Assistant, Exceptional Child (Personal Needs Assistant) 24-25

Rama Road Elementary - Charlotte, NC

Full-time

Charlotte, NC

Educational Services

About the position

The Exceptional Child (Personal Needs Assistant) position at Rama Road Elementary is designed to support teachers in working with Exceptional Children (EC) to help them achieve their Individual Education Program (IEP) goals. This role is crucial in providing access to general education for these students, ensuring they receive the necessary assistance to thrive in their educational environment. The assistant will work closely with individual students or small groups, implementing instructional strategies as directed by the teacher and collecting data to document student progress on IEP goals. In addition to instructional support, the assistant will be responsible for operating and caring for classroom equipment and materials, assisting during emergency drills, assemblies, and field trips, and acting as a bus monitor when required. The role also involves alerting the teacher to any issues or special information regarding individual students, participating in professional development training, and assisting with various administrative tasks such as checking materials, supervising tests, and maintaining learning centers. Physical assistance is a significant aspect of this role, as the assistant will help students with self-help tasks, toileting, and mobility needs, including lifting and positioning students and pushing wheelchairs. This position is vital in creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment for students with disabilities, ensuring they can participate fully in their education.

Responsibilities

• Assists in the instruction of individual EC students or groups of EC students in all curricular areas as directed by the teacher.
• Collects data to document individual student progress on IEP goals.
• Plans and works with the teacher in devising instructional strategies.
• Operates and cares for equipment and materials for both classroom and individual students.
• Assists and supervises during emergency drills, assemblies, play periods, field trips and to other designated places.
• Acts as a bus monitor when special needs of an EC student(s) are identified by the IEP team.
• Alerts the teacher to any problem or special information about an individual student.
• Participates in in-service training programs for professional growth.
• Assists in checking materials and portfolios, correcting papers, supervising, and testing as directed by the teacher.
• Assists in keeping bulletin boards and other learning centers current.
• Assists in school routines and transitions.
• Assists with student attendance procedures, record keeping, collecting money, ordering materials and other duties as assigned.
• Provides physical assistance to students as needed in the areas of self-help, clothing, toileting (including accidents and catheterization).
• Provides physical assistance to therapists and teachers as needed in duties related to occupational and physical therapy and mainstreaming classes.
• Provides physical assistance as needed to students by writing assignments under the direction of the teacher.
• Provides physical assistance as needed to students by lifting, positioning and by pushing wheelchairs.

Requirements

• Minimum educational requirement of an Associate Degree.
• Experience supporting K-5 students with disabilities.
• 2-3 years of experience preferred.