Education Assistant

Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) is one of the largest school divisions in Alberta, serving the education needs of approximately 17,750 students in 42 schools. Every day, the staff and students of EIPS are encouraged to pursue opportunities to grow and discover their passions in life. We pride ourselves on providing staff and students with the tools to achieve success by offering dynamic programming, current resources, and practical professional learning opportunities.
Elk Island Public Schools is recruiting a temporary Educational Assistant at Vegreville Composite High. This position is a general EA position supporting students around the school as needed. It could include support in the general population or within our LINKS classroom.
Vegreville Composite High serves approximately 370 students in grades 7 to 12, with 20 teaching staff and seven support staff. The school is located in Vegreville, AB, approximately 90 kilometres east of Sherwood Park, AB.
Vegreville Composite High prepares each student to contribute fully to the community by developing responsibility, respect and a desire for lifelong learning. The school encourages the continual striving for excellence based on the premise that every student has the potential to learn.
Commencing November 18, 2024 to December 20, 2024 with the possibility of extension
31.25 hours per week (Monday to Friday - 6.25 hours per day)
Open to Internal and external applicants
The Learning - Individual Needs, Knowledge and Skills (LINKS) Program is a specialized system program designed to meet the needs of students with mild to severe/profound cognitive (intellectual) disabilities, who may also have physical, sensory, medical or behavioural difficulties. The focus of the program is to improve academic, communication, self-care, social, vocational and independent living skills within a safe, structured and supported learning environment.
Key Duties/Responsibilities
Educational Assistants (EAs) assist teachers with many instructional and non-instructional tasks in the classroom and with other school activities. EAs work as members of the school and student support team. EAs either work with a particular special needs student or a group of students within a class or in a special program.
The EA provides routine and repetitive instructional support. Under the direction of the teacher, an EA assists the student in acquiring the education and skills necessary for advancement in the educational setting. To reach this objective, the EA follows an individually prescribed learning program, through team planning and working one-on-one with the student(s). This involves routine recording, basic charting and logging of observations. EAs may provide personal care and additional assistance for students depending on their particular needs.

**Qualifications**:
Education and Experience
High School Diploma
Educational Assistant Certificate or comparable education would be an asset
First Aid certificate would be an asset
Non-Violent Crisis Intervention training would be an asset
Courses related to working with students with special needs would also be an asset
Minimum of one-year related experience
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies
Strong oral and listening communication skills
Strong interpersonal skills combined with tact and diplomacy
Strong organizational skills, time management skills and pacing skills to support student scheduling
Reliability and dependability
Ability to work effectively as an active team member in cooperation with other team members and students
Comfort and competency working with personal computers and other technologies to support student learning, including communication devices
Ability to respect and value all individuals with sensitivity to diversity
Ability to respond appropriately to challenging behaviours of students
Ability to effectively utilize crisis intervention strategies
Ability to demonstrate flexibility in work assignments
Willingness to tend to the personal care needs of students if required