r/paraprofessional

Has anyone ever been a remote parapro before or know someone who has? I have a interview on Monday with a online school here in Georgia. Just wanted to see if anyone has any experience. Thanks for any insight.

I posted about the “fit room” yesterday and I appreciate so much the comments so I decided I’ll ask one other question to anyone willing to comment. I have another interview with a high school on Monday. For someone just entering the Paraprofessional field do you think high school tier 4 or elementary tier 4 is a better for a first timer? Thanks guys you’re really helping me out!

Just had an interview for a Paraprofessional job at an elementary school. It would be my first time working in a school. I have worked with kids before but not in a school setting. I feel stupid because I should have asked at the time but was concerned not knowing might not get me the job. However the principal mentioned I would be working in one of the “fit” rooms. Can anyone tell me what exactly that is for sure? It’s tier 4 students if that helps. Thanks in advance.

Hey yall, first time posting in this sub. This is more of a rant than anything else as I am pursuing things through my union but wanted to see if anyone else has been in a similar postion. Ive been working in the same school for 5 a half years. Heading into my 6th full year I am on step 5 out of our 9 tier contract. It used to be 13 and when they got rid of the old scale I went from 3 going to 4 to being placed at a 2 in my third year. They have explained to me that it is because they got rid of those steps so I needed to keep working my way up. I contested this cause people had been hired who had a few years experience and were placed slightly higher than me. It fell on deaf ears. This year however, a new hire that I graduated high school with (same age) was hired into the program that I work in. They have a similar background in field and basically the same amount of time in said field. She was placed on a 7 out of 9 immediately. When I found out at beginning of year I was getting into arguments with admin and was basically dismissed saying I didn't have the numbers right. Gaslighting to the extreme cause I went and checked and i did in fact have the facts right. Well, cut to the end of the year this year when we get our reasonable assurance offers. I went from 4 to 5 and she goes to an 8 from 7. All year it had been bugging me but seeing that be the case I got angry and went to my union rep. We are now working on a way to maybe potentially take action but his initial contact with admin amounted to "we think everyone is placed on the scale correctly". Now dont get me wrong, I am friends with the new hire from school and I am happy they are getting paid good money, but I have a college degree and they hadnt even had the parapro done to be qualified for the job. I am maybe looking into filing a formal grievance as this situation has caused a lot of stress and anxiety. I am just curious if anyone has any advice or experience with anything like this, or maybe even just some calming words for me. I feel like I am just used because I am one of the few staff who seems to return every year cause I truly do love working in the school.

This will be my first year working with high school students after coming from the elementary level, and I’m both excited and a little nervous!
If you’ve worked at the high school level—whether you’re currently there or have in the past—I would really appreciate any advice or tips you have for someone making the transition. Anything you wish you had known before you started would be incredibly helpful.
Thank you all in advance! I truly appreciate any guidance you can share!

If you are trained in ABA therapy, or have work with nonverbal children, PLEASE help me out.

(You can skip this paragraph if you want, but it gives insight on my little experience) I'm about to start ESY next week. Last school year was my first year as a para with ESS, and no offense, but ESS didn't really prepare me for anything. Despite that, I eased in, and did OK for my first year. I had a 5th grader with high functioning Autism and ADHD. All I really did most of the year was redirect him back to his work, deal with constant disruptions, and very rarely, aggressive behavior.

I was warned at the end of the school year that my student I was assigned for ESY is "very difficult", and I'm worried. Not because he's "difficult" (not my words, and I don't really like that wording) but because I don't feel very prepared. All I know is that he's non-verbal, entering first grade next year, and is a big eloper/biter.

I have no experience working with non-verbal students. I have no experience working with a kid that young. I have no idea what an autism classroom, nonetheless first grade classroom, looks like (I did ERI in the school year). I'll condense below what I'd love advice on.

-How to manage and work with him on eloping
-How to communicate with a nonverbal first grader
-Idk exactly, any advice helps...

I'm really worried and unprepared. I want to improve this little guys life, and hate that he's dubbed as "difficult" when apparently his teacher got fired for letting him be on a tablet all year long because she didn't want to deal with him. Poor kid is probably extremely regressed. Any good resources to study or tips? I am not ABA trained. I am CPI trained, that's all. I start Monday next week.

I’m a substitute paraprofessional. I recently bought a car and financed it, showing my pay stubs. After the sale the lender said my employment verification is “pending” and that pay stubs aren’t enough,they need proof that I am currently employed.

I called HR Connect. They said the best they can do for subs is issue an employment verification letter. They do NOT do over the phone verification for substitutes,that is only only for fulltime staff. So I generated the official NYCAPS employment/earnings letter and sent it to the lender.

The lender is now saying they don’t accept letters or email verification. They require someone at DOE to call a specific number and answer 4 questions to verify my employment ,the exact thing HR just told me they won’t do for subs.

The lender gave me 2–3 days,if I can’t get this phone verification done, they’ll cancel the loan and take the car back.

I called UFT and they said they couldn’t help and told me to call HR, but HR already said a letter is all they’ll do. So I’m stuck in a loop where the lender wants a phone call and DOE won’t make one for my title.

Any advice appreciated, I genuinely work for DOE and I’m being treated like I can’t prove it. Thanks.

3 months ago I posted on here about my work situation. I had a conversation with the principal. She had mentioned coming off substitute teacher aide onto probationary and moving me to a different classroom. A difficult classroom. I never heard anything after that conversation. 3 months later, on June 24th, I got an observation out of no where. Staff in my classroom said substitutes don't get observations. We were all confused about me having observation. Later that day, my friend texted me saying her mom got her letter of reasonable assurance in her mailbox at work and asked if I got one. I said I didn't check my mailbox. I work at the same school district and elementary school as my friend's mom. I went to work the next day and checked my mailbox. I had a letter of reasonable assurance. Took me good 6 minutes to realize the letter said letter of reasonable assurance for 10 month non substitute employees. I said wait I am not going to be substitute teacher's aide next school year. No communication whatsoever in my school district. This school district barely communicated to me about coming off substitute. I am very happy I get to come back in September.

Hi! I have experience as a para, but I'm wondering about the experience in this area.

I thought the pay was pretty low for this district compared to what other non-ed jobs are paying in this area.

So, what's your experience like? Are you in a charter or public? (Should I try a charter 👀😬??)

If you're comfortable, could you share how you sustain yourself at your pay rate? (You can absolutely PM me! I completely understand not wanting share below)

I work at a level 3, 1:1 program for autistic adults and high schoolers. When the school year ended, my school laid off 41 people district wide to “save money” and hired new staff from out of the country because it is cheaper (I don’t know how that works, that’s just what I’ve been told).

I am the ONLY staff member from the school year returning for ESY. None of these paras OR teachers know these students and vice versa, which puts a lot of pressure on me because I am pulled every in direction, especially during a behavior but also for small mundane things as well. I am happy to do it, that’s not the problem.

The problem is that some of the para trainees make SEVEN (7) WHOLE DOLLARS more than me???? I am the lowest paid employee in my program- everyone else ranges from a buck.50 to $7(!!!!) more than me- I’m talking paras mind you, not teachers. I didn’t get any kind of raise for ESY and per my last paycheck, I don’t think I’m getting the extra compensation owed to me anyway (they said I’d be making an hourly rate + what I would get paid over the summer already).

I’m obviously going to speak with HR, but what do I even say? How do I approach this in a way that is not “hey what the fuck?”

7 more days. Ugh I’m so burned out . Autism class and I’m always having to do the most because my coworkers do the bare minimum .

I been a para i outgrew the position I am thinking of doing wither school counselor , school psychologist, PE or , school social worker. I did have my degree in education to teach TESOL but dont want to teach that. Does anyone have any reccomendation? I enjoy working with students and the hours I dont think I want to teach academics. I am introvert and like to work alone but dont mind a group sometimes. I enjoy helping people but I dont always want to deal with so much emotional and physical load.

So I applied for ESY along with all other paras in my school. We all got accepted to other schools and not our own ACCEPT one person which I find odd. Our kids were assigned too during school year is doing ESY so why wouldn’t we get in our main schools program and get thrown around the district? Is anyone else dealing with this? Thanks

So I was working in a classroom with students in the Autism Spectrum. I worked with kindergarten through 2nd graders. I did struggle in there with overstimulation and was overwhelmed sometimes but I still showed up, did my best and always was there for those students. I am appreciated of what I do just like other employees. The thing is when I went to go for my review for the school year, my boss knew that I was overwhelmed, and handed me a contract with only two days a week work. I mean it is a great opportunity to be a music teacher and arts assistant for two days a week is but it’s not enough for me because I have bills I need to pay and plus I’m going to a University taking classes online so I need to pay for that to (Got grand and scholarships). I mean I’ve been working full-time and do classes, and I still do it. I know that my boss said it’ll be great because I will have more time in doing my classes so I won’t be so overwhelmed and I work two days a week, but the thing is that’s not gonna be enough when I pay bills and I need to work full-time. I don’t know if they’re really looking at my well-being, or finding an easy way to let me go. Plus, I’m on the autism spectrum myself. 
Oh so I was talking to one of my relatives about it and then he said he thinks that’s the easy way for them to let me go that’s bullshit. Why would they cut my hours like that? 
On top of that I never got para of the month and even some paraprofessional that has been there less than me have gotten it. They do teacher and paraprofessional of the month which is pretty useless. I’m just going to find something else. He thinks I’m probably being the least paid and I believe it. 

He was telling me I should take it while I find another job. I mean I can, but I can just apply right now, but I know getting hired is the tough part. Personally, I don’t think they even like me that much and I think I have a feeling that they don’t so why stay? Sorry, for the long rant, but I just needed to let it out.

Edit: Im already looking for other jobs.

I am a 1:1(or however many students they give me) in lower elementary.
Last year I was given a student desk and had to sit amongst the kids. I was also given a student locket to store everything I needed, including my lunch, coat, snow boots for recess duty and anything else. It’s just the standard in our building as there’s no space for us to have an actual desk/table or real space.
I will have the same set up this upcoming school year and I want to scream.
My desk was an unorganized disaster with stuff constantly falling into my lap because I had no space to store the things I needed. My locker was also a disaster and embarrassing to open because it was so jam packed full of crap. I am a very organized person and can’t function like that for another whole school year. I limited to absolute essentials and it still didn’t work.
What is your desk set up? How do you organize everything?

i was the person who has been moved from high school to preschool as aide. and now i been able to sit down and genuinely think about it. it might not be that bad? it might be a learning experience that might help me learn patience more. and part of me doesn’t want to interview again 😭.

I'm on the summer school sub list (they have a few subs) but so far I've only gotten 2 para job calls for summer school jobs and not sub jobs. In my district, paras are paid less than subs and by an hourly rate and I don't feel comfortable or qualified for the behaviors and diapering. I've also gotten one email from a teacher to all the summer subs but by the time I replied, another sub got to that job.

What do you do as a summer para job? Do you deal with a lot of behaviors and diapering?