Community Inclusion Assistant

Description JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Community Inclusion Assistant (CIA) - Cooke Transitions

Supervisor: Chair of Vocational Services

Weekly Hours: Up to 40

Regular Daily Schedule: 8:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Calendar to Follow: 10-Month Academic Calendar

Status: Exempt

Term: 10 Months

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities

CIAs are members of the school instructional team. Their role is to provide instructional support to students in the acquisition of daily and community living skills and vocational skills, which are a key elements of Cooke’s curriculum. CIAs are responsible for providing direct instruction and training to students in those skill areas at community service and/or ‘job’ sites and during off-site education experiences in a variety of settings (e.g., stores, banks, college campuses, gyms, restaurants). CIAs are responsible for tracking and documenting student progress in vocational and community settings. CIAs are also responsible for providing instructional support in the classroom when not specifically assigned off-site duties. CIAs are expected to document observations of students in a variety of settings and provide weekly updates to the instructional team. CIA instructional support is designed to help students integrate specific daily living, community and vocational skills learned in the classroom into real work and community settings. CIAs are expected provide travel training to students en route to and/from their community service and/or ‘job’ sites, as well as other off-site community activities. CIAs meet regularly with their supervisor to collaborate, plan and provide feedback specific to the community experience. CIAs should represent the Cooke School and Institute in a professional manner. CIAs are expected to continue professional development. CIAs report directly to the Chair of Vocational Services. The responsibilities of the Community Inclusion Assistant include but are not limited to:

Essential Functions:

Stand and Travel with student(s) for short to extended periods of time.
Provide instructional support at internship sites.
Collaborate with internship host to accommodate student needs, manage scheduling, provide feedback.
Track and document student progress in vocational and community settings, providing weekly updates to the instructional team.
Attend all scheduled staff development activities and staff orientation sessions.

Instruction and Assessment

Providing one-to-one or small group training at internship sites and community activities
Assisting in developing short term and long term goals for student internship placements
Providing job specific task analysis for teaching specific skills
Administering functional assessments to students
Providing direct instruction in small groups and/or individually in the classroom under the supervision of the Head Teacher
Reporting to each designated internship site on time and providing timely feedback to internship hosts specific to student accommodation needs, calendar changes, attendance, etc.
Assisting students in establishing a daily routine and schedule for work
Providing systematic training to students of specific job duties
Modeling and coaching students on appropriate work-related behaviors
Providing instructional support and assistance to students to promote social integration and develop self-advocacy skills
Instructing students in strategies to improve work performance (speed, accuracy, complexity, etc.) as determined by specific learning needs
Developing a plan for moving individual students towards greater independent functioning in the classroom, at internship cites and in the community
Keeping accurate documentation of student performance and meeting all required reporting deadlines
Providing information to the instructional and transition teams for the development of student transition plans and progress reports
Any other duties deemed necessary by the Administration to ensure that the vision, mission and values are supported
Participating in the progress report process for students three times per year

Requirements

Associate’s degree or a minimum of 60 credits towards a Bachelor’s degree
A minimum of two years of professional experience working with Students with Special Needs
Classroom experience and/or experience in the field of adult services

Physical Requirements and Essential Functions

Able to maintain the physical capacity required to navigate the school environment and to ensure the safety of the students; the ability to…

walk, run, sit, and stand
move rapidly forward, backward, and laterally
bend and stoop
push, pull, and lift

Must arrive on time 8:30am.

CIAs are expected to provide travel training to students en route to and/from their community service and/or ‘job’ sites, as well as other off-site community activities.

Professional Development