Speech & Language Pathologist

Utilizing leadership, advocacy, and collaboration, school-based speech-language pathologists provide prevention, assessment, evaluation, and remediation services for students who exhibit difficulties in the areas of language, speech, voice, and fluency. These services are designed to help children meet their educational goals in a public school setting.


Below are the major functions, qualifications, and professional responsibilities, of the speech-language pathologist employed in the Gardner Public Schools. Because each work situation is different, it is not likely that all speech-language pathologists will demonstrate all of the evidences identified here, or that services are limited to those listed.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Masters degree required in Speech-Language Pathology: ASHA CCC certification or CFY eligibility
2. Massachusetts licensure as a speech and language pathologist is required.

REPORTS TO: Director of Pupil Personnel Services and Principals

JOB GOAL: To help reduce or eliminate speech and language disabilities that interfere with the individual student's ability to derive full benefit from the district's educational programming. Support service implementation that is aligned to building MTSS structure.

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Provide therapeutic programming to meet individual needs of speech and language disabled students through collaboration, observation, assessment, evaluation, and intervention.
2. Implements the service delivery model most appropriate to the students' degree of severity.
3. Supports children in and out of the classroom by providing direct services and group interventions.
4. Demonstrate the ability to perform tele therapy sessions via remote platforms (e.g. Zoom) abiding by regulations.
5. Completes procedural documentation appropriately, including but not limited to, progress reporting, meeting attendance, and meeting notes.
6. Modifies therapeutic instructional approaches and other functions from data gathered during therapy.
7. Designs, selects and/or modifies special curricula/therapy content.
8. Uses language appropriate to the listener.
9. Adheres to district, state, and federal compliance mandates relevant to the completion of IEP.
10. When needed, collaborates with other staff on IEP goal writing.
11. Maintains a schedule of services for review by administrative staff.
12. Maintain records for Medicaid billing logs and submits records to the special education office on a monthly basis.
13. Maintain various files and/or records for the purpose of providing written documentation on communication with parents to be included in the student files.
14. Performs record keeping and basic clerical functions.
15. Prepares materials for the purpose of providing services to individual students and groups.
16. Works with guidance staff in scheduling of students for the following year relevant to classroom grouping.
17. Facilitate and co-facilitate groups such as, but not limited to, social skills development.
18. Conduct speech and language screenings, evaluations, re-evaluations, additional testing, and assessments as required.
19. Serves as a resource to school staff members in the development of educational programming.
20. Assists and guide teachers in observing, describing, and referring students for suspected disabilities.
21. Uses appropriate screening tools.
22. Consults with staff as per IEP services.
23. Determines the effects of the student's impairment in regard to accessing the general curriculum.
24. Obtains personal case history for students in the screening or evaluation process.
25. Presents information to school personnel about language disorders as they relate to literacy and interactive communication skills.
26. Integrates data from a variety of sources.
27. Interprets assessment and evaluations provided by outside sources.
28. Coordinates students' therapeutic service with those provided by non-school agencies by telephone, written communication and/or formal meetings.
29. Articulates the district's mission and goals in the area of speech therapy to the community.
30. Provides workshops and trainings to teachers and early childhood agencies as determined by administration.
31. Sponsors professionals during Clinical Fellowship Year.
32. Comply with all district, state, and federal guidelines and regulations.
33. Abides by a professional code of ethics.

OTHER DUTIES:

1. Maintains professional competence by attending staff development programs, and other professional activities.
2. Performs any other related duties as assigned by the Director of Pupil Personnel Services or other appropriate administrator.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: School Year plus professional development days

SALARY AND BENEFITS: As per MTA/GEA contract

EVALUATION: As per MTA/GEA contract