Assabet Valley Collaborative is seeking Paraprofessionals for multiple school programs
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. We are in the process of developing a
shared leadership model to engage stakeholders across the organization in learning, leading, designing, and decision-making. 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. In order to provide the utmost quality of service and education to our students, most of our programs require Paraprofessionals on a daily basis. AVC is hiring paraprofessionals across multiple programs, see the brief program descriptions below.
AVC's
Evolution is a transition program for young adults aged 18-22 who have a diverse range of cognitive and physical needs.
AVC’s
REACH is a program designed to meet the diverse physical, medical, and learning needs of students ages 5-18.
Job Responsibilities (Depending upon the program assignment):
The Paraprofessional at AVC supports the overall programming and services in order to maximize the safety and learning goals within the classroom. Depending upon the program assignment, paras will engage in 1:1, small group, and or whole group engagement opportunities. Paras are needed to perform the following roles and all other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor.
Relationships and Community:
- Ability to establish and maintain positive and nurturing rapport with students.
- Ability to be flexible and adapt to the evolving needs of students and the school environment.
- Awareness of student accommodation needs.
- Respect and appreciation for multiple differences including learning, communication, behavioral, cultural, and familial differences.
- Participating in routine community-building activities.
- Supporting and collaborating with colleagues.
Teaching and Learning:
- Ability to assist and reinforce the elements that support an effective teaching and learning environment.
- Knowledge of the similarities and differences between the cognitive, communicative, physical, social, and emotional needs of students and the factors that influence these different needs.
- An understanding of the purpose and goals of education and instruction for students.
- Assisting with instruction and activities for groups and individuals as assigned.
- Assisting with 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).
- Collecting and submitting data regarding goals/outcomes as related to students' IEPs, Transition Plans, and other plans as assigned.
- Assisting with instructional service delivery as indicated (i.e. during class or group time or on the job site/in the community).
- Accompanying students to field trips or worksites and providing supervision, data collection, coaching, support (in some cases completing work tasks), advocacy, and monitoring while there.
Safety and Wellness:
- Ability to assist and reinforce the elements that support a safe, healthy learning environment.
- Ability to redirect behaviors and offer positive reinforcements as needed.
- Knowledge and application of effective verbal de-escalation skills and behavior management techniques.
- Ability to collect and record performance data on students under the direction of licensed professionals.
- Meeting the physical requirements necessary to physically intervene in a crisis or emergency.
- Assisting ambulatory children to young adults.
- Assisting/lifting children to young adult students for hygiene changes, into various pieces of positioning equipment, and in and out of transportation vehicles (if applicable).
- Bending, twisting, pushing, pulling, climbing, squatting, crawling, and kneeling as needed.
Preferred Credentials:
- Minimum of two-year degree or relevant training and/or experience.
- Valid driver's license, safe driving record, and ability to transport students in AVC vehicles (vans).
Qualifications:
We’re looking for a Paraprofessional who serves as a leader and as a learner; a team member who is flexible, resourceful, 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 pivot as the needs of students are ever-changing. Non-traditional candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply and expand their compatibility.
Ideal candidates have:
- Experience working in schools, nonprofits, human service organizations.
- Flexibility, versatility, and follow-through.
- Ability to engage with conflict and core tensions.
- Ability to seek and provide clear and direct feedback.
- Bilingual or multilingual is a plus.
- Ability to thrive within a team while also being able to work independently.
- Physical ability to execute job responsibilities that may include (depending on the program assignment): transferring, lifting, or shifting students or equipment, and managing equipment.
About Assabet Valley Collaborative
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. We are in the process of developing a shared leadership model to engage stakeholders across the organization in learning, leading, designing, and decision-making. To achieve shared leadership, we need to engage in continuous study of the principles of cultural proficiency, culturally responsive practices, human-centered design, design thinking, and social innovation.