SY 26-27 Special Education Teacher Assistant

Position: Special Education Teacher Assistant (1st - 5th grade)

Reports to: Assistant Principal

Who We Are

Our mission is to provide an exemplary educational program that includes all students. Our developmentally appropriate, student and family-centered educational approach nurtures students to expand their developmental skills, in order to build a foundation for life-long learning. Our Core Values are:

• Responsibility
• Engagement
• Acceptance
• Creativity
• Honesty
  

Who Are We Looking For

We are seeking passionate educators to build an inclusive Pk-5 school community. We are seeking individuals who are committed to providing high-quality, universally designed instruction and who are committed to learning about and implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies for our diverse student community.  We are seeking individuals who recognize that they are in a position of public trust and are held to a high standard of personal and professional conduct.  If you are a dedicated educator who is passionate about creating a culture of inclusion and respect, we invite you to join our team. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our students and build a brighter future for our community.

Our Graduate Profile

A Bridges “Graduate”

• Is a unique and independent individual who is prepared to pave their own path.
• Self advocates through their preferred communication modalities.
• Welcomes diversity with inclusion, openness, acceptance, and respect for others.
• Demonstrates empathy and a desire to help and support others in need.
• Perseveres in the face of challenges to meet their individual academic, social, and extracurricular goals. 
• Is prepared for next steps after leaving Bridges Public Charter School.

As a Special Education Teacher Assistant, you will be responsible for…

• Working with the Lead Teacher in planning and managing for the success of a special education classroom.
• Supporting the creation of challenging,  engaging, and universally designed lessons that support learner variability.  
• Supporting the use of the UDL Framework to design and implement curriculum standards-based units that include differentiated instruction.
• Supporting the planning and teaching of students for the core subjects of reading, math, science, and social studies.
• Supporting students during small group instruction
• Regularly collect data to track students’ progress in program areas of curriculum and students' IEPs.
• Providing support to students during specials classes (Gardening, Music, Spanish, PE, Art)
• Assessing student progress regularly and using data to support instruction.
• Collaborating with the Lead Teacher, special education service providers (speech, PT, OT), ELL teacher, and other Assistant Teacher(s) or Teaching Fellow(s).
• Maintaining the classroom grade book by inputting at least 3-4 grades per week.  
• Maintaining the daily attendance records for the classroom. 
• Facilitating Morning Meeting. 
• Organizing student breakfast and lunch. Maintaining breakfast and lunch count.  
• Providing support during recess to ensure students are safe. 
• Assisting with maintaining current bulletin boards (in class and hallway). 
• Creating a classroom culture and environment that develops and nurtures the emotional, cognitive, and social abilities of the students, implementing Responsive Classroom techniques.
• Participating in Parent Teacher Conferences, contacting parents as needed/requested, and providing translation as necessary. 
• Responding to students’ behavior appropriately and successfully.
• Engaging parents and families in their student’s learning and acting as an ambassador for the school in the community.
• Contributing productively to the school as a whole.
• Attending and participating in school events outside of regular school hours
• Other duties as assigned

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Adhering to the 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. work day
• Regularly attends work and adheres to all attendance policies.
• Be on time for classes, duties, team meetings, and professional development activities. Communicate about and plan for absences in advance with teaching teams and the Principal.
• Participate in monthly Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings.
• Contribute to PLC sessions by being prepared to share data,  ideas, student work,  materials, feedback, facilitating sessions, and/or discussions.
• Participate in a Summer Professional Development. Summer Professional Development will be two weeks in August before students return.
• Seek out additional opportunities for professional development that will lead to achieving personal and school-wide professional development goals.
• Reading provided school information and adhering to all deadlines.
• Respond to all emails within 24 hours or the next business day. 
• Other professional duties as assigned.   
  

SCHOOL CULTURE

• Create and maintain a physically and emotionally safe environment for students. 
• Communicate respectfully to students, staff, and families at all times. 
• Model, practice, and discuss respectful, unbiased, and effective communication with students.
• Other school culture expectations as assigned. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Have an AA, BA, or MA, or a high school diploma / GED, and pass the Praxis ParaPro exam.
• Have taken coursework in early childhood education, elementary education, or human development.
• Have prior work or volunteer experience with children or students with special needs.
• Demonstrate strong skills in partnering with families.
• Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a diverse group of colleagues, parents, families, and community members.
• Be committed to meeting the needs of a diverse student population.
• Have a track record of being a team player and community-minded.
• Be committed to their own learning.
• Have excellent time-management skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently.
• Have a passion for urban public schools.
• Adhere to a high level of professional and ethical standards.

SALARY & BENEFITS

Salary range: $32,000-$52,000/Per Year

Staff can also add up to an additional $2000.00 to their salary by successfully passing the language proficiency assessment. $1000.00 for spoken language proficiency and $1000.00 for written language proficiency in Spanish or Amharic.

Salary is based on educational level, certification(s), and years of experience.  The successful candidate will be contracted yearly.  Employment will be renewed according to evaluations and staff interest. Child care and health savings plans, pre-tax deduction for Metro, bike racks, and regular staff engagement and wellness activities. Staff lounge and lactation room for nursing mothers. Health benefits (medical & dental), disability insurance, and a retirement plan: 401k with a 4% match or the continuation of the DCPS retirement plan.

To ensure safety for all students, all staff members may be fingerprinted. Background checks will be conducted on all school staff prior to their service as employees.