STEP Program Teaching Assistant - Burley Middle School - 2026-27 School Year

Albemarle County Public Schools; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Dental coverage

Retirement benefits

Paid time off

Wellness program

Gym membership discounts

Job summary

Albemarle County Public Schools is seeking a STEP Program Teaching Assistant for Burley Middle School for the 2026-27 school year. The role is full-time for 10 months, focusing on supervising the STEP program and In-School Suspension to provide a structured, safe, academically focused environment while students complete assignments.

The person will enforce school expectations, maintain attendance and behavior records, and communicate with administrators, teachers, and families.

Qualifications

• Ability to develop and maintain an empathetic attitude toward all students.
• Ability to communicate and develop effective working relationships with students, parents, and staff.
• Willingness to seek and maintain CPR certification.

Responsibilities

• Provide safe and supportive environment for STEP students to complete academic work.
• Implement STEP curriculum and supervise students during in‑School suspension and breaks.
• Collaborate with STEP counselor to address social and emotional needs.
• Maintain attendance and behavior documentation; communicate with administrators and families.
• Assist with clerical duties and data entry; support instructional plans as directed.

Skills

Empathetic attitude

Communication

CPR certification

Education

High school diploma

Job description

STEP Program Teaching Assistant

Burley Middle School

2026-27 School Year

Full-time, 10 months/year

Are you looking to work in a school division where students are engaged in authentic, challenging, and relevant learning experiences, becoming lifelong contributors and leaders in our dynamic and diverse society? Then look no further!

In Albemarle County Public Schools, we work together as a team to end the predictive value of race, class, gender, and special capacities for our children’s success through high-quality teaching and learning for all. We seek to build relationships with families and communities to ensure that every student succeeds. We will know every student!

We are the first public school division in Virginia, and among the first in the country, to develop and implement an Anti‑Racism policy with the expressed purpose of building school communities that share the responsibility to recognize and end racism, eliminate inequitable practices that result in achievement gaps, and support the unique gifts, talents, and interests of every child. In ACPS, “all” really means all.

ACPS employees enjoy competitive pay and benefits, including health & dental coverage, retirement, flexible spending accounts, paid time off, wellness program, discounts on gym memberships, and more!

The STEP Teaching Assistant is responsible for the daily supervision and operation of the Short Term Education Program (STEP) and In‑School Suspension , providing students with a structured, safe, and academically focused environment while they are temporarily removed from their regular classes. This position ensures students complete assigned academic work, follows and enforces school expectations, maintains accurate attendance and behavior documentation, supports student reflection and restorative practices when appropriate, and communicates proactively with administrators, counselors, teachers, and families. The coordinator must be dependable, organized, firm and consistent with students, able to build positive relationships, and committed to maintaining high expectations for student behavior, academic engagement, and successful transition back to the regular school setting.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide a safe and supportive environment for students assigned to STEP to complete academic work provided by teachers.
• Implement STEP curriculum.
• Collaborate with STEP school counselor to ensure social and emotional needs are met.
• Maintain communication with school administrators.
• The person hired for this position may also serve as a substitute teacher when needed.

Essential Functions

• Provides a safe and supportive environment for students assigned to STEP to complete academic work provided by teachers;
• Implements STEP curriculum;
• Collaborates with STEP school counselor(s) to ensure social and emotional needs are met;
• Maintains communication with school administrators;
• Supervises students during in‑School suspension including collecting assignments, reviewing assignments, answering questions, and providing encouragement;
• Supervises students during break and lunch periods;
• Completes student assignment sheets and distributes some;
• Collects, arranges, and makes assignments according to each student;
• Records attendance and makes appropriate reports;
• Reviews and enforces rules;
• Enters student data on the computer database;
• Performs clerical duties to support submitting quarterly reports;
• Carries out instructional plans as designated by the classroom teacher and if appropriate the student's Individual Educational Plan (IEP);
• Carries out follow‑up and reviews lessons;
• Develops and maintain a pleasant and orderly classroom environment (e.g., maintain instructional materials, design bulletin boards, assist special education teacher and/or students in clean‑up activities, etc.);
• Assists teacher in maintaining an appropriate level of classroom behavior and control with classroom teacher's knowledge and approval, carries out appropriate discipline of students;
• Procures, sets up, and operates audio‑visual equipment;
• Assists students in completion of learning tasks assigned by classroom teachers;
• Assists teacher in related instructional activities (e.g., field trips, library, assembly, etc.) as directed;
• Assists in the physical movement of students from one learning environment to another;
• Performs such duties as attendance recording and collection of lunch monies as directed by classroom teacher;
• Performs such clerical duties as typing, filing, and duplicating at the direction of classroom teacher;
• Supervises students during free time and other non‑instructional periods as directed by classroom teacher;
• Under supervision of classroom teacher and/or building principal, assist in maintenance of students' records;
• Assists with toileting, feeding, and positioning of students;
• Participates in team meetings;
• Assists with medical‑related duties, i.e. catheterization, gastrointestinal feedings, assistive breathing devices, colostomy, and ileostomy needs;
• Assists with carry‑over of related services, i.e., Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech, Adapted Physical Education, and Vision;
• Performs other duties as assigned by classroom teacher or principal;

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Ability to develop and maintain an empathetic attitude toward all students; willing to learn specialized instructional/management techniques employed with disabled students; ability to communicate and develop effective working relationships with students, parents, and staff; must be high school graduate or hold equivalence of a high school diploma and be willing to seek and maintain CPR certification.

Education And Experience

Any combination of education and experience equivalent to graduation from high school including basic keyboard and filing training.

PG 7 2026-27