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THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, March 17, 2023 Page 19 ~ Help Wanted ~ ~ Help Wanted ~ aavvyvy S avy K-6 Paraprofessional Job Opportunities Starting Salary: 35,000 About MVRCS: Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden, MA was founded in 1998. The School serves over 1,400 students in Kindergarten through Grade 12. Great teachers, carefully selected curricula presented with fidelity, high expectations, and traditional pedagogy are the keys to student success at Mystic Valley. Mystic Valley annually finds itself among the top public schools not only within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts but in New England and throughout the nation. Our students have attained the highest levels of success at the post-secondary level, a testament to the preparation they received from their time at Mystic Valley. Mystic Valley students in Grades K-12 report to school in dress code and are in attendance for 200 days of instruction. The normal school day is 60 minutes longer than most traditional public schools. Together, these factors have enabled MVRCS to deliver on its promise of providing its students with the opportunity to obtain a world-class education. Job Summary: The Paraprofessional is responsible for actively engaging students through classroom and behavior management strategies to preserve integrity of the learning environment. The Paraprofessional completes instructional tasks under the general supervision of a teacher and non-instructional tasks under the general supervision of their assigned Assistant Director. Responsibilities: • Support daily classroom design and collaborate with classroom teacher • Assist with classroom management through assertive discipline model and redirection • Support and adhere to School Policies and rules • Assist with Group Work while the teacher is presenting and Independent Work • Reinforce learning posture (students are on task, attending, tracking, on the right page, etc. • Teach reading, language, math, reasoning and writing, and/or spelling groups as assigned • Monitor students and provide assistance to those not proficient or at mastery • Check, record, and/or grade per teacher request • Assist students with correcting their work, reading activities, and questions • Note students who have not completed work • Administer checkouts or retests per teacher • Participate in the assigned morning, lunch/recess and afternoon bus duties • Attend “Back to School Night” and other mandatory after-school events • Perform additional duties stated by other members of the Leadership Team • Attend in Professional Development training provided by the school Requirements: • A high school degree • Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both in oral and written form. • Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions. • Ability to perform duties with awareness of all school requirements, state and federal laws, and MVRCS policies. • Strong collaborative, teaching, coaching, and leadership skills to support student programming and work in a team setting. • Successful completion of applicable MTEL tests within one year of employment. The position will be evaluated yearly and will be an annual appointment. Mystic Valley is an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. Covid 19 vaccines are not required If interested in learning more about this opportunity, please contact kwhite@mvrcs.org or call 781 388-0222 ex. 2006 Dear Seeking, Caring for an elder parent can be challenging in many ways, but it can be especially diffi cult fi nancially if you have to miss work to provide care. Fortunately, there are a number of government programs and other tips that may be able to help you monetarily while you care for your dad. Here are some options to explore. Medicaid Assistance All 50 states and the District of Columbia off er self-directed Medicaid services for long-term care. These programs let states grant waivers that allow income-qualifi ed individuals to manage their own long-term home-care services. In some states, that can include hiring a family member to provide care. Benefi ts, coverage, eligibility and rules diff er from state to state. Program names also vary. What’s called “consumer directed care” in one state, may be called “participant-directed services,” “inhome supportive services” or “cash and counseling” in another. Contact your state Medicaid program to ask about its options or to start the sign-up process. Veterans Benefi ts If your dad is a military veteran, there are several diff erent VA programs he may be eligible for that provide fi nancial assistance to family caregivers, including: • Veteran-Directed Care: Available in most states, this program provides a needs-based monthly budget for long-term care services. (VA.gov/geriatrics/pages/Veteran-Directed_Care.asp) • Aid & Attendance or Housebound benefi ts: These programs provide a monthly payment to veterans and survivors who receive a VA pension and who either need assistance with activities of daily living (i.e., bathing, dressing, going to the bathroom), or are housebound. (VA.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound) • Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers: This provides a monthly stipend to family members who serve as caregivers for veterans who need assistance with daily living activities because of an injury or illness sustained in the line of duty. (Caregiver.va.gov/support/support_benefi ts.asp) Other Options If your dad has some savings or other assets, discuss the possibility of him paying you for the care you provide, or talk to your siblings to see if they can chip in. If they agree, consider drafting a short-written contract that details the terms of your work and payment arrangements, so everyone involved knows what to expect. A contract will also help avoid potential problems should your dad ever need to apply for Medicaid for nursing home care. Also, check to see if your dad has any long-term care insurance that covers in-home care. If he does, in some cases those benefi ts may be used to pay you. Tax Breaks There are also tax credits and deductions you may be eligible for as your dad’s caregiver that can help. For example, if your dad lives with you and you’re paying at least half of his living expenses, and his gross income was less than $4,400 (in 2022) not counting his Social Security, you can claim him as a dependent on your taxes and get a $500 tax credit. If you can’t claim him as a dependent, you may still be able to get a tax deduction if you’re paying more than half his living expenses including medical and long-term care costs, and they exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income. You can include your own medical expenses in calculating the total. To see which medical expenses you can deduct, see IRS Publication 502 at IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf. Or, if you’re paying for in-home care or adult day care for your dad so you can work, you might qualify for the Dependent Care Tax Credit which can be worth as much as $1,050. To claim this credit, you’ll need to fi ll out IRS Form 2441 (IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/ f2441.pdf) when you fi le your federal return. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. avvy S oiorenniioor nior by Jim Miller Getting Paid as a Family Caregiver Dear Savvy Senior, I have been taking care of my elderly father for over a year and it’s taking a toll on my fi nances because I can only work part-time. Are there any resources you know about that can help family caregivers get paid? Seeking Support

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