Bilingual Teaching Assistant

Is your passion to help immigrants feel more at home in the community through education? Do you have experience and enjoy working with children? Do you want to make a positive impact on the community? Join our team as a Teaching Assistant for unaccompanied children in Richmond, VA!  

EnCircle’s Transitional Foster Care program is part of our Immigration and Refugee Services division. This program is in partnership with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS) and serves unaccompanied children in the custody of Office of Refugee Resettlement and are now living with foster families.    

Our Bilingual Teaching Assistant for Transitional Foster Care is primarily responsible for assisting the classroom teacher in the planning, organizing, and implementation of the instructional program in a preschool, elementary, or secondary learning environment. This individual must function in a manner that guides and encourages students to develop and fulfill their academic potential.  

This position is expected to function effectively with moderate supervision while following the guidelines given on procedures, along with agency, federal, and state regulatory requirements. 

Compensation & Benefits: 

• Competitive salary starting at $20 an hour.
• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance. 
• 401(k) and 401(k) Matching.  
• Employee Assistance Program, including Access to Chaplain Services. 
• Educational Assistance Program.   
• STD, LTD, Life, and AD&D Insurance. 
• Generous PTO and Paid Holidays. 
• Retention Bonus. 
• Cell Phone Reimbursement.  
• Unlimited Access to Premium Calm App for Staff plus Friends and Family.
• Early access to paid wages with Wisely ADP and Dailypay.

MINIMUM EDUCATION, TRAINING, REQUIREMENTS AND PREREQUISITES 

• Bachelor’s level degree in Education from an accredited college, preferred.
• Minimum of a High School diploma plus paid experience working with youth or some college coursework in Educational Instruction.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish, required.
• Prior work experience teaching ELL/ESL, preferred.
• Demonstrated cross-cultural sensitivity.
• Prior experience working with refugee and/or immigrant populations is preferred.
• Trauma-informed training for serving immigrant or vulnerable populations is preferred.
• Must possess an ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing in Spanish and English with strong interpersonal skills.
• Must be able to establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others.
• Must be able to report to work on a regular and punctual basis.
• Demonstrate preparation and skill in working with students from diverse cultural, economic and ability backgrounds.
• Must be CPR, First Aid, and AEC certified upon hire or within 60 days of hire.
• Must be flexible and creative in a diverse work setting.
• Excellent attention to detail and highly organized.
• Highly motivated and self-managed.
• Computer and typing skills sufficient to perform essential job functions.
• Active motor vehicle license and a reliable automobile with adequate insurance coverage.
• Pass a criminal history screen, including state and local child protection agency registries.
• Willing to work a variable schedule.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES  
Essential Functions: May be required to perform any of the following duties: 

• Assist in the planning, preparation, and delivery of lesson plans and instructional materials that facilitate active learning.  
• Assist with the delivery of lesson plans and tests that are in accordance with established procedures.  
• Assist with the instruction and monitoring of students in the use of learning materials and equipment.  
• Effectively use relevant technology to support and differentiate instruction. 
• Effectively manage student behavior in the classroom by establishing and enforcing rules and procedures.  
• Maintain discipline in accordance with the rules and disciplinary systems of the program. 
• Provide student’s the appropriate feedback on work.  
• Encourage and monitor the progress of individual students and use information to adjust teaching strategies.  
• Maintain accurate and complete records of students' progress and development. 
• Update all necessary records accurately and completely in alignment with ORR requirements. 
• Participate in school activities, as well as staff and treatment team meetings. 
• Supervise children during field trips and in the classroom.
• Communicate necessary information regularly to Case Manager(s), Clinician, foster parents and the assigned supervisor regarding student progress, concerns, or needs.  
• Establish and communicate clear objectives for all learning activities. 
• Assist the teacher in the delivery of classroom activities.  
• Provide a variety of learning materials and resources for use in educational activities. 
• Assist or lead classrooms if necessary.  
• Serve as a backup to the teacher and provide instruction to students.  
• Assist the teacher with creating lesson plans and classroom curriculum. 
• Attend internal and external trainings and apply newly gained knowledge on the job. 
• Primarily office based, but occasionally required to travel to other offices and/or external parties. 
• Complete other duties as assigned. 
• Schedule:  Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm.
• Weekends and evening on occasion/on call; need flexibility.

As part of the Company’s EEO commitment, we will also provide reasonable accommodations consistent with applicable law. The Company will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability so that they can perform the essential functions of the job unless doing so would cause significant difficulty or expense — i.e., an undue hardship. Similarly, the Company will also make reasonable accommodations to the known limitations of a person related to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship.  

If you seek an accommodation because of a medical condition or impairment, or related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, please notify Human Resources so we can evaluate your request. Please cooperate with the Company as to any information needed so we can assess your request for an accommodation.  

As part of our EEO commitment, the Company will also reasonably accommodate an employee whose sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance conflicts with a work rule or requirement unless doing so would impose more than a de minimis cost or burden.  

Please inform Human Resources if you seek an accommodation based on a religious belief. The Company will not take any adverse action or tolerate any retaliation against a person who requests or uses a reasonable accommodation.