Instructional Assistant/Paraprofessional

Reports to: Principal

Application Deadline: Until all positions are filled

Start Date: August 1, 2024
Answering the Call

Feeling trapped in the box of the traditional educational model? Ready to rethink rural, K-12 education? Wouldn't it be cool if you could teach in an innovative rural school that cultivates students' creativity and makes learning relevant through real-world experiences? A school in which the content standards are the floor and not the ceiling? A school in which relationships are valued more than compliance? Well, here's your chance!

We are searching for individuals who are comfortable working in an exciting environment, who are risk-takers and are driven to imagine and explore the limitless possibilities for our students, and who are committed to providing an engaging, yet rigorous, project-based/place- based approach to teaching and learning. Successful candidates will be highly collaborative, yet independent thinkers, and will be comfortable "co-working" with their professional peers. Do you want to teach your students on a deeper level and facilitate opportunities for them to develop their passions beyond the core content? You'll be able to do just that at University Charter School.

UCS is a diverse, student- centered school that is seeking educators who are prepared to lead and are passionate about UCS's ambitious plans to re-imagine rural education. If you're tired of the box of tradition, apply to teach at University Charter School, where the box does not exist.
University Charter School

University Charter School (UCS) is an innovative and PK-12 public charter school that opened in August 2018 in rural, Livingston, Alabama. For the 2024-2025 school year, UCS will have ~757 students in grades PK - 12. UCS is designed to be a rural, diverse school that cultivates independent thought, promotes the building of character and civic responsibility, and is committed to preparing all students for personal and professional success through the discovery of individual learning pathways in a rigorous and integrated Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STREAM) focused, project-based and place-based curriculum. The vision of University Charter School is to become a rural model for producing adaptable learners that have a strong sense of place, mission, and rural identity, and who recognize the value of collaboration within a school, across a community, and between diverse rural regions. Our graduates will be prepared to continually meet the demands of an ever changing economy and will be perceived as community leaders and catalysts for meaningful change. We see UCS as a purposeful, place- based, and collaborative pathway to encourage growth and retention in and to restore relevance to our rural community.

UCS is strategically and intentionally located on the campus of the University of West Alabama and was created in partnership with the University of West Alabama. UCS faculty and students will leverage the assets of the University through hands-on partnerships and academic projects with participating colleges and divisions that span health care, education, and the arts, to name a few.

UCS's approach to education is unique in a number of ways:

• Location: The school's location on the University of West Alabama campus in rural Sumter County, Alabama, will provide students with the opportunity to build rich and ongoing relationships with each other and benefit from the programs and opportunities available on campus and in our community. Sumter County, our rural community, has been challenged by a lack of high quality educational opportunities, a decline in overall child well-being, high poverty rates, high unemployment rates, low per capita income, and UCS was created out of a partnership between the University of West Alabama and a rural, impoverished community in an effort meet the educational needs of the children. By nurturing the diversity of a divided community, UCS presents a solution to the unique educational challenges that face rural communities by providing a blueprint for others to follow, as well as presents opportunities to demonstrate and implement PK-12 best practices in a rural setting.
• Curriculum: UCS's curriculum is project-based and place-based, which will provide students with real-world local connections to what they are learning in Students will also have the autonomy to direct their course of study, allowing them to pursue academic work and projects that inspire them.
• Diverse by Design - Last but not least, UCS will ensure that a diverse group of students can take advantage of all of the opportunities this school will offer.

Roles and responsibilities

The Instructional Assistant/Auxiliary Teacher provides support to the instructional program within the assigned classroom with specific responsibility for working with individual and/or small groups of students; and providing clerical support to teacher/s. Instructional Assistants must enter data into school software programs for individual students. They indulge in adapting classroom activities for the purpose of reinforcing classroom goals and objectives. The Instructional Assistant must assist with weekly planning of instruction. Instructional Assistants receive their daily instructions from teachers,and they assist teachers in handling individual students and groups of students by imparting lessons. They assist young students with assignments and manage student behavior within a classroom and onthe playground. It is also the duty of an Instructional Assistant to handle ancillary work such as creating materials for class instruction. They also help Lead teachers in managing students during activities such as sports, and field trips.

• Adapts classroom activities, assignments and/or materials under the direction of a supervising teacher (e.g. reinforcement of individualized education program (IEP) goals and objectives, etc.) for the purpose of supporting and reinforcing classroom objectives as well as providing an opportunity for all students receiving special services to participate in classroom activities.
• Provides progress monitoring services and Tiered intervention services to students under the guidance of the supervising teacher and the RTI plan.
• Provides, under the supervision of assigned teacher, instruction to students in a variety of individual and group activities (e.g. math groups, science experiments, reading, behavioral skills, daily living skills, writing, verbal skills, sensory room activities, social skills training, etc.) for the purpose of reinforcing instructional objectives; implementing individual plans; and enhancing opportunities for all students to succeed.
• Supports teachers in the administration of tests as well as completion or review of school
• Assists medically fragile students with physical disabilities for the purpose of maintaining students' personal hygiene.
• Assists students with special needs in the areas of grooming, community accessibility and other appropriate areas (that is feeding, brushing teeth, toileting, diapering, transferring students using wheelchairs to and from bus and activities incorporated in the daily routine as assigned by the supervising teacher) for the purpose of assisting students with their individual needs.
• Attends meetings and in-service presentations (e.g. emergency procedures, training modules, system & local professional development ) for the purpose of gaining information relative to job functions.
• Collaborates with supervising teacher(s) or other staff as assigned for the purpose of communicating information, resolving issues, and providing services in compliance with established guidelines.
• Confers with teachers (special education and/or inclusion teacher) on a regular basis for the purpose of accountability and assisting in evaluating student progress and/or implementing IEP
• Implements, under the supervision of assigned teacher, behavioral intervention plans (BIP) for the purpose of presenting and/or reinforcing learning skills, concepts, strategies, etc.
• Maintains materials for the purpose of ensuring students are prepared for
• Monitors students with special needs across all settings (e.g. classroom, field trips, lunchroom, playground, during life enrichment activities, etc.) for the purpose of providing a safe and positive learning environment.
• Performs record keeping, data collection and clerical functions (e.g. checking papers, maintaining daily logs, etc.) for the purpose of supporting the teacher in providing necessary records/materials.
• Responds to emergency situations (e.g. students that are: running, fighting, displaying inappropriate behavior, etc.) for the purpose of resolving immediate safety concerns.

• Maintain confidentiiality
• Be regular and punctual in attendance
• Maintain proper and professional relationships with students and other employees.
• Perform duties in a manner that will promote good public relations.
• Establish a positive relationship with parents, co-workers, volunteers and other visitors
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and community partners in a co-taught, interdisciplinary instructional setting
• Attend and participate in planning sessions and professional development
• Develop meaningful and supportive relationships with students through a positive youth development lens

• Develop and maintain positive relationships and communication with parents and families
• Performs other related duties as assigned and deemed necessary by the Principal to meet the needs of the UCS community
• Assume other duties as assigned by supervisor.
• Bring your "A game" and have It's what we do at University Charter School

Qualifications

The strongest candidates will have the following certifications, skills, and experiences:

• Educational Requirements:
  • Must hold an Associate's Degree (or)
  • Have completed a minimum of 48 semester hours of study at a regionally accredited institution of higher education (or)
  • Have successfully completed the Alabama State Board of Education approved WORKKEYS test.
• Good physical and emotional health, including
• Ability to lift as well as to implement a behavioral management program with students of varying ages and sizes.
• Effective interpersonal communication
• Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board of Directors may find appropriate and acceptable

Salary and benefits

UCS offers a competitive salary dependent upon degree, licensure and experience and comprehensive benefits package including State health insurance and retirement.