Office Paraprofessional

West Fargo Public Schools; West Fargo (ND); On-site; USD 22,730 - 25,003; Full time

Job summary

West Fargo Public Schools is hiring an Office Paraprofessional to support administrative tasks and assist learners with disabilities. The position involves 1.5 hours in the office and 5.5 hours in classrooms, aiding educators while maintaining learner dignity and confidentiality.

Ideal candidates should have a high school diploma and preferably an associate’s degree, with skills in communication and organization. Familiarity with Office 365 and prior experience in educational settings are preferred.

Qualifications

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion.
• Experience working with computers and software.
• Experience in an elementary school setting is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist educators in daily activities and classroom operations.
• Supervise learners before/after school and during lunch.
• Maintain learner attendance records.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Organization

Leadership

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Associate’s Degree (preferred)

Tools

Office 365

PowerSchool

Excel

Job description

Position Details

Position Title: Office Paraprofessional

Location: Early Childhood Center

Department: Paraprofessionals

Reports To: Building Principal

Term: Ongoing 9‑month position following school calendar

Schedule: Monday‑Friday – Approx. 7 hours/day. See summary for more information.

Salary: Position follows the 2024‑2025 Classified Salary Schedule at A130. Starting salary begins at $16.50‑$18.15/hour, based on experience.

Date of last review: June 2025

Summary

The Office Paraprofessional supports the administrative assistant and building administrators, staff, learners, parents/guardians, and the wider school community by performing district procedures, policies, and systems. The position works in the school office alongside the administrative assistant to assist learners, families, and staff approximately 1.5 hours Monday‑Thursday; on Fridays this position is primarily in the office. It also works in classrooms approximately 5.5 hours Monday‑Thursday, assisting educators to support the district’s special education learners in either the general education classroom or special education classroom settings. The position assists learners with disabilities in their daily instructional and non‑instructional activities under the supervision of the classroom and special education educators.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Collaboration

• Assists in supervising learners before & after school, during recess, and at lunchtime.
• Assists visitors to the building office including learners, parents/guardians, and substitute educators/paraprofessionals.
• Partners with other school staff to ensure efficient and effective functioning of the school.
• Assists with registering new learners through data entry, gathering documentation, and ensuring completeness.
• Develops positive working relationships with staff, learners, colleagues, parents/guardians, and the wider school community.
• Assists educators in routine classroom operation, daily activities and assignments.
• Maintains classroom by assisting educator with daily organization.

Communication

• Answers telephone calls and provides information and assistance to callers.
• Maintains learner attendance records for applicable audiences and follow‑up actions.
• Prepares, copies, and distributes notices, memoranda, or other correspondence for the purpose of informing school employees regarding activities, events, or other work‑related matters.
• Connects and shares ideas through appropriate/applicable formats to express thoughts and ideas with integrity.
• Responds to inquiries from learners, parents/guardians, parents, and wider district staff by providing information, facilitating communication amongst involved parties, and providing direction, as necessary.
• Prompts safe and socially acceptable replacement behaviors in order to build a repertoire of communication, social interaction, and problem‑solving skills.
• Maintains learner dignity and confidentiality in communication and interactions.
• Assists learners with alternative modes of communication on an as‑needed basis.
• Assists educators with parent contact as requested to foster effective and participatory parent involvement in learner education.
• May assist learners with personal cares including, but not limited to feeding, toileting assistance, general hygiene practices, dressing needs as outlined in care plans or learner IEPs.

Compassion

• Fosters learner independence and works toward reducing and/or eliminating reliance on paraprofessional support.
• Demonstrates understanding of learner’s disability, is courteous, respectful, and fair.
• Understands the complexities of cultural and global issues and how they relate to employee and learners’ experiences.
• Partners with others to resolve potential controversy and conflict through respectful discussion.
• Proactively seeks to understand the ideas, opinions, and skills of others.

Creativity

• Demonstrates initiative and creativity with learners and their program(s).
• Demonstrates ability to solve problems in the moment situations for academic, behavioral, or learner health and safety needs.
• Assists with preparation of displays and bulletin boards.
• Connects with team members and shares ideas to improve the overall learner and employee experience.

Critical Thinking

• Assists in maintaining documents, files, and records for the purpose of providing up to date references and audit trails for compliance purposes.
• Fades prompts appropriately to promote both successful and independent responding.
• Reasons, interprets, and analyzes information to generate new knowledge and understanding with ongoing professional learning.
• Increases the frequency or duration of safe and appropriate replacement behaviors by providing access to reinforcers (desired items/actions, attention, or removal of demands/aversive situations).
• Consistently regulates behavior management of learner at the direction of the special education educator and in accordance with learner’s behavioral plan.

Reflection

• Maintains communication with supervisor and director regarding general feedback, career advancement opportunities, and areas of growth opportunities.
• Maintains and acquires technical knowledge by attending required trainings and passing competency assessments.
• Actively participates in on‑going professional development opportunities.

Resilience

• Maintains composure while dealing with stressful situations.
• Proactively seeks out resolutions and takes initiative to resolve knowledge gaps.

Responsibility

• Assists in maintaining inventory of supplies and materials.
• Distributes incoming mail appropriately and sends outgoing mail.
• Provides skills instruction and behavior management strategies outlined in learner behavior plans or formal training to learners with disabilities, individually or in small groups, under the supervision of the classroom educator and special educator.
• Accurately collects observable behavior data including antecedent‑behavior‑consequence, count, frequency, duration, latency, inter‑response time, event, and interval‑based recording.
• Constructs, copies, and distributes educational materials as instructed by special educator.
• Implements learner’s positive behavior support plans with fidelity as specified by educator and support staff.
• Provides structure by consistently conducting daily lesson plans set up by educator.
• Provides supervision (e.g., playground, cafeteria, recess, drop‑off/pick‑up, study hall, bus duty) as directed by the building principal and supervisor.
• Assists in upholding and enforcing school rules and district policies and procedures.
• Provides basic school health/nursing support when the nurse is assisting other learners or is offsite.
• Dispenses medication to learners, following the Medication Administration protocol.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Regularly required to reach with hands and arms.
• Regularly required to stand, walk, bend, talk, and hear.
• Vision abilities required include close and peripheral vision.
• May frequently lift up to ~25 pounds without assistance.
• May occasionally lift up to ~50 pounds without assistance.
• May have to push/pull up to ~120 pounds while performing duties.
• May frequently be required to sit on, and rise from, the floor.
• May perform a two‑person transport, restraint, or lift (with training provided).
• May come in contact with bloodborne pathogens or other bodily fluids on rare occasions.
• Will work in an environment that has a quiet to loud noise level.

Education and/or Experience

• High School Diploma or General Education Degree (GED).
• Associate’s Degree is preferred.
• Experience working with computers and programs such as Office 365, PowerSchool, Outlook, and Excel is preferred.
• Prior office experience preferred.
• Prior experience as an administrative assistant is preferred.
• Experience working in an elementary school setting is preferred.
• Experience working with complex learner behaviors is preferred.

Language Skills

• Ability to read, write, and comprehend simple instructions and short correspondences in the English language.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally, expressively, and reactively.

Other Skills and Abilities

• Exercise confidentiality, discretion, and good judgement.
• Adhere to the assigned work schedule by maintaining regular and punctual attendance.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• None.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The West Fargo Public School District is committed to maintaining a learning and working environment free from discrimination and harassment in all employment and educational programs, activities, and facilities. The District prohibits discrimination and harassment based on an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, or other protected status by law. External applicants are eligible for ND Veteran’s Preference: North Dakota veterans claiming preference must submit all proof of eligibility by the closing date. Proof of eligibility includes a form DD214, and if claiming disabled veteran’s status, a current letter of disability. West Fargo Public Schools is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusivity in all hiring and employment practices. Applicants who incorporate a holistic perspective and a commitment to inclusion are encouraged to apply.