Instructional Assistant (Special Education) (SY26-27)

Watertown Middle School; Watertown (MA); On-site; USD 36,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Watertown Public Schools is seeking an Instructional Assistant (Connections Program) at Watertown Middle School to support students with disabilities and ensure access to a high-quality education. The role emphasizes collaboration with teachers, related service providers, and behavior plans to foster an inclusive learning environment.

The assistant will implement strategies aligned with learning styles and development, provide modeling and prompting, and assist with data maintenance and

Qualifications

• Education: High School Diploma or GED.
• Experience with students with disabilities is required.
• ABA methodology familiarity helpful.

Responsibilities

• Provide supports to students during instructional periods and non-instructional activities.
• Maintain student data as directed by teachers/related service providers.
• Follow behavior support plans and adapt as needed.
• Support classroom teacher and student based on needs.
• Assist learning using knowledge of learning styles and child development.
• Promote de-escalation techniques and executive functioning skills.
• Offer verbal support, prompting, and modeling to access curriculum.
• Respond professionally to unexpected situations.
• Perform other duties as required.

Skills

ABA methods

Behavior Intervention Plans

De-escalation techniques

Executive functioning support

Team collaboration

Assistive technology

PECS

Learning styles

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Associate's or Bachelor's Degree

Tools

ABA methods

PECS

Assistive technology

Job description

Instructional Assistant (Special Education) (SY26-27)

Watertown Public Schools Watertown Middle School - Watertown, Massachusetts Open in Google Maps

This job is also posted in Watertown Public Schools (MA)

Job Details

Application Deadline: Nov 16, 2026 11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time)

Starting Date: Immediately

Job Description

Position: Instructional Assistant(Connections Program)

Position Type: Full-time

Department: Special Education

Location: Watertown Middle School

Reports to: School Principal

Affiliation: WEA Unit D

Salary range: Per the Unit D Salary Scale

General Description:

Watertown Public Schools seeks an outstanding Instructional Assistant to support students with disabilities in accessing their education.

Instructional Assistants will assist teachers in providing an innovative, high quality education program designed to meet the needs of the children in the Watertown Public Schools. Paraprofessionals will work with school staff to create an educational environment in which quality and continuity are key factors in educating the students of the Watertown Public Schools.

Responsibilities :

• Under direction from the school administration, general education teacher, special education teacher, and related service providers, provide needed supports to students during instructional periods as well as non-instructional activities
• Maintain student data as directed by teachers /related service providers
• Follow and implement behavior support plans as provided by teachers/related service providers
• Provide overall support to the classroom teacher and student, based on the needs of the student and the classroom
• Incorporate knowledge of student learning styles and child development to assist student learning
• Recognize when teaching and learning strategies are not successful and seek the guidance of the classroom teacher to adapt assistance accordingly
• Provide verbal support, prompting, redirection, and modeling in helping the student(s) access the activities of the curriculum
• React professionally and objectively to unpredictable situations (e.g. environmental changes, behavior/aggression, etc.)
• Perform other duties as required.

Qualifications Required:

• Education: High School Diploma or GED.
• Minimum of two years experience working with young children.
• Current authorization to work in the United States - Candidates must have such authorization by their first day of employment
• Flexibility with respect to age groups, assignments
• Ability to follow through with directions
• Experience working with students at the elementary level who have significant learning and social/emotional needs
• Experience implementing Behavior Intervention Plans and an understanding of functions of behaviors
• Must have experience with or ability to learn ABA methodology and techniques
• Ability to take initiative to complete tasks and to assist students with de-escalation techniques and executive functioning skills
• Ability to work collaboratively as a part of a team
• Experience with, or ability to learn to utilize, assistive technology and PECS functional communication systems in support of students

Preferred:

• Associate's or Bachelor's Degree.
• Certification as a teacher or license as a social worker or RBT.

Physical Demands:

• Regularly required to sit, stand, walk, talk, hear, operate a computer, hand-held learning devices and other office equipment, reach with hands and arms, and must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

SENSORY REQUIREMENTS: Most tasks require visual perception and discrimination and the ability to distinguish color. The employee must be able to read printed matter with or without visual aids. The employee must be able to visually supervise students in small and large group settings as well as vocational or community settings. The employee must be able to communicate effectively with other staff members in order to exchange accurate information.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The noise level in this environment may be quiet to loud depending on the activity and the particular time of the day and location. The activity level in a classroom, school and community-based settings is often busy. The employee interacts with other staff members and occasionally must meet multiple demands from several people.

Watertown Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.

Position Type: Full-Time

Contact Information

• Jeffrey Gaglione , Principal
• Watertown Middle School
• Phone: [phone]
• Email: [e-mail]