School Occupational Therapist

School Occupational Therapist

Under the direction of the Manager of Special Education, provides educationally related occupational therapy services to students with various disabilities according to the student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The Occupational Therapist participates as a member of the education team, provides assessments and develops written reports; identifies students' abilities within the educational or developmental settings; develops goals and objectives for consideration in IEP meetings; develops individual and/or group occupational therapy intervention plans; maintains appropriate documentation of students' progress and related reports; and provides consultative services and support to teachers.

Examples of duties include:

• Conducts assessments of students to determine eligibility for occupational therapy;
• Provides occupational therapy services to students;
• Maintains a safe and orderly treatment area;
• Reviews reports from health care providers requesting occupational therapy and coordinates occupational therapy services with students' health care providers;
• Collaborates with school nurses in the coordination of medical care protocols and acts as a resource to school personnel in interpreting occupational therapy services;
• Plans and develops therapeutic intervention goals that are educationally relevant and will be used in students' educational programs;
• Establishes a system of documentation that is professional, efficient and accountable and that conforms to state and individual agency policy;
• Communicates results of evaluations and reports of occupational therapy services to the educational staff, parents, students and other professionals and agencies concerned with the students;
• Assesses students physical abilities in an educational environment by gathering data in such areas as oral motor skills, sensory integration, motor planning, developmental function, self care, fine motor function, work behavior, endurance and postural tone;
• Prepares detailed records and reports concerning student progress and daily activities collaborates with parents regarding plans for occupational therapy services, including planning for therapy in the least restrictive environment;
• Provides reports for use in Individualized Educational Program (IEP) and Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP) committees, attends IEP and IFSP meetings as necessary and maintains progress notes on student records;
• Demonstrates appropriate activities for students to program staff;
• Provides consultation to the educational system regarding student needs, professional needs and system needs in order for the system to achieve its goals and objectives;
• Provides direct in-sight supervision to Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant's and aides when providing delegated client-related tasks; provides advice or instruction as needed;
• Provides reassessments of students focusing on areas of need at intervals determined to be educationally relevant;
• Trains and serves as a consultant to program staff in areas such as sensory motor, sensory stimulation and body awareness, fine motor and gross motor skills and other areas within the therapist's area of expertise.

Other related duties include:

• Performs administrative tasks and activities related to the CEA medical and the MAA claiming process;
• Recommends, designs and creates adaptive equipment;
• Performs other related duties as required.

Employment standards include:

• Experience working with students with a variety of disabilities in an educational setting is desirable.
• Possession of Board Certification from the National Board of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
• Possession of a valid license to operate as a Certified Occupational Therapist issued by the California Board of Occupational Therapy (CBOT).
• Possession of a valid First Aid Certificate, comparable to the American Red Cross Standard First Aid Certificate (may be acquired during 6 month probationary period).
• Possession of a valid Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certificate (may be acquired during 6 month probationary period).
• Possession of a valid, Class C, California Driver License.
• Ability to be insured, and continue to be insurable, by the District's liability insurance carrier.

Qualified candidates will be placed on an eligibility list on an ongoing basis.