Reach Associate

The Reach Associate (RA) is an advanced paraprofessional who supports Multi-Classroom Leaders (MCL) and classroom teachers. Multi-Classroom Leaders give guidance on lesson and classroom management. The Reach Associates also co-teach, learn student data analysis, and get observation/feedback.

The Reach Associate (RA) typically provides both instructional and non-instructional support to a Multi-Classroom Leader (MCL) team of teachers, as designated by the MCL, with a focus on providing small-group tutoring under the guidance of the MCL team. The RA may supervise time on projects, skills practice, and digital learning while providing small-group tutoring. The RA may work closely with the teaching team to complete various administrative tasks and non-instructional paperwork. The RA may also manage procedures and supervise student behaviour during transitions, lunch, recess, assemblies, and other unstructured activities, and while teacher(s) deliver instruction. All activities are guided and directed by the MCL. The Reach Associate may be a multi-team RA, supporting several teaching teams when team members need release time to work with other teachers, or a team RA, supporting a single team primarily through providing small-group tutoring in a tutoring lab, by pulling small groups out of classrooms, or by pushing into classrooms to work with small groups.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Classroom and School Environment

• Hold students accountable for high expectations of behaviour and engagement that are ambitious and measurable.
• Contribute to a culture of respect, enthusiasm, and rapport.
• Manage student behaviour during transitions and less structured time (e.g., recess, lunch).
• Monitor independent work time in classroom while teacher provides instruction.

• Instruction

• Tutor small groups and individuals, under the direction and using the tools/rubrics of the supervising teachers.
• Supervise projects, skill practice, and digital learning.

• Professional Responsibilities

• Solicit and eagerly receive feedback from supervisor and team members to improve professional skills.
• Maintain administrative duties on behalf of teacher (such as taking attendance, entering grades, scheduling parent conferences, preparing student activities and assignments, checking homework, additional paperwork).
• Collaborate with teacher(s), tutor(s), volunteers, and digital lab monitor(s), if applicable.
• Participate in professional development opportunities at school, including MCL-led on-the-job development.
• Attend team planning and data meetings whenever possible.

• Additional Job Functions

• Perform other work related to school-based professional development as requested.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Previous experience working with children.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred, but not required.
• Demonstrated effectiveness working with people who have differing cultural backgrounds and/or personal characteristics, including race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or economic differences. Preference given for experience working successfully with those of similar demographics to the desired school placement.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of equipment including computers, typewriters, copiers, calculators, etc. Must be able to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to lift, carry, push, and pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Light Work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree.
• Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural or composite characteristics (whether similar or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
• Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments or directions.
• Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a variety of correspondence, reports, forms, press releases, etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, reports, forms, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style. Requires the ability to speak before groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence.
• Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form; and to deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently using a variety of technical or professional languages including counselling terminology.
• Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract; multiply and divide; utilize decimals and percentages; and to apply the theories of descriptive statistics.
• Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.
• Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using office equipment.
• Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items such as office equipment. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
• Color Discrimination: Does not require the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.
• Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with emergency situations.
• Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and hear: (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving nature of sounds by ear.) Must be able to communicate via telephone.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Critical competencies:

• Achievement – the drive and actions to set challenging goals and reach a high standard of performance despite barriers.
• Concern for Order - an underlying drive to maintain or increase order in the surrounding environment.
• Serving Others - acting with a desire to help or serve others to meet their needs.
• Impact and Influence – acting with the purpose of influencing what other people think and do.
• Belief in Learning Potential – a belief that all students, regardless of circumstances, can learn at levels higher than their current achievement indicates.
• Coachability – the desire to grow and achieve by learning from the examples set by mentors, staff and fellow teachers.

DISCLAIMER

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to this job.