, have similar needs.
• Assist in student orientation.
• Assist disabled students in their educational, personal, health, and behavioral needs such as self-care, daily living skills, physical mobility, toileting, etc., as needed.
• May assist disabled students by dispensing medication after being trained.
• Maintain open and meaningful communication with the special education teacher regarding all disabled students assigned paraprofessional support.
• Maintain confidentiality of school related information.
• Assists teachers with routine classroom operation; follows through on teacher's instructions within time limits.
• Assist and supervise students in the use of computers, as assigned.
• Attend meetings/functions as specifically directed. Does not attend MET and/or IEPC meetings.
• Participate in and utilize information gained in appropriate staff development.
• Assist special education teachers in development and maintenance of special education records.
• Demonstrates understanding of students' needs, and interacts appropriately with students, parents, and other employees.
• Follows instructions of teaching staff and reinforces program philosophy and consistency in classroom procedures.
• Demonstrates initiative and creativity with individual children and their program implementations; follows through with prescribed behavioral management programs.
• Assists with classroom housekeeping, such as distributing paper and supplies, preparing bulletin boards, setting up and putting away appropriate materials and equipment.
• Keeps records, writes lessons on the board, prepares tapes or materials for classroom use, corrects students' work, maintains instructional materials and supplies, and procures necessary resource materials, as required.
• Assists with the development of instructional materials as appropriate and directed.
• Assists in regular education classes as assigned by a special education teacher.
• Hears the student in recitation, reading, and other curriculum tasks, and guiding and helping them but not teaching them.
• Initiates actions which are required without specific direction from the teacher.
• Supervises students involved in activities other than the Basic classroom.
• Is physically able to participate in physical activities which are participate in physical activities which are part of the basic program and may be unique to his/her specific classroom.
• Maintains composure under stressful conditions.
• Demonstrates an innate ability to realize that behavior is communication and not to be taken personally.
• Demonstrates the ability to follow individualized styles of learning and/or behavior plans.
• Ability to tolerate unique eating/sensory issues (gag reflex demonstration).
• Maintain flexibility (switching roles/positions within the program).

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and kneel on hard surfaces and is occasionally required to walk or stand. The employee will frequently bend or twist at the neck and trunk while performing the duties of this job. The employee frequently will reach above the head and forward. The employee frequently uses hand strength to grasp equipment or students. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and push or pull up to 100 pounds such as students or students in wheelchairs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception and peripheral vision.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally works in hot temperatures and extreme temperatures below ten degrees and occasionally will walk on slippery/uneven surfaces. The employee must be able to meet deadlines with severe time constraints and interact with the public and others. The employee has direct responsibility for the safety and well-being of others. The employee is often exposed to fumes and airborne particles and frequently must work in outside weather. The noise level in the work environment is frequently loud to where you have to raise your voice to be heard.

Work Location

Woodland Elementary School 6465 Livernois Rd Troy, MI, 48098

Salary Details

Per Master Agreement. Effective October 24th, 2022, all paraeducators currently employed and newly hired paraeducators serving students with medical needs such as toileting, catheterization, and other approved qualifying medical needs as well as the paraeducators serving in ASD, EI, MOCI, CI, ECSEC (Categorical Classrooms) and Skill will receive a Critical Need Base Rate of $2.00 in addition to their current base rate per the AVPE Master Agreement.

Terms of Employment

Per Master Agreement

Evaluation: Per Master Agreement

View Avondale Contract Agreements (Current Bargaining Agreements)