Floating Special Education Paraprofessional

Meeker & Wright Special Education Cooperative #0938
Position Title: Floating Special Education Paraprofessional
Assignment Location: This position will be a floating position and will work where most needed throughout the Cooperative’s eight alternative programs.
Hours per Day: 7.0
Schedule: 179 day contract per school calendar
Anticipated Start Date: August 12, 2024
Salary: Placement per the MSEA contract for Paras ($20.91 – $27.16/hour), based on applicable experience

POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Special Education Paraprofessional works with students assigned to the special education program or service, under the direction of the licensed staff and performs duties to support the program in general. This includes, but is not limited to providing data-driven instructional support, personal care and behavioral assistance to students with special needs. Depending on student needs, responsibilities and duties may involve assisting and guiding students daily living skills, implementing behavior plans and /or monitoring and enforcing appropriate skills in accordance with instructional lesson plans and student Individualized Education Plans (IEP).

QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school degree, GED, or equivalent experience; and
• Holds one of the following to meet the Highly Qualified Paraprofessional requirement or will obtain within the probationary period:
  • At least two years of college credits (usually 60 credits in Minnesota)
  • An AA, AS, AAS (or higher) degree
  • Obtain the PELSB Paraprofessional Credential
  • Passing score of 460 (or higher) on the ParaPro Assessment
  • Passing score of 65% (or higher) for the Instructional Support test and 70% (or higher) for the Knowledge and Application test on the Minnesota Service Cooperatives ParaEducator Proctored Test 
    *MAWSECO offers prospective candidates access to online training materials and would proctor the test*

ABOUT MAWSECO:
MAWSECO is an agency of seven-member school districts (Annandale, Dassel-Cokato, Delano, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted, Litchfield, Maple Lake and Rockford) that have joined together to provide services in the area of special education. The mission of the Cooperative is to provide quality special education leadership, services, and support to its seven-member school districts’ staff, students and families as well as other agencies/districts that purchase its services. The MAWSECO central office is located in Howard Lake, MN which is west of the metro and south of St. Cloud.

For more information about each of our programs, please see below: 
ABOUT CORNERSTONES:
Cornerstones is a therapeutic setting IV, multi-school district program located at the Wright Technical Center in Buffalo, MN and managed by MAWSECO. This program serves adolescents, grades 7-12 with EBD needs that cannot be met within their home school district. Students coming to Cornerstones are first assessed by the Nystrom and Associates staff to determine the level of services needed. Nystrom and Associates staff develop a treatment plan for Cornerstones school and mental health services and social skills training provided by Nystrom and Associates. Nystrom and Associates services  are provided during the school day, but are not  part of school programming. 

ABOUT EASTERN WRIGHT:
The Eastern Wright Program is an intermediate (grades 5-7) combination skills and educational program.  It is located in the Wright Technical Center in Buffalo, MN. All youth attending come from surrounding communities and have been identified with emotional and/or behavioral disorders or have significant behavior concerns. The primary goal of the program is to provide social skills and educational support to reduce stress and acquire skills in the emotional, behavioral, social and academic areas and return to the mainstream school as soon as possible. The Eastern-Wright Program and its team members believe that by working together, we will be able to positively influence students in our program. 

ABOUT JOURNEYS:
The Journeys program is located at the MAWSECO Education Center in Howard Lake and serves children with behavioral needs in grades K-4. It is a multi-district program and is managed by Meeker & Wright Special Education Cooperative. Journeys serves young students with behavioral needs that cannot be met within their home school district. Students receive academic classes, social, and life skills which are individualized to foster learning and successful interactions with peers and adults. Students are recommended for these services by their IEP team and with the approval of district administration. The students reintegrate, as appropriate, back to their home school as recommended by the IEP team.

ABOUT SHOLUND:
Sholund School for Girls is located in Annandale, MN. This program started in November of 2016 and serves girls in grades 5-12. The educational program provides a flexible, safe environment in which students can experience educational success. Enrollment is made up of students from several different districts and is multi-agency in nature. 

ABOUT STEP:
STEP (Student Transitioning in Educational Programming) is an educational program for young adults ages 18-21 with special needs. It is a community-based special education program emphasizing work experience and independent living skills. The 18-21 year old program services students who have completed high school requirements but are in need of extended schooling in two of the transition areas listed: Independent Living; Employment; Post Secondary Education and Training. The program was designed to meet these needs in the least restrictive, age appropriate environment. 

ABOUT TREK:
TREK is a program designed for students who have been identified as having severe communication or neurological disorders. The target population for this program includes students who have been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorders or Developmental Cognitive Disorders and exhibit behavioral patterns which negatively affect the ability to interact with peers or adults in the regular school setting. TREK provides program solutions to effectively create an environment of successful learners.

ABOUT VILLAGE RANCH:
Village Ranch Alternative Program (VRAP) is located in Cokato, MN and is an educational facility on the grounds of the Village Ranch, Inc. group home. The educational program provides a flexible, safe environment in which students can experience educational success. Students attending VRAP range from 12-18 years of age and some have pre-identified disabilities in the area of Emotional Behavioral Disorders (EBD) or Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), or have other learning difficulties. VRAP’s goal is to transition students with academic, behavioral and/or emotional difficulties to successful integration into mainstream educational and/or work opportunities. 

ABOUT WINGS:
The Wings Alternative Program, located in Litchfield, MN is a residential treatment center for chemical dependency. The program serves male and female adolescents ages 14 years and older from throughout Minnesota and from other states. MAWSECO staff members provide educational services to students attending this program.

HOW TO APPLY: 
Meeker and Wright Special Ed Coop #938 utilizes an online application system. Please visit the site to apply:  https://www.applitrack.com/mawseco/OnlineApp/  
If you have questions or concerns regarding the application process, please contact Elizabeth Sullivan by phone at (612) 417-6491 or email at: esullivan@mawseco.k12.mn.us

POSITION QUESTIONS: 
Contact Caren Heltne, Assistant Director of Care and Treatment Programs, phone (320) 286-2922 ext. 1233 or email at: cheltne@mawseco.k12.mn.us