Instructional Assistant Teacher
About the Employer
Job Title
Job Title (for context): intensive instructional paraprofessional, Salem High School, Salem Public Schools, Salem, MA [SY 2026-2027]
Job Description
Intensive Instructional Paraprofessional (Special Education), Salem High School, Salem Public Schools, Salem, MA [SY 2026-2027] About Salem Public Schools, where belonging leads to opportunity. Salem is a small, diverse city with a proud maritime and immigrant history. Salem Public Schools is an urban public school district enrolling nearly 4,000 students in 10 schools. Our vision is to ensure that all students will be locally engaged, globally connected, and fully prepared to thrive in a diverse and changing world. We hold dear our core values of belonging, equity, and opportunity in everything we do. We seek individuals who are passionate about urban education and understand the urgency of improving student achievement for all students, regardless of ability, economic status, gender/gender identity, language, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other backgrounds. We invite you to learn more about our strategic plan and core priorities on our website at https://salemk12.org/
What You’ll Do
Paraprofessionals will assist teachers and/or other certified personnel in providing an innovative, high-quality education program designed to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities in the Salem Public Schools. Paraprofessionals will work with school staff to create an educational environment in which quality and continuity are key factors.
• Assist with personal care, lifting, feeding, academic support, behavioral interventions, and technology use as needed.
• Demonstrate an understanding of assigned students’ profile and learning needs, read student IEPs, and engage in related PD.
• Support and collaborate with general education and special education teachers on an ongoing basis.
• Reinforce lessons with individual or small groups of students.
• Assist with classroom management & supervision.
• Administer behavior modification programs/point systems, including data taking and discrete trials under the direction of the classroom teacher.
Role Responsibilities
Demonstrate an understanding of assigned students’ profile and learning needs, read student IEPs, and engage in related PD. Support and collaborate with the general education and special education teachers on an ongoing basis. Reinforce lessons with individual or small groups of students. Assist with classroom management & supervision. Administer behavior modification programs/point systems, including data taking and discrete trials under the direction of the classroom teacher.
What You’ll Bring
We are looking for candidates who have diverse backgrounds and experiences, are inspired by our mission and are highly motivated to change children’s lives through education. You’ll be right at home here if you are a reflective practitioner who values collaboration with colleagues and pushes yourself, your work, and the people around you to the next level.
• Hold a deep commitment to students and families and value diversity – the SPS community is vibrant, diverse in background, ethnicity, language, and perspective.
• Hold high expectations for yourself, students, and colleagues. You see potential in all, especially our SPS students, and maintain high expectations for achievement, while providing the support necessary to meet that bar.
• Build authentic, caring relationships with colleagues, students, and families. You build strong relationships across students, families, and colleagues that are collaborative in nature and contribute to the individual and collective success of SPS.
Position Expectations: Therapeutic Program Paraprofessionals
Safety care trained or willing to be trained (training provided by district). Must be physically capable of and willing to engage in restraint, bending, and lifting as required to meet unique student needs. Assist in toileting and activity of daily living (ADL) skills, if needed and as determined by student need.
Job Requirements
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. Safety-care trained or willing to be trained (district will provide training). Minimum of one year experience working with elementary-aged children. Experience with ABA techniques advantageous, but training provided. Second language (Spanish and/or Portuguese) proficiency a plus. Bilingual candidates and candidates of color strongly encouraged to apply. Current authorization to work in the United States.
Reporting Structure
Paraprofessionals report to the Building Principal, Special Education Supervisor, students’ assigned classroom teacher(s), and Executive Director of Special Education.
Work Year
Teachers in Salem Public Schools work a 185-day school year (180 student contact days plus 5 professional development days). Please click here to view the 2026-27 district and/or school calendars.
Salary
Paraprofessional salaries in the Salem Public Schools are determined by the Paraprofessional and School Related Personnel (PSPR) Collective Bargaining Agreement. This position is paid on the Tier 3 salary schedule.
Benefits
The City of Salem offers Group Insurance Commission (GIC) benefits to all full-time employees. Click here for more information about our health benefits.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Salem Public School District is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, housing status, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.