As a Paraprofessional (Teacher Assistant), you have the rewarding opportunity to connect with students with special needs in a positive way, engage with them and help them to promote their academic, daily living skills, social and emotional potential. 

Interested candidates with a high school diploma are encouraged to apply. The opportunity for CIU20 assessment to become highly qualified is available at no cost to applicants. See below for more information.*

Ideal Candidates shall:

• Work collaboratively in a team environment.

• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal collaborative skills, demonstrated by patience and understanding to effectively work with staff and students

• Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills

• Complete and maintain student and classroom records with tasks with attention to detail and accuracy.

• Ability to maintain complete confidentiality.

• Demonstrate basic computer skills to complete tasks related to medical billing, email, web-based education software, and virtual meeting environments; experience with Google Suite is beneficial.

• Respond positively to supervision and suggestions for improvement. 

Physical 

• Ability to stand, bend, stoop, sit, lift, reach, and communicate to effectively carry out functions, duties, and responsibilities. 

• Ability to physically lift up to 40 lbs. without assistance and/or assists any student as required by students’ physical needs. 

• Ability to conduct a safety restraint protocol following appropriate training and certification

• Ability to assist students with self-help skills, feeding, and personal hygiene needs

Successful Paraprofessionals (Teacher Assistants) come from a variety of diverse backgrounds.  If you’ve ever worked in any of the following fields, you’d be a great fit for our team:  teacher, paraeducator, teaching assistant, teaching aide, tutor, special education, working with individuals with special needs and/or disabilities, preschool worker, daycare provider, medical assistant, CNA (Certified Nurse’s Aide), residential treatment facility worker, rehabilitation and transition / vocational rehabilitation (OVR) services, job coaching, mentoring, mental health services, behavioral health services, probation services, youth coaching, children and youth services, case management, and/or other similar professional childcare experience.

*The education qualification for a Paraprofessional (Teacher Assistant) position is a high school diploma with a passing acceptable IU 20 assessment to become highly qualified. Individuals who do not have two years of college or 48 college credits may become highly qualified by taking our local assessment. Assessments may be scheduled by calling the Office of the Director of Special Education (610) 515-6449. A preparation booklet is available to help you review the content of the assessment and prepare for the test. Click here to access the booklet. We encourage you to take the test to become highly qualified when you apply. Our applicants have had great success in passing this assessment through a review of the booklet and content.

 Attendance Stipend of $500 available

For Northeast Middle School and Pocono Mt West High School locations:
The program will begin with a full-day orientation/set-up day from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at the assigned site, then resume with students beginning July 7 - July 31, 2025, Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. until noon.  Please note - the last day, July 31, 2025 will be an 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. work day.

You will assist in planning special activities and events to make learning engaging for students. You will work with the teacher to accomplish the objectives and goals of the curriculum. In doing so, you will have the opportunity to engage your creative abilities assisting the team with developing activities that provide students with unique and individualized learning activities that promote their interests, needs, and individual development goals in a safe and positive environment.

See link for job description. 

Current IU associate teachers will be paid at their hourly per diem rate; non-IU Paraprofessionals (Teacher Assistants) will be paid at the hourly per diem rate of the salary schedule based on their work experience in ESY.  New non-IU Paraprofessionals (Teacher Assistants) will be paid at the per diem hourly rate of Step 1 of the 2024-2025 salary schedule as follows:

NEW EMPLOYEES interested in working the ESY program must apply via Applicant Portal.

Applicants must be able to work the ESY schedule and commit to the position to ensure proper planning and programming for students.

For current IU employees - Please use this link to the CIU20 Intranet for more information. Please contact the ESY Program Coordinator or the Recruitment Office for information on how to commit to work the Program.

If you are recommended for a position, you will need to have all credentials (including FBI, PA Criminal and PA Child Abuse Clearances as well as a School Personnel Health Record) submitted in order to be recommended to the Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 Board of Directors for hire. This will include completing an Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 and showing originals of documents you wish to submit to establish employment identity and work authorization.  In addition, you will be required to complete and submit the Act 168 Sexual Misconduct/Abuse Disclosure Release forms.

If you are recommended as a finalist for a position, you will be required to have a pre-employment medical examination – physical and tuberculosis (TB) test. All results (physical and TB) must be recorded on the School Personnel Health Record. No other forms are acceptable. The physical and TB are at your own expense. If the physical is performed by a Physician’s Assistant or Nurse Practitioner, the Physician must also sign; the TB test may be done by a physician or licensed health care provider. All areas of the physical and TB test must be completed, signed, and properly dated. Physical and TB results within the last three months of receipt will be accepted if they are recorded on the School Personnel Health Record. Dates of results longer than three months of our receipt will not be accepted.

Selected candidates for IU20 positions will be required to produce state mandated background clearances and fraud checks as part of the employment onboarding process. All recommendations for hire shall be contingent upon receipt of acceptable clearances and fraud checks. The clearances and checks will be treated confidentially.

EOE