Asst. Professor - Special Education jobs in Denver, CO

Pay Scale: starting at $21.04-$29.30/hour plus benefits

General Description

This position is at Meadowood Child Development Center and for a paraprofessional specific to working in our Autism program. The program consists of working with 3 and 4 year old students with Autism Spectrum Disorders who attend school 3-6 hours per day.

Paraprofessionals assist teachers in supporting students that have significant support needs ranging from significant impact of Autism, significant medical needs, life skill needs, and support with health/hygiene and toileting. Paras have a very important job and are integral to the functioning of our center-based classrooms. They make a big impact on the lives of students and candidates for this position need to have patience and provide consistent expectations of student behavior, as well as be able to build strong relationships with students and other staff members. Paraprofessional positions are needed to support students in kindergarten through high school, as well as one on one para positions (where one para supports one student throughout the day). Paraprofessionals typically work Monday-Friday during school hours and have weekends, evenings, holidays and summers off. Employees are paid year-round so that they receive a consistent income over 12 months. There are often opportunities to work extra hours if desired. Full benefits are included. No experience is required and on the job training as well as professional development is provided.

Summary

Responsible for assisting students with severe needs in learning to be as independent as possible in everyday living. Duties include instructing small and large groups in academic, sensory, art, monetary skills, domestic, recreation, hygiene, community and/or social skills; assisting students with feeding and transporting; supervising students in various settings outside the classroom; carrying out occupational or physical therapy activities as directed; administering assigned medical tasks; performing required recordkeeping; monitoring behavior; and implementing behavior plans.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Instruct small and large groups in academics, sensory skills, art, monetary skills, domestics and recreation.
• Monitor students and assist in instructing hygiene skills including brushing teeth, using deodorant, combing hair, toileting, diapering, etc.
• Feed and supervise eating including spoon feeding and tube feeding.
• Provide supervision in classroom, physical education, clinic, lunchroom, playground and to and from buses.
• Carry out activities and programs under licensed itinerant personnel, i.e. range of motion physical therapist, and fine motor activities occupational therapist.
• Instruct and assist students with social skills including friendships, table manners, stranger safety, etc.
• Push wheelchairs to classrooms, restrooms and between school and bus and tie down wheelchair on bus.
• Administer medical tasks as assigned by the nurse including administering medications, administering suctioning, monitoring catheter, etc.
• Perform record keeping including documenting student attendance and participation for Medicaid forms; accounting for money received related to students' lunch, paychecks and bus fares; documenting student progress; and documenting and submitting student timesheets to receive students' paychecks.
• Monitor behavior using behavior plans, de-escalation techniques, time out rooms and restraints when necessary.
• Lift students in and out of wheelchairs for positioning, diaper changing or toileting.
• Instruct, assist and may transport students with vocational activities such as shredding documents, recycling, cleaning tables, etc.
• Instruct students in community skills such as street safety, stranger safety signs, sight words, monetary skills, reading menus and ordering food.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

High school diploma or equivalent; Associate's degree preferred. Training in various medical needs of students required within 3 months after hire. Training in use of vans preferred.

EXPERIENCE:

Less than 1 year of experience required.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, EQUIPMENT, OTHER:

Good oral communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to work with students with various backgrounds, abilities and/or severe needs. Operating knowledge of personal computers, manual and electric wheelchairs, wheelchair strap down and augmentative communication devices required within 3 months after hire.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

Fingerprint/background certification required at hire. CPR, CPI, First Aid and work health physical certifications required within 6 months after hire. Valid Colorado driver's license preferred at hire.

SUPERVISION/TECHNICAL RESPONSIBILITY:

This job is responsible for supervising the behavior and safety of students while in the classroom, on the playground, during swimming, on/off buses, in the community and in vocation areas. Acts as a resource for parents and students by ensuring a safe and nurturing environment for the children and by providing information regarding children's well-being, behavior and progress.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 100 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move with assistance over 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts and outdoor weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.

MENTAL FUNCTIONS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate and use interpersonal skills. The employee is frequently required to compare, copy, coordinate, instruct, evaluate and negotiate. The employee is occasionally required to compute and synthesize.

About Aurora, Colorado

Aurora, Coloradois located adjacent to the Denver Metro Area. Aurora has a population of around 400.000 residents, more than 97 parks and over 5,000 acres of open space and trails. Aurora, Colorado has a mild and dry climate with more than 300 days of sunshine a year, with easy access to the mountains for skiing, hiking, mountain biking and other outdoor activities. In 2008, Aurora won the All-America City Award, an award that recognizes communities that leverage civic engagement, collaboration, inclusiveness and innovation to successfully address local issues. Want to know why Aurora, Colorado is one of America’s Best Places to Live? Check out this article from Livability.

About Aurora Public Schools (APS)

Students in APS come from more than 130 countries and speak over 160 different languages. 42% of the student population are multi-language learners and have a primary language other than English. 77% of these students are native Spanish speakers. 74% of students qualify for free and reduced lunch. APS is comprised of 63 schools supporting students ranging from pre-school ages through post-high school aged at our vocational/technical college. APS has over 5,500 staff members, and 258 counseling and mental health professionals to support the social, emotional and behavioral needs of our students and staff.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $21.04 - $29.30 per hour

Expected hours: 37.5 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Grade school specialties:

• Pre-Kindergarten

Physical setting:

• Public school

Application Question(s):

• Do you require Visa Sponsorship to work in the United States?

Work Location: In person