Special Education Instructional Aide

Job Description

Title: Special Education Instructional Aide

Division: School-Wide

Location: Making Waves Academy Richmond

Reports To:  Director of Special Education

Status: Full-time, Non-exempt (During the Academic Year)

Hourly Rage: $24.00 - $28.00

Position Summary

Under the supervision of the Special Education Director and Special Education Resource Teacher, the Special Education Instructional Aide will assist with the instruction and support of designated Special Education students by performing a variety of instructional support duties to individuals or small groups of students within the special education setting or regular classroom. These duties shall be designed to complement the instructional program to maximize the learning opportunity and inclusion of students with learning differences. The Instructional Aide will also assist in the establishment and implementation of appropriate classroom and MWA school-wide behavior norms, expectations, and practices.

Primary Responsibilities

Instruction

• Under the direction of the Special Education Resource Teacher, work with students in small groups or individually to tutor, reinforce, or follow up learning activities in core academic, language, and/or specialized subject areas.
• Prepare and set up instructional materials and/or equipment for use in classroom activities; maintain instructional material and equipment.
• Provide guidance to classroom teachers to create curriculum modifications for students, based on observations.
• Assist in establishing and maintaining a clean, safe, and cooperative classroom and learning environment. Use data to help inform discussions about student learning and progress with Special Education Resource Teachers and staff.

Assessment

• Provide testing accommodations, including supervising students completing tests in a separate location or during an extended time.
• Review and correct student work assignments.
• Assist in the implementation of behavior intervention plans which may involve use of approved positive reinforcement strategies, behavior modification, other skills or knowledge to establish and maintain appropriate behaviors.

Collaboration

• Facilitate and support social interactions and foster the development of positive relationships between students with disabilities and their non-disabled peers.
• Assist all students by modeling appropriate behavior and attitudes and providing emotional support and general guidance.
• Support students to be active participants on field trips and school assemblies or productions.
• Regularly collaborate with the IEP team (general education teachers, educational specialists, program specialists, etc.).

Additional Responsibilities and Expectations

Mission Alignment

• Communicate and build relationships with staff, faculty, students, and their families in the culturally and linguistically diverse MWA community.
• Commitment to become an active participant in the school community – attend weekly division-specific professional development sessions, school performances, school assemblies, extracurricular activities, and field trips if needed.

Other

• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Work Environment

This job operates in a classroom environment.This role routinely uses equipment such as promethean boards, laptop computers, photocopiers, and portable two-way radio transceivers.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to frequently walk across the middle and upper school campus, participate in campus supervision duty each week, lift items up to 10 lbs., and sit or stand for long periods of time.

Travel

None

Qualifications

Experience

• Experience working with special education students in an educational setting
• Teaching experience desirable
• Experience working with students and families from historically underserved communities
• Dedication, commitment, and resilience to succeed in an urban public school
• Familiarity with reading and analyzing data
• Previous mentorship experience desirable
• Understanding and ability to implement restorative justice practices

Skills

• Highly effective communication skills
• Ability to adapt and align with school-related initiatives
• Highly organized, goal-oriented, and focused on outcomes
• Ability to manage the ambiguity and multiple priorities inherent in an entrepreneurial environment
• Ability to communicate with, teach and build relationships with students and their families in the culturally and linguistically diverse MWA community
• Demonstrate an understanding of technology and literacy learning platforms (PowerSchool, Canvas, Blackboard, Google Drive and Calendar, Khan Academy, Newsla, Zinc/Springboard, etc.)
• Professional orientation – appearance, communication, organization, and attitude

Education

• Associate’s Degree required

Licenses or Certificates Needed

• Employment eligibility will include fingerprints, tuberculosis, COVID-19 vaccination, and/or other employment clearance

Preferred but not required

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Valid paraprofessional certification
• Spanish language proficiency

Reasonable Accommodation
Consistent with its obligations under the law, MWA will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.

Equal Employment Opportunity Is Our Policy

Making Waves Academy is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the School to afford equal employment and advancement opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to their perceived or identified: race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and hairstyle, including but not limited to braids, locks, and twists); color; gender, (including gender identity, gender expression, and transgender identity, whether or not the employee is transitioning or has transitioned); sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and medical conditions related to such); religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices); marital/registered domestic partner status; age (forty (40) and over); national origin or ancestry (including native language spoken and possession of a driver’s license issued to persons unable to prove their presence in the U.S. is authorized by federal law); physical or mental disability (including HIV and AIDS); medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics); taking of a leave of absence pursuant to the Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), Pregnancy Disability Leave (“PDL”) law, Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), California Family Rights Act (“CFRA”), the Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”), or laws related to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking laws; genetic information; sexual orientation; military and veteran status; or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy extends to all job applicants and employees and to all aspects of the employment relationship, including the hiring of new employees and the training, transfer, promotion, discipline, termination, compensation and benefits of existing employees. For a full copy of our non-discrimination policy, visit: