SPED Educational Assistant

Job Summary:

Under the direction of the classroom teacher, the Children's Health Assistant will assist students with disabilities in personal care and school-related activities to support their inclusion and success in the classroom.

Qualifications:

• Must be eligible for a Wisconsin DPI-issued Special Education Educational Assistant license.
• Must have a Certified Nursing Assistant license.
• One year of experience working with individuals with disabilities.
• Must meet Title One ParaProfessional Highly Qualified Requirements.
• CPR/First Aid Certification (provided by District).
• Pro-Act Certification (provided by the District).

Duties/Responsibilities

• Assist students with disabilities in activities of daily living, including dressing, eating, and managing bathroom needs.
• Lift or assist in lifting students with disabilities to accommodate position changes and personal care needs.
• Operate medical equipment such as Hoyer lifts, standing frames, or motorized wheelchairs; operate passenger elevators to assist students with disabilities in navigating school buildings or job sites.
• Support wheelchair users in accessing school and community settings, with consideration for their level of independence.
• Assist students with disabilities in safely getting on and off buses each day.
• Support students in teacher-directed academic and non-academic activities, working with students individually or in small groups under the guidance of the classroom teacher.
• Assist teachers and therapists with activities related to Individualized Education Programs (IEP) or 504 plans when necessary.
• Accompany and assist students with disabilities during supervised field trips and community outings.
• Clean classroom equipment and supplies routinely, especially after spills or accidents.
• Actively support the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District's mission to provide equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students.
• Cleans classroom equipment and supplies routinely and as needed after spills or accidents.
• Actively supports the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District's Strategic Plan.
• Attend meetings and participate in professional development opportunities as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to work effectively with students with mild to severe physical, emotional, or cognitive needs.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and adhere to district guidelines.
• Patience, empathy, and professionalism in managing challenging student behaviors.
• Effective oral and written communication skills are required
• Must be self-directed
• Excellent teamwork skills are essential
• The ability to develop effective working relationships with diverse individuals at all levels is required.
• Must have excellent planning and organizational skills.
• Must be able to juggle numerous responsibilities with varying deadlines.

Terms of Employment:

• Non-exempt.
• Maybe part time or full time. Full time = 40 hours per week.
• 10-month position during the school year.

Physical Requirements:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential of this job with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods.
• Occasionally moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another.
• Frequent repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers.
• Light work that includes moving objects up to 20-60 pounds.

Work Environment:

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
• Typical office and/or school environment
• Primarily indoors, with occasional outdoor supervision.
• May include exposure to varying weather conditions during outdoor activities.

Equal Opportunity:

It is the policy of the District that persons seeking employment with the District shall not be discriminated against in employment by reason of their age, race, creed, color, religion, handicap or disability, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sex, citizenship, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, arrest record, conviction record, military service, membership in the National Guard, state defense or reserves, political affiliation, use or nonuse of lawful products off the employer's premises during non working hours, declining to attend a meeting or to participate in any communication about religious matters or political matters, the authorized use of family or medical leave or worker's compensation benefits, genetic information, physical, mental, emotional or learning disability, or any other factor protected by local, state or federal law in all employment practices including terms, conditions and privileges of employment.

Reasonable accommodations shall be made for qualified individuals with a disability, unless such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the District. Requests for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or under the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act must be submitted to the Human Resources Department.