Job Description:

Location:
  East Lyme Middle School

Summary: Instructs/tutors students individually or in small groups under the direction and
supervision of a certified teacher. Plans lessons, provides instruction, plans individual instruction per the student’s instructional plan in collaboration with the classroom teacher. Implements lesson plans
independently or in collaboration with the certified teacher.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Other duties may be assigned.
The Instructional Assistant shall:
• Maintain a high level of ethical behavior and confidentiality of information about students/staff.
• Possess the ability to work independently as well as a member of a team.
• Work with individuals and/or small groups of students to reinforce material introduced by the teacher and foster skills while encouraging independence.
• Accompany student(s) into inclusive settings.
• Establish, as fully as possible, a supportive relationship with the student(s) while maintaining the role as an authority figure.
• Remain student-focused, maintaining a caring, safe, developmentally-appropriate environment.
• Establish a positive, appropriate rapport with students as socially and age appropriate.
• Assist with toileting, feeding, and any other health responsibilities.
• Assist with loading and unloading of students onto vans, buses, taxis, etc.
• Lift/restrain student when necessary.
• Alert appropriate staff to any problem or special information about individual students.
• Assist the teacher in implementing behavior programs.
• Assist in collecting and creating suitable materials for educational displays.
• Aid the teacher in conducting lessons that require preparation of visual aids, operation of audiovisual
equipment, and other equipment used in the classroom for instructional purposes.
• Assist the teacher in conducting routine clerical duties.
• Be punctual and consistent in meeting daily time schedules throughout the school year.
• Work effectively and cooperatively with other staff members.
• Sanitize classrooms as required by health care plans.
• Perform such other duties as may be assigned.
Supervisory Responsibilities: Supervises students as determined by the certified teacher,
principal, or his/her designee.
Qualification Requirements: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each
essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability
required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education and/or Experience: Minimum Requirement: Associates Degree, 60 hours of college credit, or a
passing score on Para Pro Assessment (457)
Language Skills: Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability
to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.
Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.
Other Skills and Abilities: Previous work in childcare. Ability to develop effective working relationships with students, staff and the school community. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Ability to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and Board of Education policies.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. The employee must be able to push items of 50 pounds such as pushing children on a bike or moving/rearranging furniture. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
The employee is willing to be trained in the use of physical management of students for emergency use and to use procedures as directed by the supervising teacher.