SPED ARI K-2

Rankin County School District; Florence (MS); On-site; USD 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Rankin County School District is seeking an ARI Paraprofessional Special Services to assist teachers in maintaining a productive classroom environment and delivering small-group instruction. This role supports students with diverse needs, maintains records, and collaborates with staff to align with district initiatives.

Responsibilities include classroom assistance, health monitoring, attendance, and adherence to all policies and procedures to ensure a safe learning environment.

Qualifications

• Education-level requirements for early childhood work as described in the job posting.
• Accepted combinations include an associate degree or 60 college credits with 12 early childhood credits, or a high school diploma with WorkKeys and early childhood credits.

Responsibilities

• Assist teacher with daily and long-range lesson planning.
• Lead small group learning activities and guide student interactions.
• Provide escort and assistance to students as needed.
• Maintain health status and records for each child.
• Support classroom organization and maintain safe, clean spaces.
• Participate in staff development and district initiatives.
• Protect student confidentiality and follow policies.

Skills

Classroom support

Small group instruction

Record keeping

Confidentiality

Attendance and punctuality

Education

Early Childhood degree

Associate degree + credits

High School diploma + WorkKeys

Job description

Job title: ARI Paraprofessional Special Services Reports to: Supervising Teacher, Principal, Assistant Principal, Director Receives guidance from: Director, District Administration and Support Staff, Assistant Superintendent Overtime status: Compliant with position, salary and FLSA regulations

Job Purpose

In keeping a tradition of excellence, the purpose of the ARI Paraprofessional Special Services is to assist the teacher in maintaining appropriate classroom activities and environment so that students may learn effectively. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Participates in daily and long-range lesson and classroom activity planning
• Conducts learning exercises with small groups of children
• Guides children in working and playing harmoniously with other children
• Alters the teacher to special needs of individual children
• Provides escort and assistance to children as necessary
• Helps maintain individuals records for each child
• Fosters good eating habits and table manners in children
• Assists teacher in maintaining neat work and study areas
• Assists with the supervision of children during regular play periods
• Collects and displays suitable material for educational displays
• Participates in staff development to be equipped to assist teachers in carrying out district initiatives
• Assist students with personal needs due to accidents
• Clean before and after the students enter the room
• Accompany students to regular education classes and assist them with assignments
• Maintain health status on all children
• Take all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, materials, and facilities
• Lead and attend staff meetings/trainings as applicable; serve on staff committees
• Maintain and accept responsibility for any district owned fixed asset item assigned to employee and ensure appropriate use by following district policies for acceptable use
• Undergo periodic evaluations according to state and board policy procedures
• Maintain confidentiality
• Regular, dependable, in person, and punctual attendance is an essential function of this position
• Perform such other and not specifically enumerated duties as may be requested by the Board of Education, superintendent, administrator, director or established by district policy
• Read, understand, and abide by Employee Conduct Policy, GAB, all other District, State and Federal policies, and procedures and protocols as established by RCSD and the Mississippi Educator Code of Conduct

Qualifications

• Education Level: Early Childhood Associate's degree OR
• Associate's Degree or 60 College Credit Hours AND 12 early childhood college credit hours or completion of an early childhood training program OR
• HIgh School Diploma/GED AND Verification of WorkKeys Test AND 12 early childhood college credit hours OR completion of an early childhood training program
• Certification:
• Other Requirements: CDL, any additional qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable

Physical Demands

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands for fine manipulation, handle or feel and reach with hands and arms using equipment such as a keyboard and video display terminal. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, reach, crouch or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and move up to 35 pounds and occasionally up to 75 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

Work Environment

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The work environment is not a standard office setting; but rather encompasses the entire active school campus both inside and outside the facilities. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate and occasionally high.

Note

This is not necessarily an all-inclusive or exhaustive list of responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts, functions or working conditions associated with the job. The job description is not a contract of employment or a promise or guarantee of any specific terms or conditions of employment. The school district may add to, modify or delete any aspect of this job (or the position itself) at any time as it deems advisable.

Terms Of Employment

• Salary, days and work year as established by the Rankin County Board of Education

Evaluation

• Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with the provisions of the Rankin County School Board policy on Evaluation of Employees.