LPN / Classroom Paraprofessional
Under direct supervision of the classroom teacher, the incumbent provides one-to-one support to an assigned student and assists the teacher in providing a learning environment which improves and develops the student’s social, communication and intellectual skills. Duties of this position include working with children individually and in group settings, providing developmentally appropriate instruction to the student, providing general support for other students, and performing other duties as assigned. The incumbent is responsible for accompanying the assigned student to both scheduled and unscheduled activities throughout the day such as lunch, restroom breaks, therapy sessions, and off-campus activities, and assisting the student in performing tasks associated with those activities. Such assistance may require the incumbent to lift and position physically disabled individuals. The incumbent is also responsible for meeting the student in the morning at the bus or other means of transportation and for delivering the student at the end of the school day to their transport home. An important aspect of the job is gaining knowledge of and implementing the assigned student’s Individual Education Plan goals and objectives as well as data collection and documentation of progress.
This position is classified as non-exempt and in accordance with the Federal regulations is eligible for overtime pay for hours worked in excess of forty (40) hours per week. Note: Overtime must be pre-approved and time off from work either paid or unpaid is not considered in determining hours worked in a week.
Other Performance Measures
Successful performance on the job requires following safety guidelines and policies to reduce accident or injury to self or students, school dress standards, proper attendance and leave policies and compliance with other policies set forth in the Employee Handbook. Creativity, initiative and effective problem solving is also important to the success of the incumbent.
Examples of Essential Functions
- Assists assigned student with physical care, feeding, medication, mobility or other skills as designated by the teacher or therapist.
- Reinforces skills introduced by the teacher and provides instruction to student as prescribed by the teacher; may utilize games, stories or other construction activities to enhance learning skills.
- Reports incidents to teachers and administration immediately; if the event involved the student’s safety, a written incident report is completed.
- Actively participates in the school swimming program, which includes wearing appropriate swimwear and assisting the assigned student while in the water.
- Operates and cares for equipment used in the classroom for instructional purposes.
- Helps student master equipment or instructional materials assigned by the teacher.
- Assists with the supervision of students during emergency drills, assemblies, play periods and community-based instruction. The ability to keep up with running children and or to lift or assist with lifting students is essential to perform this task.
- Attends weekly team meetings; participates in theme planning and shares ideas for activities.
- Attends weekly and special staff meetings and assumes responsibility for the verbal and written information provided at such meetings.
- Completes assigned paperwork, collects data and updates student(s) portfolios as directed by the teacher.
- The essential functions of this position as described herein require the ability to exert moderate physical effort in light work, typically involving some combination of bending, stooping, squatting, reaching, kneeling, crouching, crawling and brisk walking, and which may involve lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of moderate weight (45 lbs.).
- Most tasks require oral communication, visual and hearing perception, and the ability to get around the classrooms, cafeteria, gym, campus, etc.
- Participates as a Committee Member on at least one School Committee.
- Other duties as assigned.
- Demonstrated ability to fulfill the dexterity and physical requirements of the work, and effectively attend to the needs of a student with intellectual disabilities
- Ability to work with individuals and small groups of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Ability to maintain effective working relationships with all employees.
- Ability to assist supervising instructional staff in the preparation and/or organization of materials.
- Tuberculosis screening to assure no significant risk to the health and safety of others.
- Successfully passing a criminal background investigation and pre-employment and random drug screenings.
- COVID-19 Vaccination (s).
Sensory Requirements
Most tasks require visual perception and discrimination. Some tasks require oral communications ability. Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate sounds.
Minimum Acceptable Education and Experience
High school diploma or GED certificate; previous relevant vocational training or work experience is preferred. Current License Nurse Practitioner (LPN) in Washington DC.
Desired Educational Requirements covered under NCLB act.
- Either successfully completing: an Associate’s Degree program; or
- completing 48 college credit hours; or
- the ParaPro Assessment test administered by the Educational Training Service (ETS).
Hours of Work
7:50 AM to 3:10 PM – Wednesday
7:50 AM to 4:00 PM – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
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.
Physical Mobility
|
Physical Effort
|
Activity
|
% of Day
|
Lifting: Amt of Weight
|
|
Stand
|
15
|
Up to 10 lbs.
|
10
|
Walk
|
15
|
Up to 20 lbs.
|
10
|
Sit
|
60
|
Up to 45 lbs.
|
10
|
Bend
|
10
|
More than 100 lbs.
|
No
|
Climb stairs
|
15
|
|
|
Balance
|
100
|
Push/Pull: Amt of Weight
|
|
Stoop
|
20
|
Up to 10 lbs.
|
10
|
Kneel
|
10
|
Up to 20 lbs.
|
10
|
Talk
|
100
|
Up to 45 lbs.
|
10
|
Hear
|
100
|
More than 100 lbs.
|
no
|
Ability to perform a 2-person transfer.
|
Vision Ability
|
Activity
|
|
Close vision
|
100
|
Distance vision
|
100
|
Color vision
|
100
|
Peripheral vision
|
100
|
Depth perception
|
100
|
Ability to adjust and focus
|
100
|
Manual or Finger Dexterity
|
Activity
|
|
Finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls
|
50
|
Reach with hands and arms
|
30
|
Operate computer
|
40
|
Operate office equipment
|
20
|
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Environment
|
% of Time
|
Comments
|
Noise level- The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.
|
100
|
|
Air conditions- Indoor air level-air conditioning/heat. Outdoor-variable conditions.
|
100
|
While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to weather conditions.
|
Work involves interaction with individuals who may exhibit aggressive behaviors due to their disability.
|
100
|
|