Educational Assistant Required to Support Our Primary Campus in Etobicoke

**Job Overview**

Newton’s Grove School is seeking a caring, patient, and dedicated **Educational Assistant (EA)** to join our brand-new Etobicoke Primary Campus. This role will involve working closely with a neurodiverse student with autism, while also supporting the classroom teachers in creating a safe, structured, and inclusive learning environment.

**Position Details**:
This is a **full-time position**. At Newton’s Grove, we recognize that student needs evolve over time. If the student demonstrates readiness for greater independence, the EA, family, teachers, and administrators will work together to determine the next steps and the potential duration of the contract.

**Key Responsibilities**:

- Provide one-on-one support to a neurodiverse student, fostering independence, confidence, and a positive school experience.
- Assist classroom teachers in delivering lessons by offering additional guidance and reinforcement.
- Support the development of a structured and predictable classroom environment that promotes learning and wellbeing.
- Encourage and model inclusivity, empathy, and respectful interactions with peers.
- Help implement strategies that build consistency, routine, and positive behaviour supports.
- Collaborate with teachers, administration, and parents to ensure student success.

**Qualifications**
- Experience supporting students with autism or neurodiverse learning needs.
- Knowledge of visual supports, communication strategies, and structured teaching.
- Strong interpersonal skills to build rapport with the student, peers, and staff.
- Patience, consistency, and flexibility in adapting to the student’s needs.
- Training in de-escalation, co-regulation, or anxiety-reduction strategies (asset).

**Skills**
- Experience working with children, ideally in a school setting.
- Knowledge of supporting students with autism and other neurodiverse learning needs.
- Patience, empathy, and a genuine commitment to inclusive education.
- Strong communication skills and ability to work as part of a team.
- Flexibility and initiative in adapting to student and classroom needs.

**Communication Support**
- Use visual aids, prompts, and modeling to help with oral/expressive language.
- Encourage use of short phrases and scaffold conversations without over-correcting.
- Facilitate reciprocal interactions with peers and adults.

**Learning and Task Engagement**
- Provide step-by-step prompting and task initiation strategies.
- Support with fine motor activities (e.g., writing, cutting, using classroom tools).
- Reinforce perseverance through positive encouragement and breaking down tasks.

**Social and Emotional Support**
- Model and guide adaptive skills, flexibility, and co-regulation.
- Facilitate participation in social routines and group activities.
- Provide redirection and de-escalation strategies when avoidance or anxiety occurs.
- Support self-advocacy by encouraging the student to express needs, preferences, and breaks.

**Behavior and Regulation**
- Use consistent strategies to reduce anxiety and avoidance behaviors.
- Encourage positive peer interactions and collaborative play/learning.
- Maintain calm, predictable responses to support regulation.

**Collaboration**
- Work with classroom teacher, special education staff, and speech/occupational therapists to follow individualized strategies and IEP goals.
- Track progress and share observations on communication, social interaction, and adaptive skills

**Why Join Newton’s Grove?**

At Newton’s Grove, we believe every child deserves to feel seen, supported, and celebrated. Our new Etobicoke campus is a welcoming and dynamic environment where educators and support staff collaborate to create classrooms that think, encourage, and inspire.

If you are passionate about making a meaningful difference in the lives of children, we invite you to apply.

**How to Apply**:
**Job Types**: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 8 months

Pay: $21.00-$23.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Work Location: In person