Special Education Paraprofessional

Citygardenschool; Missouri; On-site; Full time

Job summary

City Garden Montessori School is seeking a Paraprofessional to support the classroom community. This role involves providing instructional support, fostering student relationships, and maintaining collaborative working relationships. Ideal candidates should have a strong educational background, relevant experience, and a commitment to anti-bias education.

Benefits

Generous Paid time off

Paid Health Benefits

Retirement Plan/Pension

Tuition discount for Preschool

Qualifications

• Minimum of an Associate’s degree or 12 hours post-secondary education.
• At least 1 year of experience in a public school setting.
• Current First Aid and CPR certification.

Responsibilities

• Provide instructional reinforcement under direction of the teacher.
• Supervise students in instructional and assessment activities.
• Attend to students' academic and emotional needs.

Skills

Effective communication skills

Understanding of childhood development

Flexibility to adapt

Cooperation with others

Love and patience for children

Education

Associate’s degree

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Paraprofessional certification from Missouri DESE

Job description

City Garden Montessori School (City Garden) is the only Montessori charter school in Missouri, and we are one of the highest-performing charter schools in the state. Our team possesses passion and determination to implement the Montessori approach to educating children in a diverse, public school environment. City Garden is committed to being an anti-biased, anti-racist community and seeks others who are passionate about these values. We are committed to fostering excellence for all City Garden children.

At City Garden we are redefining public education, reimagining community, and reinvigorating our world.

City Garden is a community-centered and people-centered organization in an exciting point in our growth and expansion. Ours is an environment that celebrates vulnerability and centers humanity in the workplace. To learn more about City Garden’s impact on the community, please read some recent articles about us, found HERE and HERE.

At City Garden, we pride ourselves on giving students a vibrant learning experience in a welcoming environment. Our teachers count on paraprofessionals to bring the best to the classroom every day. We’re searching for a qualified paraprofessional to join us in delivering the high-quality learning experiences we’re known for. They will build on a student-centered environment which fosters relationships and promotes continual growth for students and staff.

Under the direction of the Director of Special Services, the City Garden Special Education Paraprofessional is a vital support role within the classroom community.

The Objectives of this Role

• Provide instructional reinforcement under the direction of the classroom teacher in executing lesson plans
• Serve as a positive, nurturing guide for students
• Model professional and ethical standards when dealing with students, parents, staff, and community, following and upholding school rules and standards
• Safely supervise students in both instructional and assessment activities in and out of the classroom
• Participate in planning sessions with the learning team, communicating with parents and school officials as needed

Responsibilities
The following represents a summary of the responsibilities of this position. You can download a detailed job description here.

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities

• Co-teach lesson components as determined by the teacher, leading small-group or individual instruction and discussion, and reviewing classwork material
• Attend to students' physical, personal, academic, and emotional needs; help with translation and hygienic needs when necessary
• Organize classroom and teaching materials; verify and track student attendance
• Establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with students, parents, and staff to enhance the instructional environment; participate in parent-teacher and faculty meetings and events

Qualifications

• Possess a minimum of an Associate’s degree, Bachelor’s degree preferred

OR

• At least 12 Hours of post-secondary education AND Paraprofessional certification from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
• At least 1 yearof experience, preferably in a public or urban schoolsetting
• Have prior experience in the role of Paraprofessional, ABA, etc.
• Effective communication skills; oral, written, and visual with adults and children
• Understanding of basic principles of childhood development
• Demonstrated success working with a diverse student population
• Ability to adapt to the changing needs of children and the school environment
• Have demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with others
• Love, patience, and respect for children
• Have a willingness to assume any responsibilities appropriate for the position

The ideal Paraprofessional will

• Have a degree in education, early childhood development, or one of the social sciences
• Have at least one year of experience working with special needs students
• Be flexible to adapt to the changing nature of the demands of the class
• Be deeply committed to whole-child education, having proven success and outcomes in meeting children’s needs holistically
• Have a grounding in anti-bias education and antiracist values and principles, and is excited to be part of a school that is reimagining education through these lenses
• Current First Aid and CPR certification
• Current Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Paraprofessional certification

What We Offer

• Ongoing professional development
• Opportunity to contribute to the only high-quality public Montessori program in St. Louis
• For those with an interest in pursuing a career in elementary education, a chance to get some hands-on experience in a classroom environment

Benefits
City Garden offers a range of benefits for Full-time employees such as:

• Generous Paid time off (Fall, Winter, and Spring breaks, holidays, and additional days)
• Paid Health Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance)
• Pre-tax savings for family health premium costs
• Retirement Plan/ Pension
• Enrollment preference for your child(ren) to attend City Garden’s Charter School
• Tuition discount for our Preschool

Schedule
School Hours: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday
This Semester: From the day of hiring until the last week in May, including but not limited to professional development, classroom preparatory work, staff meetings, and assigned work on non-instructional days

Compensation
This is a full-time, academic year position. The pay range is $17.00 to $19.00 per hour.