Elementary Special Education Assistant

CREDENTIALS : Educational Assistants shall have, at a minimum, a high schools diploma or a GED® equivalent.

QUALIFICATIONS : Must work cooperatively with adults and children. Must follow directions. Must read and write sufficiently for assisting children. Must protect confidentiality rights of parents and children. Must model appropriate grammar usage. Must support safety and good self-esteem in children. Must be punctual and regular in attendance. Experience with groups of children may be helpful but not required. Light clerical skills may be helpful but not required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS : Must be able to see, hear and move quickly enough to provide for the safety and instructional needs of children. Must be able to articulate clearly. Must be physically active and interactive throughout the school day (i.e., be able to stand for extended periods of time, stoop, bend, do light lifting, push, pull, step and have good finger dexterity, etc.). Must have emotional coping skills appropriate for the management of student behavior. Must tolerate environmental smells and substances commonly associated with children and educational institutions. Depending upon assignment, some EA's such as those assisting in the school office and those assisting with comprehensive development programs may be exposed to bodily fluids and therefore need to use universal precautions.