Paraprofessional Severe Needs (4 positions)

DONAHUE; Holyoke (MA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Holyoke Public Schools is seeking Paraprofessionals for Severe Needs to support students with individualized ABA-based strategies. The roles involve one-to-one student assistance, data collection, and collaboration with teachers, therapists, and specialists in a dynamic urban setting.

Applicants with an Associate’s degree or higher, experience with diverse student populations, and willingness to support bilingual students (Spanish) are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications

• Associate’s Degree or higher; OR completing at least two years, or 48 credit hours of study at an institution of higher education; OR passing a formal assessment (Parapro/WorkKeys).
• Ability to read, interpret, and apply student performance data to instructional planning.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; excellent teamwork.
• Bilingual applicants (Spanish) strongly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

• 1:1 ABA strategies and daily data collection in classroom settings.
• Reinforce learning of materials or skills introduced by teacher/therapist and specialists.
• Operate and care for classroom equipment used for instructional purposes.
• Assist with supervision of students during emergency drills, assemblies, play periods, and field trips.
• Assist students with mobility and personal care and with lunch, snack, and cleanup routines.
• Dress for physical education activities and assist students during PE.

Job description

Paraprofessional Severe Needs (4 positions)

Holyoke Public Schools DONAHUE - Holyoke, Massachusetts Open in Google Maps

This job is also posted in Holyoke Public Schools

Job Details

Job ID: 5898649
Application Deadline: Sep 30, 2026 11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time)
Posted: Aug 17, 2026 4:00 AM (UTC)

Starting Date: Immediately

Job Description

DISTRICT OVERVIEW

Holyoke Public Schools is a PreK-12 public school district serving nearly 4,800 students, of whom 80 percent are Latino/Latina, in 11 schools. We employ nearly 1,300 people who together educate and support a richly diverse community of learners. We are committed to recruiting and retaining top-quality educators who believe all children can and will learn and who strive daily to make school a joyful place of discovery, support, and belonging.

Holyoke Public Schools’ strategic plan , “Moving Forward Together,” builds on the strengths of our past while serving as a call to action to accelerate student learning by thinking differently about how we teach, how we work together, and how we support students’ well‑being.

Many successes contributed to Holyoke’s return to local governance after 10 years in state receivership. These include:

• The highest graduation rate on record of 77.1 percent, an increase of more than 15-points over 10 years
• Meaningful, applied learning opportunities for high school students, including theme-based academies, career vocational technical education programming, work-based learning, and advanced coursework
• A comprehensive approach to early literacy that includes strong core instruction and one‑on‑one tutoring, contributing to more students reading at grade level
• A thriving dual language English/Spanish program, where nearly 900 students are on their path to becoming bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural

• More than one-third of Holyoke teachers identify as people of color, a 19‑point increase over 10 years. Many partnership programs support staff to earn licensure or additional certification.

Please visit the Holyoke Public Schools website to learn more about us , our recent accomplishments , and our commitment to equity .

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PERSPECTIVA GENERAL DEL DISTRITO

Las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke son un distrito escolar público que cuenta con 11 escuelas de prekínder a 12.° grado y acoge a casi 4 800 estudiantes, de los cuales el 80 % se identifica como latino o latina. Empleamos a casi 1 300 personas que, en conjunto, educan y apoyan a una comunidad de estudiantes altamente diversa. Estamos comprometidos a contratar y retener educadores de alta calidad que crean firmemente que todos los niños pueden aprender y aprenderán, y que se esfuerzan diariamente por hacer de la escuela un lugar alegre de descubrimiento, apoyo y pertenencia.

El plan estratégico de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke , “Avanzando Juntos”, se basa en nuestras fortalezas previas y, al mismo tiempo, sirve como un llamado a la acción para acelerar el aprendizaje estudiantil a través de una nueva perspectiva sobre cómo enseñamos, cómo trabajamos en colaboración y cómo apoyamos el bienestar de los estudiantes.

Existen numerosos logros que permitieron a Holyoke recuperar el control local después de 10 años de administración judicial. Entre estos logros se encuentran:

• La tasa de graduación más alta registrada, del 77.1 %, lo que representa un aumento de más de 15 puntos porcentuales en 10 años
• Oportunidades significativas de aprendizaje práctico para estudiantes de secundaria, que incluyen academias temáticas, programas de educación técnica y vocacional, aprendizaje basado en el trabajo y cursos avanzados
• Un enfoque integral de la alfabetización temprana que combina una sólida instrucción básica con tutorías individuales, lo cual ha contribuido a que más estudiantes lean a nivel de grado
• Un próspero programa bilingüe de inglés/español, en el que casi 900 estudiantes avanzan hacia el bilingüismo, la biliteracidad , y la biculturalidad.

• Más de un tercio de los maestros de Holyoke se identifican como personas de etnicidad diversa, lo que representa un aumento de 19 puntos porcentuales en 10 años. Diversas colaboraciones con programas que han contribuido a que miembros del personal obtengan sus certificaciones o credenciales adicionales.

Visite el sitio web de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke para obtener más información sobre nuestra comunidad , nuestros logros recientes y nuestro compromiso con la equidad .

In addition to supporting academics, the ideal candidate will also support the social/emotional needs of the student to support the development of self-regulation skills while building independence with the goal of transitioning these students back into an inclusive setting.

Job description:

• Works 1:1 implementing ABA strategies and daily data collection
• Works with an individual student to reinforce learning of materials or skills initially introduced by the teacher/therapist, and specialists
• Operates and cares for equipment used in the classroom for instructional purposes.
• Help students master equipment and/or instructional materials assigned by the teacher/therapist and specialists.
• Assists in the implementation of behavioral modification programs as directed and supervised by the teacher. Keep behavioral logs and data (daily and weekly).
• Assists with the supervision of students during emergency drills, assemblies, play periods, and field trips.
• Assists students with mobility and personal care.
• Assists with lunch, snack and cleanup routines.
• Dress for physical education activities so you can assist students. (Holyoke High School only)
• Meets the buses and assist students in breakfast and lunch routines
• Assists with wash‑ups and toilet routines, diapering and tooth brushing.
• Ability to collaborate with to ensure support for students in the classroom.
• Other duties as assigned by Superintendent and/or Principal

Qualifications:

• Associate’s Degree or higher; OR Completing at least two years, or 48 credit hours of study at an institution of higher education; OR taking and passing a formal assessment measuring one’s knowledge of and ability to assist classroom teachers in reading, writing, and mathematics. (Parapro Assessment and workKeys)
• Training or experience working with Special Needs Students preferred
• Experience working in an urban setting, preferred
• Experience working with diverse student populations, preferred
• Ability to read, interpret, and apply student performance data to instructional planning and execution
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; excellent teamwork skills
• Bilingual applicants (Spanish) strongly encouraged to apply

305054067 1:1 SEVERE NEEDS
331054019 PK ABL

331054005 BEHAVIOR TECH

305099750 1:1

331099635 PK ABL

Position Type: Full-Time
Salary: $18.50 to $23.50 FT10

Job Categories:
Instructional Support > Paraprofessional / IA

Equal Opportunity Employer

Holyoke Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of a person's race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national Origin, ancestry, age, sex, genetic information, military or veteran status, gender identity 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.

Job Requirements

• Citizenship, residency or work visa required

Contact Information

• Christie Elman , Director of Recruitment
• 57 Suffolk Street
• Holyoke, Massachusetts 01040
• Phone: [phone]
• Email: [e-mail]

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