Paraprofessional (26-27 SY)

Freire Schools; Wilmington (DE); On-site; USD 28,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Pension plan

403(b) retirement plan

Job summary

Freire Charter Wilmington, part of Freire Schools, seeks a Paraprofessional to support students in 8th–12th grades. You will provide proactive behavior support in and out of class, helping students regulate and grow with input from coaches and teachers.

A strong focus on equity and a positive learning environment is essential. You will work within a family-like community, assisting with IEPs/504s and collaborating to ensure students progress academically and personally.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Valid Delaware Paraeducator Permit, or a clear ability and commitment to obtain one.
• Experience working with diverse student populations, ideally students with behavioral or emotional support needs.
• Positive, solution-oriented mindset with a work ethic and collaborative spirit.
• Patience and composure under pressure.
• RBT certification, CPI, or similar behavior support training preferred, or willingness to complete.

Responsibilities

• Foster a safe, respectful learning environment by reinforcing school-wide expectations with warmth.
• Provide 1:1 and small-group support to students with behavioral, social-emotional, and learning needs, including IEPs and 504 plans.
• Use proactive strategies and positive reinforcement to help students regulate and return to learning.
• Collect and record behavior data and share observations with teachers and the behavior support team.
• Maintain proactive communication with teachers, staff, and families regarding student progress.
• Engage in professional development and collaborate with colleagues to support student growth.

Skills

Behavior support

De-escalation

Student support

Diversity & equity

Education

High school diploma

Delaware Paraeducator Permit

Job description

About Freire Schools

Established in 1999, Freire Schools (www.freireschools.org) is a network of four charter schools across Philadelphia and Delaware whose mission is to prepare students from historically underserved communities for success in college and beyond. We’re distinguished by our belief in every student who walks through our doors, our strong code of conduct and commitment to peace that ensures a safe environment for all, our sense of family throughout our community, and our joyous and engaged classrooms that focus on academic achievement. As evidence of our impact, in 2023 Stanford’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes ranked Freire Schools in the top 15 in the country for academic gains out of 368 charter networks nationwide.

About the team

For this Paraprofessional position, you’ll be working for our high school in Wilmington, Delaware called Freire Charter School Wilmington (8th-12th Grade): Freire is all about Graduation x 2 – graduation from high school and from college. We challenge our students to achieve higher than they ever have before, and we give them the support they need to get there, including individualized college counseling. 95% of The Class of 2025 received acceptances into 52 unique colleges and universities and earned nearly $4.3M in scholarship award offers. This success is possible because the Freire Wilmington community is a true family, where students and teachers work together to build the future each student wants and deserves.

Freire Charter Wilmington: 201 W 14th St, Wilmington, DE 19801

What you’ll do

As a member of Freire’s student support team, you will provide proactive, direct behavior support to students in and out of the classroom, helping them build the skills to regulate, engage, and achieve at high levels, while remaining open to feedback and coaching.

Responsibilities

• Foster a safe, respectful learning environment by consistently reinforcing school-wide expectations with high standards and warmth for all students.
• Provide 1:1 and small-group support to students with behavioral, social-emotional, and learning needs, including implementing IEPs, 504 plans, and behavior intervention plans.
• Use proactive strategies, positive reinforcement, and de-escalation techniques to help students regulate and return to learning, and respond calmly and safely in crisis situations.
• Collect and record behavior data and share observations with teachers and the behavior support team to inform interventions.
• Maintain consistent, proactive communication with teachers, staff, and families regarding student progress and relevant school updates.
• Engage fully in professional development and collaborate closely with colleagues to best support student learning and growth.

Who you are

You believe all students can succeed, including students who face significant behavioral and emotional challenges, and you bring our values of equity, love, critical thinking, and diversity to life through your actions and relationships. You stay calm and consistent when things get hard, you hold high expectations with warmth, and you see every difficult moment as a chance to teach and rebuild trust. We’re looking for someone who meets the minimum requirements to be considered for the role.

Minimum requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Valid Delaware Paraeducator Permit, or a clear ability and commitment to obtain one
• Experience working with diverse student populations, ideally students with behavioral or emotional support needs
• Positive, solution-oriented mindset with a work ethic and collaborative spirit
• Patience and composure under pressure
• RBT certification, nonviolent crisis intervention training (such as CPI), or similar behavior support training preferred, or willingness to complete

Pay and benefits

We offer a competitive salary based on experience and qualifications. Our benefits package includes health, dental, vision, and additional benefits. Delaware employees are enrolled in Delaware’s state pension plan and may also elect to participate in the state’s 403(b) retirement plan.

Freire Schools is committed to maintaining a workplace environment that is free from all forms of discriminationand discriminatory harassment, in service of the policy goal to provide all persons equal access to all categories of employment regardless of a person’s actual or perceived race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and expression), age, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, ethnic background, marital status, pregnancyor related conditions, disability, veteran/military status, or any other category protected by state or federal law.