Grade Level Assistant (Grade 2)

Grade Level Assistant (Grade 2)

About the Park School The Park School is a Pre-K to Grade 8 independent school in Brookline, MA dedicated to excellence in education. The cornerstone of Park's program is academic excellence, combining both high standards of scholarship and the encouragement of each child to develop to their greatest potential. Our school community fosters a nurturing environment in which children develop curiosity, express creativity, appreciate the value of hard work and discipline, and experience the joy of learning. Park's faculty encourages each student to strive for intellectual, physical, and moral growth and to become contributing members of the community.

The Grade Level Assistant (Grade 2) is a member of the school’s Lower Division and reports to the Lower Division Head. This full-time, 10-month position comes with the responsibility of working with faculty and staff to support the second-grade team in support of the school’s mission and curricular goals

Responsibilities

● Support all four lead teachers in their individual classrooms and across the grade level as a whole. ● Assist teachers with lesson preparation by getting materials ready and setting up equipment. ● Work with small groups of students during the school day. ● Support behavior management, classroom procedures, and routines to help ensure the classroom environment is safe and clean. ● Communicate with families around absences and dismissal changes. ● Support teachers in curriculum development and join team meetings. ● Collaborate with lead teachers to recognize issues students are facing and recommend solutions. ● Assist in social-emotional problem-solving in an age-appropriate manner. ● Oversee students during non-classroom times, including in-between classes, and during all lunch, recess, and carpool times. ● Provide substitute teaching coverage at your assigned grade level as needed. ● Comply with state, school, and class rules and regulations. ● Attend all training classes and occasional faculty or PD meetings.

Qualifications

● A bachelor’s degree in education or a relevant field is required. ● A minimum of 2 years of experience as a teaching assistant or similar role. ● Solid understanding of classroom activities and early childhood teaching best practices. ● Must have a compassionate and positive attitude. ● Excellent written and verbal communication skills. ● Flexible and able to adjust to different learning environments and structures. ● Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in teaching and learning & experience in working in a culturally diverse community. ● Motivation for and interest in professional development ● Maintain focus and adaptability in an energetic and, at times, loud environment ● Effectively interpret, navigate, mediate, and resolve conflicts with students and families in a timely manner. ● The ability to hold meetings in person and via supported video conference tools (i.e. Zoom or Google Meet) ● Proficient or the ability to learn Google tools and other applications as adopted by the school, such as Veracross and Atlas etc. Physical Requirements: ● The ability to sit and stand uninterrupted for 30 minute periods of time. ● The ability to regularly walk on and travel across variable surfaces (e.g. level flooring, stairs, turf, gravel, asphalt, etc.). ● The ability to lead, supervise and accompany students to all areas of the school campus (including all indoor and outdoor areas), including during day-to-day responsibilities and in case of emergency. ● The ability to consistently operate a computer. Proficient or the ability to quickly learn Google tools and other school software. ● The ability to regularly stand, sit, crouch, and kneel down in order to support students. ● The ability to work outdoors, year-round, in variable weather conditions. ● The ability to lift and hold 15 lbs overhead. ● The ability to occasionally transport (e.g., move or drag) 25 lbs. ● The ability to maintain focus and composure in an energetic and, at times, loud environment.