Instructional Assistant - S.S. Palmer

Palmerton Area School District; Palmerton (Carbon County); On-site; USD 28,000 - 34,000; Part time

Job summary

Palmerton Area School District is seeking an Instructional Assistant to support students with special needs. The role involves one-on-one or small group work, classroom management, and implementing positive behavior supports under certified staff guidance.

The position requires a high school diploma or GED with additional postsecondary study or an equivalent credential. Preference for experience in education and PDE Para Educator Credential.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required; two years of postsecondary study, an associate's degree, or equivalent.
• Experience in an educational setting preferred.
• Para Educator Credential of Competency issued by PDE is acceptable.
• Ability to communicate with students, staff, and parents.

Responsibilities

• Assist individual student or groups per IEP to reinforce educational skill development including academic content and daily living skills.
• Provide a safe, secure, and positive educational environment with supervision and intervention as needed.
• Follow behavior management protocols per IEP and employer requirements.
• Prepare, adapt, and modify educational materials to enhance learning.
• Assist with daily living skills as required (e.g., toileting, feeding, basic hygiene).
• Complete 20 hours of staff development annually between July 1 and June 30.
• Assist with progress monitoring and data collection for IEP goals.

Skills

Communication

Relationship building

Organization & planning

Group instruction

Behavior management

Regular attendance

Tech for learning

Confidentiality

Special education basics

Diversity awareness

Education

Two years postsecondary study

Associate's degree or higher

PDE Para Educator Credential

Job description

• Position Type: Support Staff/ Instructional Assistant
• Date Posted: 10/27/2026
• Date Available: ASAP
• Closing Date: 11/06/2026

There is an Instructional Assistant position available in the Palmerton Area School District. Compensation will be in accordance with the negotiated contract. This position is 29.50 hours per week.

Position Summary:

To support and assist the academic or physical needs of students with special needs in instructional programs and services including one-on-one or group review of material taught by certified staff, classroom management, and implementation of positive behavior support plans

Qualifications:

Education/Experience:

• High School Diploma or GED, and
• Meet one of the requirements below:
  • Have completed at least two (2) years of postsecondary study
  • Posses and Associate's Degree or higher
  • Meet a rigorous standard of quality as demonstrated through a state or local assessment; OR
  • "Para Educator Credential of Competency" as issued by the PDE

Experience working in an educational setting, preferred

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities:

• Ability to effectively communicate with students, staff, parents, and administrators.
• Ability to build and maintain working relationships and positive rapport with students, staff, parents, and administrators.
• Ability to organize and plan effectively.
• Ability to lead small groups of students to reinforce academic and/or behavioral skills.
• Ability to effectively work with students who may be aggressive or disruptive.
• Ability to attend work regularly at assigned work hours subject to lawful leave rights and responsibilities.
• Ability to use all applicable technological equipment and software to support student learning.
• Ability and knowledge to use technology to communicate with students, parents, staff and administrators.
• Ability to carry out assigned tasks with limited supervision.
• Ability to assist with daily functional behaviors when needed such as organizational skills, toileting, feeding, and/or basic hygiene requirements.
• Basic familiarity with adaptive and/or medical equipment as required for individual students.
• Understand and comply with confidentiality protocols.
• Understanding of foundations of special education.
• Understanding of diversity as related to disability, learning styles, and cultures.
• Understanding the process of delivery of instruction.
• Understanding learning environments and social interactions.
• Understanding components and reasons for assessment.
• Understanding of responsibility for professional and ethical practice demonstrated by fairness and impartiality.
• Understanding of the process of collaboration.
• Demonstrates the ability to work in a team environment.
• Demonstrates the ability to maintain complete confidentiality.
• Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills, demonstrated by patience, understanding, and congeniality to effectively work with exceptional learning needs students and staff.

Functions/Duties/Responsibilities:

Essential:

• Assist with an individual student or groups of students as required by the IEP or the School District to reinforce educational skill development including but not limited to academic content areas and/or daily living skills.
• Provide a safe, secure, and positive educational environment through appropriate student supervision and intervention.
• Use strategies and follow protocols for behavior management to meet the unique needs of each individual student as required by IEP and/or Employer.
• Prepare, adapt, and modify educational materials and supplies to enhance student understanding and learning.
• Performs appropriate lifting, positioning, and transferring techniques in accommodating students' needs.
• Monitors/assists students with all personal hygiene/toileting/diapering/ changing of clothes/feeding activities.
• Complete successfully all staff development trainings and/or meetings as required by the employer.
• Practice appropriate hygienic precautions for students, self, and the work environment.
• Assist special education teachers with progress monitoring and datacollection on student's IEP goals, academic, or behavioral progress.
• Complete twenty (20) hours of staff development activities related to assignment annually between July 1st and June 30th in accordance with Chapter 14.

Secondary:

• Other duties as assigned by the Building Principal

Terms of Employment:

• 10-month position
• 183 days/year
• In conjunction with PAESP Agreement

Physical:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear. The employee may regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The employee may, in certain situations, be required to physically redirect, correct, and/or move students of varying body weight. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Must be able to hear (40 decibel maximum) and verbally communicate.

Nothing in this job description shall restrict or limit the employer's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. This description reflects the assignment of essential functions, but it does not prescribe or restrict the task that may be assigned. This job description may be subject to change at any time.

Applicants must submit an application, Act 34 Criminal, Act 151 Child Abuse and Act 114 FBI Fingerprinting clearances.