Job Description:

 Purpose Statement
Across our schools, we currently serve the needs of over 1,700 students who have been identified with special needs that require particular time and attention from our educational support teams.  As our student population continues to grow, we look for candidates who are eager and excited to work with all of our students across all classrooms.  Successful candidates should be enthusiastic, caring, and committed to the success of our students.  Our Special Education Tutors are specifically hired as a part of an individual student's support team that has been created by the Special Education and Related Services teams, in order to provide the best educational outcomes for these students who come with a wide assortment of needs.  Our Tutors are assigned to a small group of students, often 2 or 3 and sometimes 1 student, in order to support the work of the teacher in the classroom.  Our Tutors must be able to follow specific instructions from our teachers, while applying great attention to confidentiality, and must exercise discretion with students, colleagues and families or caregivers.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work with individual students or small groups of students under the supervision of a certified teacher to reinforce learning of materials or skills initially introduced by the teacher.
• Collect data on student progress.
• Evidence of the ability to work cooperatively with staff.
• Assist the teacher in the handling, operation and care of equipment, used in the classroom, including media, and instructional materials.
• Assist with the supervision of students during emergency drills, assemblies, play periods, field trips and in other non-classroom activities.
• Check notebooks, correct papers and supervise testing and make-up work, as assigned by the teacher.
• Assist the teacher with non-instructional duties, such as snack, toilet and clothing routines.
• Serve as the chief source of information and help to any substitute teacher assigned in the absence of the regular teacher.
• Assist the teacher in drill work, large group reading or storytelling.
• Alert the regular teacher regarding any problem or special information related to an individual student.
• Help students master equipment or instructional materials assigned by teacher.
• Guide independent study, enrichment work and remedial work set and assigned by the teacher.
• Distribute and collect workbooks, papers, and other materials for instruction.
• Assist in providing a well-organized, smoothly functioning school environment.
• Help students complete research and learning projects.
• Talks to and attempts to calm student(s) who are distressed.
• Attend inclusion classes with special education students and assist in implementing alternative instructional strategies.
• Assist with implementation of inclusion plans for students.
• Assist in maintaining an environment conducive to learning as requested by the teacher. 
• Assist with discipline and other classroom duties as requested by the teacher.
• Assist the teacher in supervising students on arrival to or departure from school and all transitional times.
• Assist in monitoring students during eating periods.
• Assist with playground supervision, as needed.
• Assist in hall and stairway supervision.
• Escort students to other rooms/locations as required.
• Willingness to serve as a bus monitor.
• Maintain the same high level of ethnical behavior and sensitivity of information about students as is expected of a certified teacher or assistant teacher.
• Attend staff development workshops to enhance instructional delivery to children.
• Participate in in-service training programs, as assigned.
• May work with special needs student(s) to assist with daily living needs, such as feeding and bathroom accommodations.
• Assist in other related duties that may be assigned by the teacher.
• Only in specifically identified assignments, may be asked to assist in one or more of the following services:
  • Therapeutic feeding
  • Diaper changing
  • Toileting
  • Self-help skills
  • Muscle tone exercises
  • Positioning
  • Colostomy care
  • Embarkation/debarkation of buses including lifting of students when necessary.
• Perform related duties as appropriate for the position as assigned by the appropriate administrator/supervisor.

SKILLS, ABILITIES & QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School Diploma is required
• Must meet NCLB Para compliance requirements, as applicable.
• Must possess or be willing to acquire the skills necessary to support needs associated with autism, ABA, behavioral needs, as well as activities of daily living such as feeding.
• Experience/training in working with children.
• Such additions and alternatives to the above qualifications as may be appropriate and acceptable.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions effectively.
• Exhibits good judgment, patience, tact and courtesy.
• Physical condition commensurate with the demands of, at a minimum, the essential function of the position.

SALARY
Full-time 32.5 hours a week
Hourly Rate:  $16.22 as required by current CSEA paraeducator union contract
Health and Welfare Benefits plan available to all full time employees, with a generous Health Care Reimbursement Account to defray deductible costs.  Dental plans available.
For a limited time only, the Danbury Public Schools is offering an $800 incentive bonus to all qualified candidates who are hired and commence employment.  This incentive is payable in two equal installments in the first and second payroll cycles for new hires into this Special Education Tutor Position.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
Apply On-line
Please go on-line at  www.danbury.k12.ct.us job listings