Interim Special Educational Assistant (CMS)

Dickson County Schools; Tennessee; On-site; USD 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Dickson County Schools is seeking a Special Education Assistant to support students under the direction of certified staff. The role involves delivering instructional interventions, assisting with IEP goals, and managing daily student health and safety tasks.

The position requires flexibility for various activities within a 200-day contract and 10-month calendar. Collaboration with teachers, administrators, and families is essential to support educational outcomes.

Qualifications

• Delivers educational instruction and interventions designed by general and special education teachers to help students meet goals.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing situations.
• Attend to health and physical needs of students as outlined in each IEP.

Responsibilities

• Delivers educational instruction and interventions designed by general and special education teachers to help students meet educational, academic, life skill, behavioral, physical, social, and emotional goals.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing situations.
• Ability to organize materials and use time effectively.
• Ability to remain calm while working with students in crisis.
• Ability to utilize district-approved de-escalation strategies when working with students in crisis.
• Attend to the unique health and physical needs of students, which may include feeding, dressing, self-care, toileting, diapering, and other activities of daily living.
• May conduct classes in the teacher's absence or during emergencies, focusing on re-teaching rather than introducing new material.
• Escort students to and from designated areas for lunch, recess, activities, work programs, arrival and dismissal, as well as field trips.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 45 pounds, and perform tasks such as standing, sitting, walking, bending, stooping, or kneeling.
• Ability to navigate the school facility.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment and relevant technology and applications.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including reading and understanding documentation, instructions, policies, and procedures, and communicating effectively with students, and parents/guardians, co-workers, and supervisors.
• Capacity to make informed and autonomous decisions in the absence of supervision.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervising teacher, principal, or Director of Special Education.

Skills

Instructional support

Behavioral interventions

IEP knowledge

Crisis de-escalation

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Job description

Job Description

Special Education Assistant

Reports To

Supervising Teacher, Principal, Director of Special Education

Dept/School

Assigned Campus

Employment

200 Day Contract, Flexible hours needed for various activities, Salary Schedule

Calendar

10 Months / 200 Days

Salary Grade

Grade 9 (Classified)

Date Revised

4/11/2025

Qualifications

• High School Diploma, GED, or any combination of training and experience equivalent to graduation from high school.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

The special education assistant delivers educational instruction, support, and behavioral interventions for special education students as outlined in each student's individualized education plan, or IEP, under the direction of a certified professional.

Performance Responsibilities and Essential Functions

• Delivers educational instruction and interventions designed by general and special education teachers to help students meet educational, academic, life skill, behavioral, physical, social, and emotional goals.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing situations.
• Ability to organize materials and use time effectively.
• Ability to remain calm while working with students in crisis.
• Ability to utilize district-approved de-escalation strategies when working with students in crisis.
• Attend to the unique health and physical needs of students, which may include feeding, dressing, self-care, toileting, diapering, and other activities of daily living.
• May conduct classes in the teacher's absence or during emergencies, focusing on re-teaching rather than introducing new material.
• Escort students to and from designated areas for lunch, recess, activities, work programs, arrival and dismissal, as well as field trips.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 45 pounds, and perform tasks such as standing, sitting, walking, bending, stooping, or kneeling.
• Ability to navigate the school facility.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment and relevant technology and applications.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including reading and understanding documentation, instructions, policies, and procedures, and communicating effectively with students, and parents/guardians, co-workers, and supervisors.
• Capacity to make informed and autonomous decisions in the absence of supervision.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervising teacher, principal, or Director of Special Education.

Tools/Equipment Used

Standard office equipment including computer; standard instructional equipment; other specialized and adaptive equipment used by students

Posture

Frequent standing; kneeling/squatting, bending/stooping, pushing/pulling, and twisting

Motion

Frequent walking and reaching

Lifting

Frequent light lifting and carrying (less than 15 pounds); Occasional heavy lifting (45 pounds or over) and positioning or students with physical disabilities, controlling behavior through physical restraint, assisting nonambulatory students, and lifting and moving adaptive and other classroom equipment

Environment

Work inside and outside (exposure to sun, heat, cold, and inclement weather); exposure to noise; exposure to biological hazards (bacteria, communicable diseases)

Mental Demands

Work with frequent interruptions; maintain emotional control under stress

Notes

The duties outlined are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or is a logical assignment for this classification

This document describes the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required.