Educational Assistant

Under the direction of the school principal/administrator or delegate, and in collaboration with the necessary teachers, the Educational Assistant, Level III is responsible for providing educational programming support for individual or groups of students with profound additional needs both in and outside of the classroom.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Providing instructional assistance in the classroom to meet the needs of students with additional needs.
• Implementing student-specific programming, and building strong, positive relationships with the student.
• Providing general supervision to students who are struggling with behaviour and having difficulty connecting with the learning in a regular classroom setting.
• Supporting the additional needs of students, which may relate to personal care and hygiene, administration of medication or medical procedures (including gastrostomy feeding) or administering first aid.
• Performing general duties such as operating standard school and office equipment including personal computer applications, instructional aid communications and specialized individualized equipment.

Qualifications, Skills and Abilities:

Qualifications

• Completion of Educational Assistant/Para Educator program or related area of post-secondary education is required OR an equivalent combination of experience and training in the care of children/youth with additional needs.
• Experience working with children/youth, ideally with children with additional needs.
• Upon hire, external applicants must supply a Criminal Record with Vulnerable Sector Search, and a cleared Child Abuse Registry Check, as conditions of employment.
• Additional qualifications preferred, but not required:

• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention training (NCI)
• First Aid and CPR training
• Valid Manitoba Driver’s license, driver’s abstract, and access to a reliable vehicle

Skills and abilities

• Demonstrated ability to establish positive relationships with children/youth
• Strong judgement and problem-solving skills with the ability to handle difficult and/or sensitive situations with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to be flexible to meet the varying academic, social, emotional, and behavioural needs of students
• Ability to develop and demonstrate awareness of the underlying reasons for challenging behaviour and to respond positively
• Ability to interact with the students in an effective manner
• Ability to operate standard school and office equipment including personal computer applications, instructional aid communications and specialized individualized equipment and remains current with changing technology, practices, and equipment
• Physical abilities consistent with requirements of the job

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

Physical demands:

• Sufficient vision and hearing to perform related job duties
• Able to work in an active physical environment that may require sitting, standing, bending, crouching, lifting, pushing, pulling, squatting, etc.
• Able to assist with outdoor supervision during recess and lunch period in constantly changing temperatures
• Physically able to assist with the control of violent and aggressive behaviour by students who may require restraint in crisis situations (providing employee has been trained)
• Able to operate and maintain specialized devices, equipment, and technologies
• Physically able to lift and transfer students with complex needs on a regular basis

Working conditions:

• Exposure to noise and frequent interruptions with conflicting demands.
• Exposure to continually fluctuating outdoor temperatures and weather conditions during recess, lunch, and bus duties.
• May be exposed to verbally and physically aggressive behaviours
• May be required to drive children to /supervise children in out-of-school activities

Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract

Pay: $23.99-$28.97 per hour

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Language:

• English (preferred)

Work Location: In person