Substitute - Bus Assistant

Bethel School District; Spanaway (WA); On-site; USD 22,730 - 32,373; Part time

Job summary

Bethel School District in Spanaway, Washington is seeking a Substitute Bus Assistant to assist a special education bus driver with loading and unloading students with special needs. The role includes ensuring student safety, operating necessary equipment, and providing support during transportation.

The ideal candidate will have experience with special needs students, excellent communication skills, and a valid CPR and first aid certification. The pay for this position is $20.10 an hour.

Qualifications

• Education, training, and skills necessary to perform assigned duties.
• Preferred experience with special needs students.
• Completion of fingerprinting and background check required.

Responsibilities

• Assist special education students in boarding and departing from the bus.
• Maintain safety and health awareness during transport.
• Work as part of a team with the bus driver.

Skills

Oral communication skills

Ability to diffuse situations

Knowledge of physical and behavioral disabilities

Ability to coordinate student needs

Ability to operate special needs equipment

Education

Experience with special needs students

Valid CPR and first aid certification

Tools

Wheelchairs

Lifts

Harnesses

Job description

Pay for This Position

2025-26 Substitute Bus Assistant Rate: $20.10/hour

This position's responsibilities are to assist a special education bus driver in the loading, unloading and safe transportation of students having special physical needs or behavior disorders.

Essential Functions

Depending upon the individual assignment, the Transportation Bus Assistant may perform all or a combination of the following:

• Assists special education students in boarding and departing from the bus; secures them properly in their seats; secures wheelchairs and other support devices.
• Maintains a high level of rapport with students and parents. Maintains a high level of safety and health awareness when transporting students; observes students for seizures, disruptive or dangerous behavior, personal hygiene and a variety of medical and physical conditions; maintains confidentiality of student conditions.
• Works together as a team with the bus driver; responds jointly to medical, behavioral, physical, accident and evacuation emergencies as necessary.
• Operates a variety of lifts, wheelchairs, tie‑downs, harnesses and emergency ramps.
• Assists in cleaning and sanitizing the bus. Applies cleaning compound as necessary to clean, remove and disinfect spillages of blood, vomit, bodily wastes, etc.
• Creates a positive atmosphere for students.
• Maintains current knowledge and skills in the field of special needs students, equipment and emergency procedures.
• Assists new and substitute drivers in finding routes and student locations.

Other Functions

• Assists driver in a variety of functions as requested.
• May serve on various district committees and/or departmental work teams. Models appropriate and cooperative behavior, including protecting confidential information, consistent with district ethical guidelines.
• Performs related duties consistent with the scope and intent of the position.

Reporting Relationships

Reports to the Director of Transportation; works closely with assigned bus driver.

Mental Demands

Experiences a variety of demands requiring prioritization of responses; may occasionally deal with distraught or difficult students; required to adhere to inflexible schedule deadlines.

Physical Demands

Required to sit for prolonged periods; required to lift, move and carry equipment; potentially exposed to a variety of ordinary infectious diseases carried by students; required to lift, carry, position and restrain students; may need to take precautions to avoid exposure to student's bodily fluids and cleaning or disinfecting compounds; exposed to diesel fumes when unloading students; required to work outdoors in inclement weather; required to remain confined to a school bus for extended periods of time; may be exposed to biting behavior and the outbursts of severe behavior disordered students; exposed to student and bus noise levels; exposed to equipment such as lifts with a cutting or crushing potential; required to crouch, bend, push, pull and work in other non-routine positions; required to attend to students' personal hygiene.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience

Education, training, skills, and experience necessary to carry out the assignment, with experience with special needs students preferred.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Skill in oral communication. Knowledge of district's streets, highways and boundaries. Ability to diffuse situations and resolve conflicts. Skill in managing concurrent situations and problems. Skill in dealing with crisis situations. Ability to deal with students in a warm and confident manner. Ability to remain flexible to changes in assignments or situations. Ability to coordinate student needs with parents and district staff. Ability to work with special education students individually or in groups. Knowledge of a variety of physical and behavioral disabilities. Ability to operate special needs equipment such as wheelchairs, lifts, harnesses and restraints. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, parents and students.

Licenses and Special Requirements

Requires fingerprinting and background check to determine that there have been no convictions involving physical molestation, abuse, injury or neglect of a minor. Must complete training in and adhere to district infection control plan. Requires hepatitis‑B immunization. Valid CPR and first aid certification required.

Wages and Benefits

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• Salaries/Wages
• Insurance
• Retirement Plans
• Paid Time Off or Vacation
• Paid Holidays

Non-Discrimination Policy

Bethel School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, color, religion, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, homelessness, immigration or citizenship status, disability, neurodivergence, the use of a trained dog guide or service animal, age, and honorably discharged veteran or military status and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Civil Rights Compliance / Gender‑Inclusive Schools Coordinator, Darius Alexander, [e-mail], 253.800.2019; Title IX Coordinator, Mel Boyd, [e-mail], 253.800.2029; and 504 Coordinator, Melissa Munson‑Merritt, [e-mail], 253.800.2301. All individuals may be reached at this address: 516 176th Street East, Spanaway, WA 98387. Title IX inquiries may also be directed toward the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Information about the nondiscrimination and sex‑based discrimination policies and grievance procedures, and how to report a concern or complaint: bethelsd.org.

El Distrito Escolar de Bethel no discrimina en sus programas ni actividades por motivos de sexo, raza, etnia, color, religión, credo, nacionalidad, orientacion sexual, expresion o identidad de genero, falta de hogar, estatus migratorio o de ciudadania, discapacidad, neurodiversidad, uso de perro guia entrenado o animal de servicio, edad, condicion de veterano o militar con baja honorable. Asimismo, ofrece igualdad de acceso a los Boy Scouts y a otros grupos juveniles especificados. Las siguientes empleados han sido designados para atender consultas y quejas de supuesta discriminacion: Cumplimiento de los Derechos Civiles/Coordinadora Escolar de Inclusion de Gero, Darius Alexander, [e-mail], 253.800.2019; Coordinador del Titulo IX, Mel Boyd, [e-mail], 253.800.2029; y Coordinadora 504, Melissa Munson‑Merritt, [e-mail], 253.800.2301. Todas las personas pueden ser localizadas en esta direccion 516 176th Street East, Spanaway, WA 98387. Las consultas sobre el Titulo IX tambien pueden dirigirse a la Oficina de Derechos Civiles (OCR) del Departamento de Educacion de los Estados Unidos. Para mas informacion sobre las politicas de no discriminacion y discriminacion por razon de sexo, los procedimientos de reclamacion, y sobre como comunicar una preocupacion o queja visite: www. bethelsd.org.

Application Procedure

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