Special Education Paraeducator- Lakewood Elementary

Norwalk Community School; Norwalk (IA); On-site; USD 30,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Norwalk Community School District seeks a dedicated Special Education Paraeducator to support students with individualized instruction and behavior plans. The role involves assisting teachers, promoting safety, and helping with data collection in a 9-month school year.

Applicants should have a high school diploma and prior paraeducator or school setting experience, with strong collaboration and communication skills to work with diverse learners and staff.

Qualifications

• High school diploma required.
• Experience as paraeducator or in a school setting preferred.
• Strong collaborative and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to relate to children with varied needs.

Responsibilities

• Support individual students or small groups to reinforce learning.
• Assist with maintaining structured learning routines and safe environments.
• Supervise students during arrival, dismissal, and transitions.
• Implement strategies aligned with IEP goals and behavior plans.
• Prompt, cue, model, and scaffold student engagement.
• Handle equipment and assistive technology used in instruction.
• Assist with data collection on IEP goals and progress while maintaining confidentiality.
• Participate in collaboration meetings and professional development.

Skills

Experience as paraeducator

Experience in school setting

Collaborative skills

Interpersonal skills

Relate to all children

Communication skills

Ability to follow safety protocols

Education

High school diploma

Job description

NORWALK COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Job Title Special Education Paraeducator

Reports to Assistant Principal, Building Principal

• Work with individual students or small groups of students to reinforce learning of material or skills initially introduced by the teacher. Support delivery of teacher-designed instruction in individual, small group settings. Assist with maintaining structured, predictable learning routines and assistive or multi-sensory environments. Maintain a clean and sanitary learning environment and follow all safety and infection control procedures.
• Supervise students during arrival, dismissal, hallways, recess, lunch, bus loading and unloading and transitions. Ensure that student schedules are followed. Assist with the supervision of the students during emergency drills, assemblies, play periods, and field trips.
• Assist the teacher in devising strategies for reinforcing material or skills based on an understanding student's IEP goals and behavior support plans, accommodations, and modifications as determined by licensed staff.
• Support student engagement through prompting, cueing, modeling, and scaffolding.
• Operate and care for equipment used in the classroom for instructional purposes, which may include assistive technology, communications systems, or adaptive equipment.
• Implement behavior support plan. Support implementation of behavior intervention plans, safety plans, and crisis plans under licensed supervision. Monitor student behavior and social-emotional needs across settings (classrooms, hallways, recess, cafeteria, specials, etc). Use district approved de-escalation and crisis prevention strategies, asking for assistance when needed. Assist in responding safely to challenging behavior.
• Assist students with personal care needs such as eating, feeding, toileting/diapering, hygiene, dressing or mobility supports. Follow student health plans, including medication assistance as directed by licensed staff or medication support under direction or delegation of the School Nurse.
• Assist with positioning, transfers, and use of mobility equipment following OT/PT guidance and safety protocols.
• Serve as a source of information to help any substitute teacher assigned in the absence of the regular teacher.
• Assist with accurate and timely data collection, which may include data on IEP goals, behavior plans, and student progress using district procedures and maintaining all confidentiality guidelines.
• Participate in collaboration meetings, IEP meetings, staff training and required professional development. Collaborate with teachers, specialists and related service providers to support student needs.
• Other duties as assigned.

Note: The above description is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities. It is not meant to be all inclusive of every task or responsibility.

Personal Performance Criteria

• Works well with others, maintaining positive and effective communication with school personnel and students
• Contributes to creating a positive work environment
• Demonstrate effective communication skills.
• Demonstrate collaborative skills in a team environment.
• Demonstrate integrity and respects confidentiality
• Takes advantage of professional growth opportunities related to specific job
• Works independently and with confidence
• Demonstrates ability to grasp and adjust to new and changing situations
• Demonstrates initiative and ability to work without close supervision
• Ensure regular attendance and punctuality to ensure consistency for the students served.

Qualifications Profile

• High school diploma required
• Experience as a paraeducator or paraprofessional preferred
• Experience working in a school setting preferred
• Collaborative and interpersonal skills
• Ability to relate to all children regardless of needs and/or abilities

Physical Requirements

Physical requirements vary by individual job assignment but require a minimum of the following physical requirements: Walking, standing, bending, carrying, climbing, lifting minimum of 50 pounds, driving, pushing, pulling, reaching, sitting, and stooping.

Working Conditions

Varied.

Terms of Employment

9-month work year. Wage and work year to be established by the Board. Employment subject to provisions of board policy, state and federal law.

Evaluation

Performance will be evaluated annually by the Building Assistant Principal, or in accordance with provisions of the Board's policy on evaluation of staff.

FLSA Status

Non-Exempt.