Preschool Paraprofessional

Shakopee Area Catholic School is seeking a Preschool Paraprofessional who is responsible for providing a high-qualify, safe, and engaging classroom environment for 3-5 year old students in the Shakopee Area Catholic School’s Faithful Beginnings full-day preschool program by planning, managing, and implementing research-based curricula to ensure developmentally appropriate instruction. This is a full-time, 40 hours/week position.

Responsibilities:

• Contribute to an environment of warmth and respect to foster the academic, social-emotional, and spiritual development of preschool-aged children.
• Assist lead teacher in preparing, organizing, and maintaining instructional materials and learning centers.
• Lead activities with small groups of students to promote early literacy, numeracy, and overall school readiness, and provide individualized support as needed.
• Supervise students during classroom time, transitions, meals, and outdoor play to ensure safety and engagement, and support lead teacher in managing student behavior.
• Engage with and support students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
• Attend staff and team meetings, and maintain professionalism and confidentiality around student-related information.
• Uphold the mission of Shakopee Area Catholic School.

The mission of the Parish of Saints Joachim and Anne is to passionately lead people to Jesus Christ and sacramental life in the Catholic Church. The parish includes three (3) church facilities and the school campus for Shakopee Area Catholic School (SACS) and 3 cemeteries. SACS was established in 1970 as a consolidation of the three Catholic Parishes of Shakopee. In 2013, the three parishes merged, and the school became a parish school of Saints Joachim and Anne (SJA). SJA has nearly 100 caring staff members and there are roughly 600 students in the school.

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Experience working with young children in a preschool, childcare, or similar setting preferred.
• Ability to follow teacher direction while also taking initiative to support students or solve problems.
• Strong collaboration skills and willingness to work as part of a large team to implement curriculum and continuously improve preschool programming.
• Patience, flexibility, and the ability to maintain a clean, organized, and welcoming classroom environment, including setup and cleanup of activities.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to interact positively and effectively with children, staff, and families.
• Basic understanding of early childhood development and willingness to engage in required training and ongoing professional learning.
• Ability to meet physical demands of the role, including lifting 30 lbs, bending, sitting, and standing for extended periods of time.
• Understanding and acceptance of the Catholic doctrine.

The pay range for this position is $17.00 - $19.50 per hour based on experience and qualifications. This position offers medical and dental insurance, 403b retirement, paid time off, tuition discount, and other elective benefits as chosen by employee.

Applicants must submit a cover letter, resume and references to Callie Strop via email at cstrop@sacsschools.org.