Occupational Therapist

Occupational Therapist

District 97 seeks a dedicated and dynamic full-time Occupational Therapist to join our team. The job of the Occupational Therapist was established for the purpose(s) of assessing students' functional physical development level, planning and implementing appropriate treatment to meet individual student objectives, identifying architectural barriers, and providing recommendations for accessibility, program development, and student placement in various school locations as needed.

Essential Role Responsibilities:

• Administers occupational therapy procedures and modalities to achieve IEP/504 plan objectives.
• Collaborates with school personnel to problem-solve barriers/challenges to the student accessing the educational environment.
• Acts as a resource to share information regarding physical, sensory, skill development, and medical issues.
• Works with staff members to develop draft IEP goals and objectives/benchmarks that integrate therapeutic interventions within the general education curriculum.
• Provides instruction to educators, school support personnel, etc. in the use of therapeutic strategies that support student independence and participation.
• Collects pertinent performance data and reviews data collected to prepare proposals for intervention decisions.

Content Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

• Specific skill-based competencies required to satisfactorily perform the functions of the job include applying assessment instruments; operating equipment used in occupational therapy strategies; operating standard office equipment including pertinent computer software; and preparing and maintaining accurate records.
• Specific knowledge-based competencies required to satisfactorily perform the functions of the job include age-appropriate activities; concepts of grammar and punctuation; health standards and hazards; safety practices and procedures; stages of child development; abnormal development and medical diagnoses related to special education funding categories; current OT treatment interventions; and pertinent policies, regulations and/or laws.
• Specific ability-based competencies required to satisfactorily perform the functions of the job include adapting to changing work priorities; communicating with diverse groups; maintaining confidentiality; meeting deadlines and schedules; working as part of a team; working with detailed information/data; maintaining effective working relationships; and translating therapy data into meaningful educational activities.

Performance Responsibilities:

• Serve as a member of an IEP team to screen, diagnose, and determine eligibility for occupational therapy services for the child.
• Complete all required components of the occupational therapy case study evaluation.
• Enhance student mobility and participation in educational activities by increasing strength, accuracy, and speed.
• Improve manipulative skills for self-care and paper/pencil tasks through reach, grasp, and dexterity.
• Enhance comfort, participation, and attending by maintaining functional postures.
• Increase functional use of hands and visual regard by providing stable positions.
• Ensure independence in feeding and oral motor skills for safety and nourishment.
• Facilitate safety in the school environment by decreasing the possibility of injury to student's self or others as he/she moves or performs skills/tasks.
• Improve success for fine motor school tasks by increasing coordination of eye-hand movements.
• Increase functional use of extremities through adapted equipment.
• Enhance ability to learn through sensorimotor activities that address motor planning, attending, and behavior issues.
• Facilitate student's independence through access to assistive technology.

Education, Credentials and/or Experience:

Master's Degree or Higher Illinois State Licensure: OTR/L

Physical Requirements:

This position requires the performance of light work which requires exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently to move objects. The position includes close visual acuity, frequent talking, hearing, walking and standing, occasional lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling, some stooping, kneeling, crouching and/or crawling and significant fine finger dexterity. The job is performed in non-hazardous environments and a clean atmosphere. The position may require indoor and outdoor supervision during varying temperatures and climatic conditions.

Oak Park Elementary School District 97