Explore Schools Looking for Elementary Special Education Teaching Assistant at Brooklyn, NY Full Time

Elementary Special Education Teaching Assistant, Brooklyn, New York

In-Person Work Required

This is a non-exempt position and is eligible for overtime.

WHO WE ARE

Explore Schools is a network of public charter schools providing 2,000 students in Brooklyn with the outstanding education they deserve. Our goal is to provide students with curriculum and instruction that is both standards-aligned curriculum and culturally responsive. Our approach is designed to provide the conditions to nurture students as critical thinkers and natural problem-solvers. As an organization, we are committed to engaging in work that disrupts and roots out systems and structures that perpetuate white supremacy. We intentionally seek to build and maintain a diverse and talented team that reflects the backgrounds and experiences of our students and creates an inclusive environment for all employees.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

We believe that all children can learn when immersed in a rich environment full of high expectations, rigorous academics, and caring, committed adults. We believe equity and excellence are not mutually exclusive—we can meet the needs of all students in our schools, while actively engaging parents and driving toward excellent academic results. We envision a pathway to equity that features outstanding curriculum and instruction as well as ample opportunities for students to achieve success in and out of the classroom. We believe it is both our privilege and responsibility to help close the opportunity gap in the Brooklyn community.

WHO YOU ARE

Explore Schools seeks a Teaching Assistant who possesses grit, dedication, and necessary skills to prepare our scholars for success in high school and beyond. You have some experience working with children, but may have limited or no experience leading a classroom. This is a tremendous opportunity for recent graduates, or students currently enrolled in graduate school, who are looking to receive frequent feedback, coaching, and professional development to become a full-time lead teacher down the road.

• Dedicated to working in communities that have historically been underserved and under-resourced
• Committed to thoughtfully engaging in identity work necessary to take a culturally responsive approach to pedagogy and relationship-building with students and colleagues
• Prior experience working with children
• Interest in teaching in a small group setting

• Exceptional communication skills
• Strong systems for organization with attention to detail
• Paraprofessional experience strongly preferred
• Bachelor’s degree, strongly preferred
• New York State Teaching or Teaching Assistant Certification, preferred

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Teaching Assistants provide support to our teachers and staff members by fostering a culture of academic rigor and achievement. Primarily, the Teaching Assistant will support a classroom teacher in academic and student behavior management. You will be expected to manage the following on a daily basis:

• Work with small groups of students to assist in reaching IEP goals
• Teach, review, and reinforce academic content
• Keep accurate & organized records of student information

• Assist in classroom set-up and logistics – prepping student materials or manipulatives, classroom beautification and maintenance, etc.
• Support in student behavioral management and de-escalating challenging student behaviors
• Collaborate with families and staff to support student learning
• Ensure the safety of students at all times
• Supervise students in and out of classroom as needed – this may include but is not limited to – moving students to proper locations during fire drills, lunch and recess duty, enrichment activities/classes, etc.

• Administrative, task-based support for teachers and operations staff
• Additional responsibilities to meet the needs of our students
• Actively engage in identity work and necessary conversations in order to dismantle white supremacy culture.

BENEFITS AND PERKS

Explore Schools staff members receive a competitive salary, paid time off including network shutdown days, considerable matching of retirement contributions, and more. Additionally, you can expect:

• Comprehensive benefits package including three health plans to choose from, two dental plans, and vision insurance. We also offer flexible spending accounts for health, dependent care and transit.
• Flexible and reflective leadership: dedicated to staff development, team cohesion, and shared responsibility for decision-making, development, and team-wide priorities
• Driven and passionate colleagues who contribute to a professional and collaborative work environment
• Opportunities to sit on various committees and participate in initiatives central to key organizational decisions and strategic planning

• Our school-based staff also receive:
• Professional development: weekly PD, year-round retreats and trainings, and ongoing coaching by professionals

• Continued education support: staff are eligible to receive scholarship funds towards qualifying certification costs or higher education tuition

• Our ESI Staff also have the opportunity to seek out and attend professional development, have a supervisor committed to their growth and development, and are eligible to apply to our staff scholarship program.

LOCATION AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Explore Schools is a network of 8 charter schools located in Canarsie, Crown Heights, and Flatbush communities of Brooklyn, NY. Our schools are currently operating fully in-person. For this position:

• In-person work is required.
• This is a non-exempt position and is eligible for overtime.

• The standard workweek is 45 hours, though at times you may work more. For non-exempt roles, employees are eligible for overtime for any work over 40 hours.
• This role requires that you be able to stand for at least 5 hours a day, take multiple trips up and down the stairs in a day, and move quickly in an emergency.
• As this is an in-person role in a DOE building, all staff members are required to follow the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

As discussed in our Who We Are section, Explore Schools is an equal opportunity employer. It is important to us that all staff members have a place of employment that is free of discrimination of all kinds and where staff can bring their authentic selves to work. We do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran, or military status.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: Up to $58,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: Multiple Locations