Assabet Valley Collaborative is seeking a

 Paraeducator for our Therapeutic Day School, Orchard Street Academy 

NOTE:  Before you read on, please read the Commitments to Educational Equity that AVC strives to adopt across our organization. We seek to add employees to our team who can help us make these commitments a reality and influence how we lead, learn, innovate, design, collaborate, and serve our students, families, partners, and communities. Within this role, examples of how we strive for Educational Equity includes ongoing, in depth examination of individual and interpersonal beliefs and how they impact our work within micro and macro systems. Still interested? See below:

Who We Are:

Assabet Valley Collaborative (AVC)  is an educational service agency in Metrowest/Central Massachusetts. Our services include school programs, wraparound services, transportation services, professional development, cooperative purchasing and consulting. 

AVC's Orchard Street Academy (OSA) is a small public therapeutic school serving grades 6th- 12th. 

We are looking for a paraeducator who serves as a leader and as a learner; a team member who is flexible, resourceful, and thrives in a fast-paced, non-traditional, collaborative environment and who understands educational and human service institutions. This person demonstrates a learning mindset and ability to receive feedback, self-reflect, and adapt, as well as an ability to effectively facilitate the learning of others by pushing their thinking, building their skills, and sparking their self-reflection and curiosity.  

The ideal candidate would possess or demonstrate the following:

• Ability to manage conflict and core tensions 
• Bilingual or multilingual is a plus
• Ability to thrive within a team while also being able to work independently 
• Encourages and fosters passion and enthusiasm for teaching and learning
• Adhere to established federal, state, and local laws and regulations (FERPA, HIPAA, and IDEA)
• Experience working in schools, nonprofits, human service organizations
• High school diploma or equivalent required; 
• Post-secondary college, work, military, or specialized training experience preferred
• Empowers and fosters the skills for students to become problem solvers and independent decision makers
• Demonstrates an ability to be flexible and adapt to the evolving needs of students and the school environment

Responsibilities and Duties

• Partners with students and all those invested in their success to develop and implement team drafted IEPs
• Completes necessary documentation
• Participates and engage in professional development and community events
• Supports teacher instruction and activities for groups and individuals 
• Implements the day to day operation of the school environment by monitoring/supervising and assisting students throughout program space  (ex:  transition between classes, bathroom escorts, lunchtime, breakfast, arrival/dismissal )
• Supports staff  in the collection of  IEP data, Transition and  Support  Plans, and other plans 
• Substitutes for Teachers/Clinicians
• Support community-based activities including field trips, work study or work sites, gym and recreational activities.
• Complies with collaborative wide policies and procedures
• Performs all other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Evaluation:  

Evaluation to be performed annually in accordance with Assabet Valley Collaborative’s personnel handbook and pertinent regulations and statutes.

Schedule:

185 day schedule.  Operating hours of the program, 8:00am-3:00pm. Summer hours are also available, but not required. 

Physical Demands:

This is an active position that requires frequent physical movement to meet the needs of our students.  Staff will receive training to physically intervene as needed per AVC Physical Restraint protocol, policy and applicable regulations.

Competitive Benefits include: 

• Compensation competitive within public school employees sector
• Paid leave: 10 sick days and 3 personal days per year
• Tuition Reimbursement
• School-year position; additional compensation available for summer school service
• 75% health insurance premiums covered by AVC
• Participation in MA state pension systems (MTRS or MSERS)
• Voluntary benefits: Flex Spending, Life, Short-term, Long-term Insurance; Dental

For more information and to apply http://www.avcollaborative.org/employment