Essential Skills Paraprofessional

Position Type:
Special Education Teaching
Date Posted:
9/8/2026
Location:
Green Meadows Intermediate School
District:
Community Schools of Frankfort
Elementary School Essential Skills Room Paraprofessional
Position Title: Essential Skills Room Paraprofessional
Reports To: Building Principal and/or Special Education Teacher
Employment Status: Classified Staff
Work Schedule: School-Year Position
Position Summary
The Essential Skills Room Paraprofessional provides instructional, behavioral, and personal support to students with significant learning and/or developmental needs in an elementary school setting. Working under the direction of the special education teacher and building administration, the paraprofessional helps create a safe, structured, nurturing, and inclusive environment where students can develop academic, communication, social, behavioral, functional, and life skills.
The ideal candidate is patient, dependable, compassionate, flexible, and comfortable working with students who may communicate or respond differently from their peers. The paraprofessional should be able to maintain high expectations while recognizing that students may need individualized supports and multiple opportunities to demonstrate success.
Essential Responsibilities
Instructional Support

• Assist the special education teacher with implementation of individualized instruction and student IEP goals.
• Provide one-on-one and small-group academic support as directed by the teacher.
• Reinforce skills in reading, writing, mathematics, communication, and other academic areas.
• Assist students in developing functional and life skills that promote independence.
• Support students in general education settings when appropriate.
• Collect and document student data as directed by the special education teacher.
• Help prepare instructional materials, learning activities, and classroom resources.

Behavioral and Social-Emotional Support

• Implement behavioral strategies and interventions consistently and positively.
• Support students who experience frustration, anxiety, sensory needs, or significant emotional responses.
• Maintain a calm, patient, and firm-but-flexible approach when students demonstrate challenging behaviors.
• Help students learn appropriate replacement behaviors, coping strategies, communication skills, and problem-solving skills.
• Follow established crisis and safety procedures when necessary.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality regarding student information and behavior.

Personal and Functional Support

• Assist students with activities of daily living and personal care when required.
• Support students with transitions throughout the school day.
• Assist with feeding, toileting, mobility, positioning, and other physical needs as outlined in the student's plan and training.
• Encourage students to complete tasks as independently as possible rather than unnecessarily doing tasks for them.
• Follow all health, safety, lifting, and student-specific protocols.

Classroom and School Responsibilities

• Maintain a safe, clean, organized, and welcoming classroom environment.
• Assist with arrival, dismissal, lunch, recess, transportation, and other school routines as assigned.
• Support students during assemblies, field trips, special events, and other school activities.
• Collaborate professionally with teachers, administrators, related-service providers, and other school personnel.
• Participate in required staff meetings and professional development.
• Perform other duties reasonably assigned by the building principal or special education teacher.

Desired Qualifications and Characteristics
The successful candidate should demonstrate:

• A genuine desire to work with and advocate for children with disabilities.
• Patience, empathy, and emotional maturity.
• Dependability and excellent attendance.
• The ability to remain calm and professional during challenging situations.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to follow directions while also demonstrating initiative.
• Flexibility and willingness to adapt to changing student needs.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Willingness to learn and implement individualized student strategies.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.
• Physical ability to safely perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

What Makes a Successful Essential Skills Paraprofessional?
The best paraprofessionals understand that support does not mean doing everything for a student. Their goal is to help students become increasingly independent while providing the structure, encouragement, consistency, and patience necessary for students to experience success.
A successful paraprofessional is calm when things get difficult, celebrates the small victories, maintains high expectations, and sees the student before the disability. They recognize that progress may look different for every child and they take pride in helping students make that progress.