1st Grade Teacher Assistant (Maternity Leave)

About the job

We are seeking to hire a maternity leave substitute Bilingual 1st Grade Teacher Assistant to Start in November 2, 2026

This will be for 16 - 18 weeks of maternity leave coverage. Bridges is seeking individuals who are committed to the learning and development of Students. Our classrooms are culturally and linguistically diverse and include students with special needs. The position of 1st grade Teacher Assistant in a general education inclusion classroom.

Who We Are

Our mission is to provide an exemplary educational program that includes all students. Our developmentally appropriate, student and family-centered educational approach nurtures students to expand their developmental skills, in order to build a foundation for life-long learning. Our Core Values are:

• Responsibility

• Engagement

• Acceptance

• Creativity

• Honesty

Who Are We Looking For

We are seeking passionate educators to build an inclusive PK-5 school community. We are seeking individuals who are committed to providing high-quality, universally designed instruction and who are committed to learning about and implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies for our diverse student community. We are seeking individuals that recognize that they are in a position of public trust and are held to a high standard of personal and professional conduct. If you are a dedicated educator who is passionate about creating a culture of inclusion and respect, we invite you to join our team. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our students and build a brighter future for our community.

As a Bilingual Elementary Teacher Assistant, you will be responsible for…

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE

• Working with the Lead Teacher in planning and managing for the success of a classroom.

• Supporting the creation of challenging, engaging, and universally designed lessons that support learner variability.

• Supporting the use of the UDL Framework to design and implement curriculum standards-based units that include differentiated instruction.

• Supporting the planning and teaching of students for the core subjects of reading, math, science, and social studies.

• Supporting students during small group instruction

• Providing support to students during specials classes (Gardening, Music, Spanish, PE, Art)

• Assessing student progress regularly and using data to support instruction.

• Collaborating with the Lead Teacher, special education service providers (speech, PT, OT), ELL teacher, and other Assistant Teacher(s) or Teaching Fellow(s).

• Maintaining the classroom grade book by inputting at least 3-4 grades per week.

• Maintaining the daily attendance records for the classroom.

• Facilitating Morning Meeting.

• Organizing student breakfast and lunch. Maintaining breakfast and lunch count.

• Providing support during recess to ensure students are safe.

• Assisting with maintaining current bulletin boards (in class and hallway).

• Creating a classroom culture and environment that develops and nurtures the emotional, cognitive, and social abilities of the students, implementing Responsive Classroom techniques.

• Participating in Parent Teacher Conferences, contacting parents as needed/requested and providing translation as necessary.

• Responding to students’ behavior appropriately and successfully.

• Engaging parents and families in their student’s learning and acting as an ambassador for the school in the community.

• Contributing productively to the school as a whole.

• Attending and participating in school events outside of regular school hours

• Other duties as assigned

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Adhering to the 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. work day

• Regularly attends work and adheres to all attendance policies.

• Be on time for classes, duties, team meetings, and professional development activities. Communicate about and plan for absences in advance with teaching teams and the Principal.

• Participate in monthly Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings.

• Contribute to PLC sessions by being prepared to share data, ideas, student work, materials, feedback, facilitating sessions, and/or discussions.

• Participate in a Summer Professional Development. Summer Professional Development will be two weeks in August before students return.

• Seek out additional opportunities for professional development that will lead to achieving personal and school-wide professional development goals.

• Reading provided school information and adhering to all deadlines.

• Respond to all emails within 24 hours or the next business day.

• Other professional duties as assigned.

SCHOOL CULTURE

• Create and maintain a physically and emotionally safe environment for students.

• Communicate respectfully with students, staff, and families at all times.

• Model, practice, and discuss respectful, unbiased, and effective communication with students.

• Other school culture expectations as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Have an AA, BA, or MA or a high school diploma / GED and pass the Praxis Parapro exam.

• Have taken coursework in early childhood education, elementary education, or human development.

• Have prior work or volunteer experience with children or students with special needs.

• Demonstrate strong skills in partnering with families.

• Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a diverse group of colleagues, parents, families, and community members.

• Be committed to meeting the needs of a diverse student population.

• Have a track record of being a team player and community-minded.

• Be committed to their own learning.

• Have excellent time-management skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently.

• Have a passion for urban public schools.

• Adhere to a high level of professional and ethical standards.

SALARY & BENEFITS

This position pays an hourly rate range of $22.17 - $32.64 / Per Hour. Pay is based on education and years of experience.

In addition to your hourly pay, which is paid on a bi-weekly schedule, you are eligible for the following:

DC Sick Leave: You will receive 1 hour of DC Sick time for every 37 hours worked.

To ensure safety for all students, all staff members will be fingerprinted. Background checks will be conducted on all school staff prior to their service as employees. Bridges is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate all applicants without unlawful consideration of race, religion, age, color, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.