Education Assistant, Special Education

**Mission**:
**Competition Info**:
Calendar: 10 Month Modified

**Salary**: SA Grade D, $23.62 - $30.96/Hour

FTE: 0.7143 - 25 Hours/Week

**Additional Information**:
The EA must be flexible, adaptable and have the ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team environment.
- Supervision and support with toileting routines
- Supervision and support when eating
- Supervision and support with dressing (putting on coat, boots, etc.)
- Supervision and support with mobility aides
- Lifting up to 50lbs

Students may demonstrate challenging behaviours:

- Aggression towards self & others (hitting, biting)
- Destructive behaviour (throwing, breaking)
- Disruptive behaviour (crying, screaming)
- Unsafe behaviour (running, limited awareness of surroundings and personal safety)

The successful applicant will be required to complete a TCI course if they do not already have TCI certification or equivalent.

**Position Description**:
**Responsibilities**

Under the direction of the Teacher:

- Provides educational instruction for students.
- Supports students in accessing technology.
- Provides input into planning the student’s Individual Program Plan. Participates, as required, as a member of the student’s learning team in periodic meetings with the students, parents/guardians to review goals and develop revisions. Collects data to support student growth and the IPP development.
- Maintains an effective professional working relationship within the student’s learning team by providing suggestions to the Teacher based on experience and knowledge of the students, with respect to ways to help the students reach their goals, including recognition of the support a student needs to reach their unique goals.
- Communicates with parents and the student’s learning team members, to provide information of interest and receive information that may impact the child’s progress.
- Facilitates and encourages the development of the student’s self-esteem and independence through established programs and techniques deemed appropriate for the individual student.
- Encourages students to develop and maintain positive interaction.
- As required, provides personal care including toileting, diapering, feeding, dressing, grooming, etc. ensuring that student dignity is maintained. Attends to physical needs including lifting, positioning and range of motion programs as identified by appropriate personnel.
- Ensures the safety of students in the school and community, which includes maintaining close supervision of students, ensuring student equipment is sanitized and put away, retrieving students who attempt to leave their learning environment; calming and/or restraining students engaged in challenging behaviours; supervising and assisting students who utilize a variety of life skills tools (i.e. scissors, cooking utensils, etc).
- Maintains confidentiality, and a patient, supportive and enthusiastic commitment to students.
- Maintains collegial relationships with the student’s learning team.
- Works with students in a variety of settings in the school and community, including assisting in the supervision of students at breaks or on field trips as required.
- Assists with and sanitizing educational tools and clean up in the classroom resulting from spills and other accidents.
- Performs other related duties as required.

**Qualifications**

Education and Experience
- Completion of a recognized post-secondary certificate or recognized vocational certificate in child care/development or behaviour management with demonstrated successful practicum experience working with students with special needs
- The completion of at least one full year (ten courses) of course work towards an undergraduate degree in education is also acceptable
- Other equivalent combinations of directly related education and directly related experience may also be considered
- Current Standard First Aid and CPR certificates (Child CPR Certificate is a strong asset)

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies
- Ability to successfully complete a Therapeutic Crisis Intervention course or an equivalent course
- Reliability and dependability
- Personal integrity and trustworthiness
- Success in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships
- Ability to work effectively as an active team member in cooperation with other school personnel, parents/guardians, therapists, instructional resource personnel, and students
- Ability to establish trust and rapport with students
- Comfort and competency working with personal computers and other technologies to support student learning
- Commitment to lifelong learning and willingness to regularly enhance skills and knowledge for professional development
- Ability to respect and value all individuals with sensitivity to diversity
- Ability to manage situations of conflict, frustration and unpleasantness effectively
- Ability to respond appropriately to challenging behaviours of students
- Ability to effectively utilize crisis