Transitions Academy 1:1 Paraprofessional

OPPORTUNITY ACADEMY; Holyoke (MA); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Holyoke Public Schools is seeking a 1:1 Paraprofessional for Transitions Academy to support a student with an IEP throughout the school day and during community activities. The role focuses on academic, behavioral, and daily living support under the supervision of the special education team.

The paraprofessional will reinforce instruction, help develop independence, and collaborate with teachers, families, and partner staff to ensure effective transition planning and successful engagement in

Qualifications

• Possess an associate degree or higher OR complete at least two years or 48 credit hours of study.
• Pass a formal assessment measuring the knowledge and ability needed to assist classroom teachers (e.g., WorkKeys or ParaPro).
• Citizenship, residency or work visa required.

Responsibilities

• Provide individualized academic, behavioral, vocational, social-emotional, mobility, communication, and daily living support based on the student’s IEP.
• Reinforce skills and instruction initially introduced by the special education teacher or related service provider.
• Support the student during classroom instruction, vocational activities, job placements, community-based learning, recreational activities, and field trips.
• Assist the student in developing independence, self-advocacy, communication, problem-solving, and workplace readiness skills.
• Implement accommodations, modifications, behavior support plans, safety plans, and instructional strategies as directed by the student’s educational team.
• Collaborate effectively with teachers, related service providers, job coaches, families, community partners, and other members of the student’s team.

Skills

Bilingual (Spanish-English)

Education

Associate degree or higher

Two years or 48 credit hours

WorkKeys or ParaPro Assessment

Job description

Transitions Academy 1:1 Paraprofessional

Holyoke Public Schools OPPORTUNITY ACADEMY - HOLYOKE, Massachusetts Open in Google Maps

This job is also posted in Holyoke Public Schools

Job Details

Job ID: 5917139
Application Deadline: Sep 30, 2026 11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time)
Posted: Sep 08, 2026 4:00 AM (UTC)

Starting Date: Immediately

Job Description

DISTRICT OVERVIEW

Holyoke Public Schools is a PreK-12 public school district serving nearly 4,800 students, of whom 80 percent are Latino/Latina, in 11 schools. We employ nearly 1,300 people who together educate and support a richly diverse community of learners. We are committed to recruiting and retaining top-quality educators who believe all children can and will learn and who strive daily to make school a joyful place of discovery, support, and belonging.

Holyoke Public Schools’ strategic plan , “Moving Forward Together,” builds on the strengths of our past while serving as a call to action to accelerate student learning by thinking differently about how we teach, how we work together, and how we support students’ well being.

Many successes contributed to Holyoke’s return to local governance after 10 years in state receivership. These include:

• The highest graduation rate on record of 77.1 percent, an increase of more than 15-points over 10 years
• Meaningful, applied learning opportunities for high school students, including theme-based academies, career vocational technical education programming, work-based learning, and advanced coursework
• A comprehensive approach to early literacy that includes strong core instruction and one-on-one tutoring, contributing to more students reading at grade level
• A thriving dual language English/Spanish program, where nearly 900 students are on their path to becoming bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural

• More than one-third of Holyoke teachers identify as people of color, a 19-point increase over 10 years. Many partnership programs support staff to earn licensure or additional certification.

Please visit the Holyoke Public Schools website to learn more about us , our recent accomplishments , and our commitment to equity .

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PERSPECTIVA GENERAL DEL DISTRITO

Las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke son un distrito escolar público que cuenta con 11 escuelas de prekínder a 12.° grado y acoge a casi 4 800 estudiantes, de los cuales el 80 % se identifica como latino o latina. Empleamos a casi 1 300 personas que, en conjunto, educan y apoyan a una comunidad de estudiantes altamente diversa. Estamos comprometidos a contratar y retener educadores de alta calidad que crean firmemente que todos los niños pueden aprender y aprenderán, y que se esfuerzan diariamente por hacer de la escuela un lugar alegre de descubrimiento, apoyo y pertenencia.

El plan estratégico de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke , “Avanzando Juntos”, se basa en nuestras fortalezas previas y, al mismo tiempo, sirve como un llamado a la acción para acelerar el aprendizaje estudiantil a través de una nueva perspectiva sobre cómo enseñamos, cómo trabajamos en colaboración y cómo apoyamos el bienestar de los estudiantes.

Existen numerosos logros que permitieron a Holyoke recuperar el control local después de 10 años de administración judicial. Entre estos logros se encuentran:

• La tasa de graduación más alta registrada, del 77.1 %, lo que representa un aumento de más de 15 puntos porcentuales en 10 años
• Oportunidades significativas de aprendizaje práctico para estudiantes de secundaria, que incluyen academias temáticas, programas de educación técnica y vocacional, aprendizaje basado en el trabajo y cursos avanzados
• Un enfoque integral de la alfabetización temprana que combina una sólida instrucción básica con tutorías individuales, lo cual ha contribuido a que más estudiantes lean a nivel de grado
• Un próspero programa bilingüe de inglés/español, en el que casi 900 estudiantes avanzan hacia el bilingüismo, la biliteracidad , y la biculturalidad.

• Más de un tercio de los maestros de Holyoke se identifican como personas de etnicidad diversa, lo que representa un aumento de 19 puntos porcentuales en 10 años. Diversas colaboraciones con programas que han contribuido a que miembros del personal obtengan sus certificaciones o credenciales adicionales.

Visite el sitio web de las Escuelas Públicas de Holyoke para obtener más información sobre nuestra comunidad , nuestros logros recientes y nuestro compromiso con la equidad .

Transitions Academy 1:1 Paraprofessional

DISTRICT OVERVIEW Holyoke Public Schools is a PreK-12 public school district serving nearly 5,100 students, of whom 80 percent are Latino/Latina, in 11 schools. We employ nearly 1,300 people who together educate and support a richly diverse community of learners. We are committed to recruiting and retaining top-quality educators who believe all children can and will learn and who strive daily to make school a joyful place of discovery, support, and belonging. Holyoke Public Schools’ strategic plan, “Moving Forward Together,” builds on the strengths of our past while serving as a call to action to accelerate student learning by thinking differently about how we teach, how we work together, and how we support students’ well being. Our Equity Commitments are pledges we are making to address systemic equity challenges. We intentionally build a community that is anti-racist, inclusive, and culturally responsive. We ensure that students, families, and staff get the support they need to be successful. We seek out and incorporate the voices of those impacted, with a commitment to include those who have been excluded in the past. We promote access and inclusion for all students, staff, and families. We respect, embrace, and honor the diversity of our students, families, staff, and community. We reflect on our own behavior to minimize harm to others. We create a culture of acceptance and empathy so that everyone feels valued and is able to contribute to our community’s success. Please visit the Holyoke Public Schools website to learn more about us as well as some of our recent accomplishments.

Holyoke Transitions Academy is designed to prepare students with disabilities, ages 18-22, for their change in status from a student to an emergent adult role. We focus on such facets of life as employment, post-secondary education, home care and maintenance, community involvement, and social and personal relationships.

Our Mission and Program

Transitions Academy serves students ages 18–22 who receive special education services. The program works closely with each student, their family, and their educational team to understand the student’s vision for adulthood and provide an individualized set of activities aligned with that vision.

Programming may include work-based learning experiences, recreational opportunities, community-based education, travel training, and daily instruction in social, vocational, life, and functional academic skills. Transitions Academy also collaborates with adult service agencies to support each student’s successful transition into adult life.

Position Summary

The 1:1 Paraprofessional provides individualized support to an assigned student throughout the school day and during community-based activities. Working under the direction of the special education teacher and program leadership, the paraprofessional helps the student access instruction, participate safely in program activities, develop greater independence, and make progress toward their Individualized Education Program (IEP) and transition goals.

The paraprofessional must build a supportive relationship with the student while maintaining high expectations and encouraging the student to complete tasks as independently as possible.

Essential Responsibilities

• Provide individualized academic, behavioral, vocational, social-emotional, mobility, communication, and daily living support based on the student’s IEP.
• Reinforce skills and instruction initially introduced by the special education teacher or related service provider.
• Support the student during classroom instruction, vocational activities, job placements, community-based learning, recreational activities, and field trips.
• Assist the student in developing independence, self-advocacy, communication, problem-solving, and workplace readiness skills.
• Implement accommodations, modifications, behavior support plans, safety plans, and instructional strategies as directed by the student’s educational team.
• Collect and maintain accurate daily data related to the student’s academic progress, behavior, attendance, participation, independence, and IEP goals.
• Maintain behavioral logs and promptly communicate relevant concerns, patterns, or incidents to the supervising teacher and program leadership.
• Assist the student with mobility, positioning, transportation routines, and the safe use of adaptive or instructional equipment.
• Provide personal care assistance when required, including toileting, diapering, hygiene, tooth brushing, eating, dressing, and other daily living routines.
• Support breakfast, lunch, snack, and cleanup routines.
• Meet the student’s bus or transportation provider and assist with safe arrival and dismissal.
• Supervise and support the student during emergency drills, assemblies, physical education, recreational activities, and community outings.
• Follow all health, safety, confidentiality, and mandated reporting requirements.
• Participate in staff meetings, professional development, and training related to the student’s needs.
• Collaborate effectively with teachers, related service providers, job coaches, families, community partners, and other members of the student’s team.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and protect the student’s privacy and dignity.
• Perform other duties related to the student’s educational and transition programming as assigned.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Possess an associate degree or higher OR Complete at least two years or 48 credit hours of study at an institution of higher education; OR Pass a formal assessment measuring the knowledge and ability needed to assist classroom teachers in reading, writing, and mathematics, such as the WorkKeys or ParaPro Assessment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Training or experience working with students with disabilities.
• Experience supporting students with significant academic, behavioral, communication, mobility, medical, or personal care needs.
• Experience working with transition-aged students or young adults.
• Experience working in vocational or community-based educational settings.
• Experience working in an urban school environment.
• Experience working with students and families from diverse backgrounds.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong collaboration, organization, and data-collection skills.
• Ability to remain calm, patient, flexible, and responsive to individual student needs.
• Bilingual applicants, particularly Spanish-speaking applicants, are strongly encouraged to apply.

Position Type: Full-Time

Job Categories:

Instructional Support > Paraprofessional / IA

Equal Opportunity Employer

Holyoke Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of a person's race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national Origin, ancestry, age, sex, genetic information, military or veteran status, gender identity or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.

Job Requirements

• Citizenship, residency or work visa required

Contact Information

• Christie Elman , Director of Recruitment
• 57 Suffolk Street
• Holyoke, Massachusetts 01040
• Phone: [phone]
• Email: [e-mail]

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