Urbana School District #116

TITLE:  Gerber School Peace Team

LOCATION: Gerber School on Cunningham Children’s Home Campus

SUPERVISOR:  Gerber School Principal, Assistant Principal, Classroom Teachers

JOB SUMMARY:  The Crisis Teaching Assistant works under the direction of, and in accordance with, the Principal/Assistant Principal to plan, coordinate, and implement management of student behaviors and/or students’ academic needs.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily.

• Work to make sure that a safe, nurturing environment is maintained for every student.
• Provide preventative support to individual students in need and assist classroom staff with crisis management.
• Assist in implementing, monitoring, and managing the school-wide behavior management program.
• Provide input for daily behavioral program needs.
• Assist in the analysis and utilization of behavior data.
• Complete unusual incident/ISBE reports and assist other staff as necessary.
• Report any information which may impact the school's work in a timely manner.
• Attend weekly team collaboration meetings as assigned by administrative staff to assist in developing and planning for implementing behavioral programs.
• Ensure that rules and procedures are uniformly observed and that student discipline is appropriate and equitable.
• Promote a model of responsible, respectful, and safe behaviors.
• Promote and model appropriate social interactions with and between students.
• When necessary, function as a classroom para-educator with all assigned duties.
• Assist the teacher in maintaining a functional, attractive, orderly environment conducive to student learning.
• Collect and record data on student behaviors during crisis per school policy.
• Assist administrators and teachers in providing orientation and ongoing coaching/professional development to Gerber paraprofessionals.
• Record and compile data monitoring student behavior(s).
• Inventory and maintain sufficient classroom supplies (pencils, pens, paper, etc.)
• Check your email daily.
• Complete Restrictive Intervention/Unusual Incident Reports as required.
• Maintain timecard, including inputting all absences and holidays
• Report daily behaviors to the Residential Treatment Center and Group Home staff as required by the Supervising Teacher/Principal
• Participate in staff/team/collaboration meetings as assigned.
• Perform all other duties and tasks as assigned from time to time by the teacher, dean, or principal as they relate to individual students or the classroom.
• Monitor school areas, including classrooms, Refocus, time-out rooms, offices, hallways, restrooms, gymnasium, art room, cafeteria, yards, parking lots, porches, and all other areas on campus as assigned by the Assistant Principal, Principal, or Supervising Teacher.
• Supervise students during lunch.
• Monitor student behaviors during the transition to and from the residential units.
• Monitor student behaviors in vehicles and while on field trips.
• Fill in for missing staff as assigned by administration.
• Participate in professional growth activities, including staff meetings, team collaborations, and training sessions.
• Demonstrate professional work habits.
• Participate in quality improvement planning and programming.
• Report any unusual student behaviors to the Principal.
• Report any suspected abuse to the DCFS hotline as required by your position as a Mandated Reporter.  Inform the Principal when a report has been made.
• Model the agency's core values of integrity, respect, teamwork, compassion, excellence, spirituality (see definition in “Our Core Values”), and accountability in all activities and in interactions with clients, coworkers, and the general public.
• Maintain standards of personal and professional conduct that do not conflict with requirements of regulatory and licensing agencies and do not conflict with the published mission, vision, and core values of Cunningham Children’s Home, Urbana School District #116, and Child Welfare Code of Ethics.
• Maintain consistently good attendance and punctuality.
• Maintain strict standards of client confidentiality.            
• Model and support the agency's respectful, responsible, and safe expectations.
• Maintain all training and documentation requirements in accordance with agency and regulatory policies.
• Know and abide by all policies and procedures as outlined in the Employee Handbook and in departmental policies and procedures, including but not limited to:
• prohibition against workplace violence in any form, including both physical and verbal abuse;
• prohibition against illegal discrimination and harassment;
• compliance with all safety procedures.
• Maintain certification and physical condition, which permits employees to perform physical restraints.
• Monitor students at all times.
• Actively participate in agency, program, and/or department quality improvement activities.     

QUALIFICATIONS:  

EDUCATION

• Must meet all requirements for the position as designated by ISBE. A Paraprofessional License is required.  60 hours of college credit or a passing score on the WorkKeys exam.

EXPERIENCE

• at least 2 years of Gerber school experience preferred

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Highly organized
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills
• Excellent problem-solver
• Should be able to work with students with a history of behavior or learning problems
• Proven to work under pressure and can prioritize multiple tasks

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:  Student Contact Days

EVALUATION:  To be completed by Gerber School Principal or Assistant Principal in coordination with classroom teacher/s.

START DATE:  Summer 2024 

SALARY: Based on Peace Team salary schedule and years of experience

NOTE: This is a position within the collective bargaining unit and is not an administrative position.  This is a non-exempt position.