Specialized Bilingual Instructional Assistant (Spanish/ English)

The Lansing School District serves over 10,000 PreK-12 students across 25 school buildings in the increasingly diverse urban community of Lansing, MI. We are unique compared to other districts because of the wide variety of exciting and innovative educational options from which families and staff members can choose. All of Lansing School District’s team members are dedicated to our mission to provide an excellent education to all students in a safe and nurturing environment.

In pursuit of this mission, we are hiring a Specialized Bilingual Instructional Assistant for the Welcome Center. The Specialized Bilingual Instructional Assistant will perform duties and responsibilities related, but not limited to, providing differentiated ESL (English as a Second Language) instruction under the supervision and direction from a highly qualified certified teacher. The role of the Specialized Bilingual Instructional Assistant is to assist core content area and general education classroom teachers with instruction and non-instructional classroom related assignments. Instruction and assignments will be planned by the classroom teacher, who is responsible for their overall implementation and management. The main goal of this position is to provide appropriate academic, social, and emotional services to meet the needs of EL (English Learners) students at each Language Assistance Program (LAP) building district wide. The duties listed below are not all-inclusive, but indicate the most important responsibilities for this position.

Minimum Qualifications - Must have one of the following::
• Associate's Degree

• 60 completed college credits

• Proof of passing the ETS Paraprofessional Exam

• Fluency in Spanish and English

Preferred Qualifications:
• A High School Diploma or equivalent is required.

• Preferred: Associate degree, 60 semester hours of higher education or passed the ETS Parapro Assessment.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate orally and in written forms in English is required.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate fluently in both oral and written forms in in a language other than English.

• Show ability to work with students from various culture and linguistic backgrounds, age, and language/academic proficiency levels.

• Show ability to work independently and cooperatively with administrators, teachers, students, parents, and staff under appropriate supervision.

• Demonstrated ability to work with computer programs including basic Microsoft office tools and instructional software is desired.

• Demonstrated ability to work well in fast-paced environments with high flexibility is desired.

• Willingness to travel within the district to accomplish the mission of the Bilingual Education Department is required.

• Demonstrated ability to maintain standards of professional conduct and work ethics including attendance, punctuality and performance is required.

• Demonstrated ability to actively seek opportunities to grow professionally is desired.

Job Responsibilities:
• Assist in ESL core content area courses and general education classroom(s) to help English Learners (EL’s) increase their language proficiency level and academic achievement.

• Assist in tutoring individual students or a small group of students in academic skill areas, homework, or special projects as needed

• Support the maintenance of accurate records and documentation of English Learner students for evaluation purposes and progress monitoring.

• Work collaboratively with school administrators, counselors, teachers, and parents to help identify student-learning styles and support the instructional adaptations for diverse learners.

• Work collaboratively with school administrators, counselors, teachers, and other staff to provide opportunities for the cognitive, physical, emotional, social, and communication development of EL students.

• Work in coordination with designated staff in the building to ensure that the procedures to welcome new ELs are observed and followed.

• Facilitate and encourage a learning environment that fosters successful social and academic experiences related to grade level expectations and acculturation processes.

• Assist in the education of the students to become acclimated with the American school system and its expectations.

• Facilitate the development of cross-cultural competencies in students.

• Assist in supervising students while they are at an LSD property or event.

• Facilitate communication among parents, guardians, and all school personnel involved in the education of EL’s.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements :
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

• Must be able to stand, walk, and move quickly between indoor and outdoor settings for extended periods.

• Regularly required to bend, kneel, crouch, and assist with physical transfers or interventions involving students.

• Must be able to lift, push, or carry up to 50 pounds as needed.

• Frequent verbal communication is required to support students, coordinate with staff, and manage emergent situations.

• Occasional use of computers, radios, and other communication or documentation tools.

• May be exposed to noise, weather conditions, and other elements associated with a school environment.

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

At Lansing School District, we champion diversity, equity, and inclusion, providing equal opportunities to all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or sexual orientation. We foster a rich environment for professional growth and student experiences by valuing diverse perspectives. As an equal opportunity employer, we invite passionate individuals dedicated to educational excellence to apply for our positions.

We value internal mobility and list "Strong Internal Candidate" when considering an internal candidate before posting a job. We still encourage all candidates to apply.

Complete the attached online application at your earliest convenience. If selected, we will contact you to set up an interview. While we strive to provide prompt feedback, the high volume of applicants may limit our ability to do so. All of our jobs will be posted for at least 10 days (unless otherwise noted), but we will review applications on a rolling basis.

External candidates interested in multiple positions within the same department need only apply to one posting and can indicate other roles of interest in the final question. We will consider your application for various roles based on your qualifications.

Internal candidates should apply using their SSO email address and submit separate applications for each role of interest.
Thank you for your interest in joining our mission-driven team. We look forward to meeting you!

This job description is intended to outline the general responsibilities and qualifications for the position. It is not an exhaustive list of duties, and the Lansing School District reserves the right to modify job responsibilities as needed. Due to the evolving needs of the District, additional job responsibilities may be assigned (depending on funding sources).