About UP Education Network

UP Education Network is a school turnaround organization whose mission is to rapidly transform chronically underperforming district schools into extraordinary schools that sustain high achievement over time. UP transforms schools into exceptional learning environments in partnership with families and communities. Students in UP schools cultivate sharp minds, share their kind hearts, and explore their path and potential. UP graduates succeed on the path to college and pursue their passions. Today, UP is the largest nonprofit school network in Massachusetts and is privileged to serve a highly diverse group of more than 2,500 PK-8th grade students across five schools in Boston and Lawrence. All of our school-based staff are district employees and receive district benefits.

 

Role:

The Special Education Paraprofessional at UP Academy holds primary responsibility for overseeing the implementation of effective, rigorous academic and behavior intervention systems with a small case load of students.  The Special Education Paraprofessional will work closely with a small case load of students who need additional supports to be successful in the UP Academy classroom.  This individual will support those students, their families, and their teachers in an effort to fundamentally change the successes they are realizing within UP Academy.

 

Specific Responsibilities:

•         Work alongside experienced special educators to support a small case load of students across two substantially separate classrooms, driving the achievement of students with moderate to severe need
•         Implement an effective, rigorous behavior intervention system with a case load of students across two classrooms
•         Provide consistent and high academic and behavioral expectations
•         Facilitate restorative conversations with students
•         Support student mastery of state, city, and school academic and behavioral standards
•         Lead daily individual and small group tutoring sessions
•         Communicate effectively with students, families, and colleagues

 

Qualifications:

•         A strong belief in UP Education Network’s core values: Students, Community, Humility, Resilience, and Humor
•         ABA experienced preferred
•         A high-school diploma or GED
•         Forty-eight (48) Credit Hours of College Coursework or an Associate’s Degree, or a passing score on one of the two following Formalized Standardized Assessments: ParaPro Assessment (http://www.ets.org/parapro/ ) or WorkKeys Certificate of Proficiency for Teacher Assistants (http://www.act.org/workkeys/profcert/index.html ); and
•         Current authorization to work in the United States – A candidate must have such authorization by his or her first day of employment.

 

Working at UP Academy

We know that great staff members directly lead to the success of our students.  At UP, your career is shaped by:

• Opportunities for immediate impact: UP offers a chance to bring best practices found in high-performing schools to students previously enrolled in struggling schools, and to rapidly unlock the potential of these students.
• Talented, mission-driven colleagues: Our staff is enthusiastic, dedicated, and willing to do “whatever it takes” to put every student on the path to college.
• Collaboration and teamwork: Staff members collaborate and work closely together on grade-level or content area teams, using data to track student performance as well as guide instructional practice. 
• Consistent professional growth and development: Members of our staff typically have bi-weekly check-in meetings with their managers where they receive targeted coaching and support.  Additionally, the entire staff participates in weekly professional development sessions during the school year.

Compensation:

Your salary is commensurate with experience; UP Academy follows the salary scales of each UP Academy’s host school district.  As an employee of UP Academy and your respective school district, you will receive the same access to personal and sick days, health insurance, and dental insurance as others within your union. 

 

We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply for any open position for which they are qualified.  Our students must be exposed on a daily basis to a diverse group of powerful role models. Therefore, we have a responsibility to recruit, retain, develop, and reward a diverse and talented staff from a wide range of backgrounds to join our creative, mission-driven team.

 

Terms:

BTU, Paraprofessional hourly rate

 

Please refer to the Salary Information section on the Career Site for more information on compensation.  Salaries are listed by Union and Grade/Step.

 

The start and end times of BPS schools vary, as do the lengths of the school day. Some BPS schools have a longer school day through the "Schedule A" Expanded Learning Time (ELT) agreement. To learn more about ELT at BPS and whether or not this school is a "Schedule A" ELT school, check here: https://www.bostonpublicschools.org/Page/6571. To see the bell schedule for every BPS school, go to: https://www.bostonpublicschools.org/Page/7017. Please note, these times may be subject to change prior to the start of the SY20-21 school year.

 

The Boston Public Schools, in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies, does not discriminate in its programs, facilities, or employment or educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, age, criminal record (inquiries only), disability, homelessness, sex/gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetics or military status, and does not tolerate any form of retaliation, or bias-based intimidation, threat or harassment that demeans individuals’ dignity or interferes with their ability to learn or work.