Severe Needs Para Educator - Canyon Creek Elementary School

Cherry Creek Schools; Aurora, Northern (CO, KY); Hybrid; USD 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Cherry Creek Schools seeks a Severe Needs Para Educator to support students with significant educational needs under licensed special education staff. Responsibilities include adapting curriculum for individuals and small groups, monitoring progress, and maintaining records.

Remote-learning support and safety-focused care are part of the role. The position requires familiarity with IEPs, crisis intervention training, and ability to work in a dynamic school environment with emphasis on

Qualifications

• Criminal background check and fingerprinting required
• HSE diploma required
• No professional work experience required
• Mandatory Crisis Prevention Intervention training provided by the District
• Medication administration training provided by the District
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Intermediate verbal and written communication skills

Responsibilities

• Assist students with classroom activities and adapt the curriculum for individual needs.
• Implement accommodations and maintain progress/behavior records in collaboration with licensed staff.
• Assist with material prep, tests, attendance, and classroom events (e.g., fire drills).
• Perform other duties as assigned or requested.
• Monitor and reinforce appropriate behavior in integrated programs and support student development.

Skills

Verbal & written communication

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Independent and team work

Education

HSE diploma

Associate degree or higher

Reading/writing/mathematics assessment knowledge

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

JOB TITLE

Severe Needs Para Educator

FLSA Exemption Status

Non-Exempt

Classification Group

Paraeducators

Supervising Position

School Principal or designee

Pay Plan

Educational Support Personnel

Pay Range

Range 07

Last Updated

09/2026

JOB SUMMARY

Assist students with severe special education needs under the direction of licensed special education staff. Support individuals and small groups with curriculum, skill development, behavior strategies, and assignment completion. Prepare instructional materials, monitor student progress, and maintain achievement records. Provide technical physical care and help ensure a clean, safe, and hygienic environment. In remote learning settings, assist students with technology access, curriculum reinforcement, executive functioning strategies, skill generalization, and coursework completion. Assignments may include Autism, BD, Early Childhood Education, Homebound (FAPE), ILC, SED, and Transition Programming.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The subsequent duties outline the fundamental operations of the position and exemplify the nature of the tasks carried out. They do not encompass a comprehensive inventory of the obligations and responsibilities fulfilled in this role. The approximation of frequencies and time allocation percentages are flexible and subject to the requirements of the organization.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• 1. Assist students with classroom activities, including adapting the curriculum to individual student needs. Assist with curriculum delivery to both individuals and small groups to ensure generalization of skills. Frequency: Daily; Percentage of Time: 35%
• 2. Implement student accommodations, supports, modifications, procedures, and programming outlined in the student's Individual Education Plan (IEP). Maintain records of student progress and behavior in conjunction with licensed staff, which may include special reports, providing feedback, and reporting observations to the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team. Frequency: Daily; Percentage of Time: 30%
• 3. Assist special education licensed staff in preparing materials, administering tests, attendance, etc. Assist with paperwork and documentation as needed. Assist with other classroom events, such as fire drills, as necessary. Frequency: Daily; Percentage of Time: 5%
• 4. Perform other duties as assigned or requested. Frequency: Daily; Percentage of Time: 5%
• TOTAL 75%

INTEGRATED LEARNING CENTER (ILC) AND HOMEBOUND (Free Appropriate Public Education/FAPE) PROGRAM ASSIGNMENT

• 1. Monitor students and reinforce appropriate behavior for individual student needs. Assist in verbal de-escalation and non-violent crisis interventions to reduce the risk of self-harm and harm to others. Assist student development of social interactions or communication between students with special needs and general education peers. Frequency: Daily; Percentage of Time: 15%
• 2. Provide technical physical care for students with special needs as assigned, which may include toileting, grooming, cleaning ventilation devices, feeding, care of gastrostomy tube (G-tube), positioning, and improving range of motion (Autism Classroom or ILC). Following training andasdelegated by a registered school nurse, accurately followstudent medication delivery orders. Frequency: Daily; Percentage of Time: 10%
• TOTAL 25%

SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISABILITY (SED) ASSIGNMENT

• 1. Monitor students and reinforce appropriate behavior for individual student needs. Assist in verbal de-escalation and non-violent crisis interventions to reduce the risk of self-harm and harm to others. Assist student development of social interactions or communication between students with special needs and general education peers. Frequency: Daily; Percentage of Time: 25%
• TOTAL 25%

ONLINE/REMOTE ENVIRONMENT

• 1. Assist small groups of students or individuals with online classroom activities, during synchronous or asynchronous learning, including curriculum accommodations or modifications. Assist with curriculum delivery or practice to ensure generalization of skills. If working in DHH Program, develop student language, vocabulary, reading, and writing using sign language for students who need a signing para-educator. Frequency: Daily; Percentage of Time: 50%
• 2. Prepare assignments for students to complete at home and support students in completing assigned work. Frequency: Daily; Percentage of Time: 35%
• 3. Maintain records of student progress and behavior in conjunction with the licensed staff, which may include special reports, providing feedback, and reporting observations to the Individualized Education Program team. Frequency: Daily; Percentage of Time: 5%
• 4. Support students in troubleshooting technology issues. Frequency: Daily; Percentage of Time: 5%
• 5. Perform other duties as assigned or requested. Frequency: Daily; Percentage of Time: 5%
• TOTAL 100%

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

This job has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The minimum prerequisites of formal education, professional work experience, certifications, licenses, endorsements, designations, trainings, and other criteria that a candidate must fulfill to be considered for a position. It is essential that certifications, licenses, endorsements, designations, and trainings are fulfilled, valid, and not expired.

• Criminal background check and fingerprinting required
• High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma
• No professional work experience required
• Title I assignments must meet one of the following requirements:
  • Completed at least two years of study at an institution of higher education; or
  • Obtained an associate’s or higher degree; or
  • Met a rigorous standard of quality, and can demonstrate through a formal state or local academic assessment, knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing, as appropriate:
    • Reading/language arts, writing, and mathematics; or
    • Reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness
• Mandatory biennial Crisis Prevention Intervention training provided by the District for staff working in an Autism, Behaviorally Disordered, or ILC assignment
• Medication administration training provided by the District as needed
• Basic knowledge of typical office equipment such as telephones, copiers, fax machines, email, etc.
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Intermediate verbal and written communication skills
• Intermediate interpersonal relations skills
• Intermediate organizational skills
• Ability to work alone and with others
• Ability to appropriately modify curriculum
• Ability to implement behavior modification techniques
• Ability to diffuse and manage volatile and stressful situations
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in all aspects of the job
• Ability to work one-on-one and in small groups with students
• If working in the DHH Program, ability to understand the impacts of hearing loss on learning and social interaction
• If working in the Homebound program, ability to set appropriate boundaries and build appropriate relationships while working in the home setting with families and other student healthcare providers
• If working in the Homebound program, the ability to have appropriate communication and boundaries with families while working in their homes with students

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS

The physical demands, mental functions, cognitive capacities, and work environment factors required to perform a position’s essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work location is subject to change to meet the requirements of the organization
• Medium work strength level (lifting or carrying 50 pounds)
• Works both indoors and outdoors
• Typically a moderate noise level
• Prolonged standing and walking
• Frequent bending, reaching, and climbing
• Frequent lifting, pulling, and/or pushing
• Squatting
• Overhead work
• Eye/hand coordination (e.g., typing, ten key)
• Visual concentration
• Exposure to outdoor weather conditions

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Formal education, professional work experience, certifications, licenses, endorsements, designations, trainings, and other qualifications relevant to the position that are strongly preferred but not mandatory for a candidate to be considered.

• Experience working in the public sector, specifically public education
• Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Racially conscious and culturally competent with the skill, will, capacity, and knowledge to commit to a culture of continuous improvement
• Associate’s degree
• Work with special needs children in a paid program or licensed special education teaching experience
• Experience working with students with autism, behavior challenges, medically fragile conditions, hearing or vision loss, or intellectual disabilities
• CPR and First Aid certification