Erie Neighborhood House, a progressive social service agency serving the Chicago metropolitan area and dedicated to promoting a just and inclusive society, is seeking a Disabilities Paraprofessional. Reporting to the Head Start Social Worker, the Disabilities Paraprofessional’s basic function is to actively assist CPS diagnosed disabled children in Head Start collaboration classrooms, as well as participating in the education and general development of all classroom children following Erie House, Board of Ed, DHS and DCFS standards/philosophies.
Position Responsibilities:
• Assists up to 3 children that attend CPS half-day instructional classrooms. Critical daily activities include classroom transition times, meal times, toileting if needed, and activities away from the site such as field trips and neighborhood walks.
• Promotes recognition, acceptance and positive interactions among children and among children and staff. Models respect and acceptance of each child as an individual. Monitors overall health and safety of all children on a daily basis and reports any suspected signs of illness, injury or abuse to Social Worker.
• Partakes in transportation services (walk children to and from their individual services and escort children that are receiving services on and off the bus).
• With the classroom team, assists in the inclusion of all children with individual education plans and the curriculum requirements needed to meet Head Start Performance standards as well as plans, prepares and implements developmentally appropriate child-initiated and teacher-directed activities for individuals and small and large groups of children.
• Utilize individualized programmed materials to assist students with IEP’s
• Supervise children in the hallways, gymnasiums and playgrounds.
• Assist the teacher in observing, recording, and charting behavior.
• Assist the teacher with crisis problems and behavior management such as carrying out behavior management activities and assist in facilitating interactions between students.
• Conduct parental involvement info activity sheets and direct parents to teachers or disabilities service coordinator whenever parents have questions or concerns
• Attend and participate in the training program for disabilities para-professionals that will occur monthly and are facilitated by the CPS/CDHS Disabilities Support Team.
• Meet with CPS/DFSS Disabilities Liaison for further supervision when necessary
• Maintain yearly paraprofessional binder with proper documentation of training certificates
• Participate in Erie house student support team meetings in order to provide feedback and learn how to best empower students and assist teachers.
• Responsible for the program complying with Erie’s, the Board of Ed’s and all City and State licensing requirements and performance standards, including promoting the health and safety of all the children, following sanitation procedures and universal precautions, completing a bi-annual physical exam, complying with the Confidentiality and Child Abuse and Neglect Acts as a mandated reporter, as well as the American’s with Disabilities Act and Erie’s Inclusion Policy.
Hourly Compensation: $14.00 an hour, plus excellent benefit package
Qualifications and Requirements:
• This position requires a High School diploma or equivalency (G.E.D.) plus 6 hours in Child Development. Position also requires one year of experience in a Childcare setting.
• Bicultural/Bilingual (Spanish) preferred.
• Physical constraints required include, but not limited to, the ability to lift and carry children and/or other items weighing up to 50 pounds to accomplish the job, including evacuation of the building during emergencies.
• Demonstrates the following qualities: self-motivated, self-directed, follows directions, makes good judgments, creative, reliable and dependable.
• Provide proof of eligibility to work in the U.S.
• Ability to respond immediately to any emergency situation.
• Upon offer of employment, must complete all forms related to hiring, including Erie’s application, employment status form and provide 3 letters of recommendation. In addition, must complete all DCFS forms, including a Criminal Background Check, Fingerprinting, and a Child Abuse and Neglect Background Check.
Send resume to virizarry02@iwe.staugustine.edu
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