Job Description

AGENCY OVERVIEW

Since our founding in 1895 in Marin County as an orphanage – and through subsequent years as Sunny Hills Services – Side by Side has been at the forefront of best practices in child welfare, working with the most vulnerable youth in our community. Today, Side by Side operates in four counties – Marin, Alameda, Sonoma, and Napa – across the Bay Area, reaching nearly 2,000 children, young adults, and family members per year with much-needed services related to behavioral and mental health, early intervention in schools, LGBTQIA+ support, transitional housing for foster youth, and special education.

Side By Side places high value on individuals with a passion for helping underserved youth and families in a collaborative and inclusive work culture. We strive to work together to create a trauma-informed workplace where we walk the walk of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging principles.

COMPENSATION

This position is 40 hours/week and an hourly rate of pay between $22.00 to $28.00 based on education and years of experience.

BENEFITS

Benefits outlined below are for employees working 30+ hours a week. Benefits for part-time employees are calculated based on number of hours worked.

• Vacation corresponds to school district closure schedule
• 2 weeks of sick leave for F/T employees with 4 additional days for school staff
• 10 paid holidays per year and 1 Self-Care Anniversary Day each year
• 99% employer-paid Medical for F/T employees including platinum level Kaiser Permanente insurance, Sutter Health or Anthem options
• Dental and Vision Insurance
• Long Term Disability insurance up to $9,000 per month, plus $50,000 Life and AD&D insurance. Employees also have the option to purchase additional life insurance at their own cost.
• 403b Retirement Plan with agency match
• Professional development and other learning opportunities including unlimited access to over 1,000 behavioral health courses online. Side By Side is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness certified employer
• FREE Employee Assistance Program including up to 10 complimentary personal counseling sessions per problem, per year for staff and dependents
• Employee recognition program with $500 bonus awards
• Employee referral bonus of up to $1,000
• Pet Insurance

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Irene M. Hunt School (Hunt School) is a nonpublic day school that provides students in grades K through 12 with an individualized education tailored to their specific needs. With our committed support, students address emotional and behavioral challenges and build on their core strengths and innate desire to learn and grow.

The Teaching Assistant/Paraeducator (TA) is responsible for supporting the teacher and classroom teams by direct student support and supervision, implementing student instructions, lessons, assist in lesson plan development, and upkeep of the classroom/school environment. This includes supporting implementation of the established behavior management system-data collection, clinical guidelines, intervening in crisis situations, and liaison with other program staff. Overall, the TA provides direct student support through implementation of the given academic, clinical, and positive behavior intervention program designed by class teams and/or school personnel.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assists the teacher with implementing students’ Individual Education Plans (IEP).
• Provides instructional support in content areas, as directed by the teacher.
• Implements the school wide and classroom positive behavioral intervention structure or management system, including coaching students so that they are able to quickly return to school tasks, accompanying students to and/or supervise students in designated alternative locations when they are unable to remain in the main classroom.
• Intervenes during crises situations, including implementation of CPI, as needed.
• Helps maintain the physical school environment to keep it functional, safe, and clean.
• Lead small study groups in content areas if qualified by educational background and/or experience.
• Supervises students during class breaks and during lunch, as assigned.
• Keep track of students’ whereabouts at all times, following through / keeping students within eyesight when student(s) are missing or out-of-bounds.
• Assists the teacher in planning for and developing the IEP draft document.
• Prepares and duplicates written assignments, as needed.
• Participates in the preparation of daily data and reports that document a student’s academic and social behavior for the day.
• Assists in data collection and record keeping, as directed by the teacher, behavioral staff and/or other administrative school staff.
• Assists in the preparation of progress reports at scheduled times.
• Writes daily reports that document students’ academic and social behaviors.
• Attends and participates in school staff meetings, as well as, join in with other agency personnel, as needed.
• Transitions the students in an orderly manner during transportation transitions from the car/van/bus to the classroom or from the classroom to the car/van/bus.
• Confers, as needed, with agency staff on student status or the need for additional behavior planning.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and expectations required of the position.

AGENCY-WIDE COMPETENCIES

Code of Conduct: Understands and adheres to the Agency’s Code of Conduct, demonstrates a high level of integrity in all internal and external activities and complies with the Employee Handbook and all other Agency policies, practices and procedures. Must maintain strict confidentiality related to client, staff and other Agency information.

Communication: Able to inform verbally and in writing, with clarity and good effect, and to understand clearly and quickly when instructions or orders are received. Includes judgment about what information is important and what is not, and what should be communicated, how, to whom and when.

Judgment: Able to make decisions in a timely fashion that are sound, accurate, and supported by the reasoning and inclusion of appropriate people. Includes the ability to recognize, address, and propose solutions to problems that arise.

POSITION-SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES

Composure

• Ability to interact with children or adolescents in a consistent, empathic, flexible, and patient manner.

• Ability to set clear yet firm limits and boundaries.

Adaptability

• Capability to work creatively and cooperatively with a team.

JOB KNOWLEDGE

• Encompasses the knowledge and possesses the skills to deliver appropriate services and interventions with students.

• Possesses the ability to assess problem areas and set clear yet firm limits.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

• Four-year college degree preferred, will accept an AA degree or its equivalent in college credits (at least 60 college credits).
• Experience working in a school or treatment setting for students with learning or social/emotional problems.
• A valid California driver's license, proof of personal vehicle insurance, and insurable by SBS’ insurance policy based on DMV record.
• California Department of Justice and FBI fingerprint clearance.
• Physical ability to implement CPI procedures or its equivalent, including physical restraints.
• Able to perform basic first aid and/or CPR

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Ability to perform multiple tasks with various deadlines with a high degree of accuracy.
• Detail-oriented professional with excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with many levels of staff and clients.
• Experience working in a school or treatment setting for students with learning or social/emotional problems preferred.
• The ability to interact with children or adolescents in a consistent, empathic, flexible, and patient manner.
• Possession of the ability to assess problem areas and to set clear and firm limits and boundaries.
• Encompasses the knowledge and possesses the academic skills to deliver appropriate instructional experiences within a student’s assigned grade level or academic curriculum.
• Capability to work creatively and cooperatively with a team.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Basic locomotive skills to jog, run, and walk at a brisk walking pace of 100 steps per minute; running at 6-7 MPH for approximately 3 minutes.
• Able to bend and/or kneel to the floor and return to a standing position without the aid of using a student’s body to do so and within a safe and a reasonable timeframe; basically, to bend down and get back up without requiring aid of another person, either to hold onto or to help lift up.
• Sufficient balance and coordination to effectively guide dysregulated students grades K12 or ages 5-19.
• Must be able to implement CPI techniques: (define) This is a key point in physical requirements, it requires the ability to hold and stabilize physically aggressive students, and to aid in physical interventions and holds to keep students, staff, self, and avoid major property damage (broken windows, holes in walls, etc.) • Sitting, walking, standing, twisting and bending for most of the time.
• Occasional reaching and/or grasping using hands and/or arms.
• May be required to lift up to 10 pounds.
• May be required to ascend/descend stairs.
• Regular use of hands requiring dexterity in using the telephone, computer keyboard, mouse or calculator.
• Visual ability to read documents and computer monitor.
• Exposure to low to moderate noise levels characteristic of working in a school.
• Ability to drive to various sites.
• Hearing and speech to converse in person and over the telephone.
• Regularly required to talk and hear.
• Physical ability to implement CPI procedures or its equivalent, including physical restraints
• Able to perform basic first aid and/or CPR

AGENCY EXPECTATIONS

• Adhere to all Agency Health and Safety policies and procedures administratively as well as related to the care of our clients.
• Adhere to the Agency’s Code of Conduct and Employee Handbook, as well as any other agency policies and procedures.
• Attend and participate in all required agency supervisions, meetings, and trainings.
• Must maintain strict confidentiality related to client, staff, and other Agency information.

Side by Side provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.