Substitute - Bus Assistant at Bethel School District 403 in Spanaway, WA

Job description

PAY FOR THIS POSITION : 2025-26 Substitute Bus Assistant Rate: $20.62/hour This position's responsibilities are to assist a special education bus driver in the loading, unloading and safe transportation of students having special physical needs or behavior disorders. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Depending upon the individual assignment, the Transportation Bus Assistant may perform all or a combination of the following: 1. Assists special education students in boarding and departing from bus; secures them properly in their seats; secures wheelchairs and other support devices. 2. Maintains a high level of rapport with students and parents. Maintains a high level of safety and health awareness when transporting students; observes students for seizures, disruptive or dangerous behavior, personal hygiene and a variety of medical and physical conditions; maintains confidentiality of student conditions. 3. Works together as a team with the bus driver; responds jointly to medical, behavioral, physical, accident and evacuation emergencies as necessary. 4. Operates a variety of lifts, wheelchairs, tie-downs, harnesses and emergency ramps. 5. Assists in cleaning and sanitizing the bus. Applies cleaning compound as necessary to clean, remove and disinfect spillages of blood, vomit, bodily wastes, etc. 6. Creates a positive atmosphere for students. 7. Maintains current knowledge and skills in the field of special needs students, equipment and emergency procedures. 8. Assists new and substitute drivers in finding routes and student locations. OTHER FUNCTIONS 9. Assists driver in a variety of functions as requested. 10. May serve on various district committees and/or departmental work teams. Models appropriate and cooperative behavior, including protecting confidential information, consistent with district ethical guidelines. 11. Performs related duties consistent with the scope and intent of the position. REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS Reports to the Director of Transportation; works closely with assigned bus driver. MENTAL DEMANDS Experiences a variety of demands requiring prioritization of responses; may occasionally deal with distraught or difficult students; required to adhere to inflexible schedule deadlines. PHYSICAL DEMANDS Required to sit for prolonged periods; required to lift, move and carry equipment; potentially exposed to a variety of ordinary infectious diseases carried by students; required to lift, carry, position and restrain students; may need to take precautions to avoid exposure to student's bodily fluids and cleaning or disinfecting compounds; exposed to diesel fumes when unloading students; required to work outdoors in inclement weather; required to remain confined to a school bus for extended periods of time; may be exposed to biting behavior and the outbursts of severe behavior disordered students; exposed to student and bus noise levels; exposed to equipment such as lifts with a cutting or crushing potential; required to crouch, bend, push, pull and work in other non-routine positions; required to attend to students' personal hygiene. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education and Experience Education, training, skills, and experience necessary to carry out the assignment, with experience with special needs students preferred. Allowable Substitutions Not applicable. Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Skill in oral communication. Knowledge of district's streets, highways and boundaries. Ability to diffuse situations and resolve conflicts. Skill in managing concurrent situations and problems. Skill in dealing with crisis situations. Ability to deal with students in a warm and confident manner. Ability to remain flexible to changes in assignments or situations. Ability to coordinate student needs with parents and district staff. Ability to work with special education students individually or in groups. Knowledge of a variety of physical and behavioral disabilities. Ability to operate special needs equipment such as wheelchairs, lifts, har