OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

Job Title

To enhance the learning potential for disabled students and facilitate the student's adaptation to the educational environment and to ensure that recommendations, interventions, and communication embody the principle that all students can succeed and learn using their knowledge of sensory and perceptual development in the continuum of learning.

Responsibilities and Qualifications

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree from an accredited institution
• Certification in occupational therapy
• Licensed in the state of Florida
• One (1) year experience in the pediatric setting preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Knowledge of occupational therapy theory and practices. Awareness of teaching and learning processes. Knowledge of support services delivery systems and exceptional education services and current diagnostic procedures in occupational therapy. Knowledge of organization and management theory and practice. Knowledge and commitment to decentralized decision making and accountability for results that facilitate creative processes toward achievement of district goals. Knowledge and understanding of the distinction between line and staff positions and functions within an organization. Ability to work and communicate effectively with people to focus resources (both human and financial) toward the achievement of district goals. Ability to facilitate group processes in consensus building, conflict resolution, planning and decision making. Understands that quality teaching and learning are the essential processes and product of public schools and has the ability to focus human and financial resources toward this end.

Reports To: Program Specialist, Physically Impaired, Visually Impaired and Hearing Impaired (PI,VI,HI) and/or School Principal

Supervises: Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)

Machines, Tools, Equipment: Telephone, Computer, Automobile, Copier

Physical Requirements: Medium Work: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated as Light Work.

Physical Activity: 40% Sitting: Resting with the body supported by the buttocks or thighs. 40% Standing: Assuming an upright position on the feet, particularly for sustained periods of time. 20% Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances. 10% Bending: Lowering the body forward from the waist. 10% Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction. 10% Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position through the use of the upper extremities and back muscles exerting up to 10 pounds of force. 80% Finger Dexterity: Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm. 70% Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm. 90% Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed accurately, loudly or quickly. 90% Hearing Acuity: The ability to perceive speech and other environmental sounds at normal loudness levels. 90% Visual Acuity: The power to see at a level which allows reading of numbers and text, operation of equipment, inspection of machines, etc.

Working Conditions: Indoors and Outdoors: The worker is subject to both environmental conditions. Activities occur inside and outside.

Performance Responsibilities: Manifests a professional code of ethics and values. Responds to internal and external customers in a timely, accurate, courteous and empathetic manner representing OCPS in a positive light. Models the routine, intentional and effective use of technology in daily work, including communications, organization and management tasks. Provide occupational therapy assessment or evaluations of exceptional education students. Develop individual goals and objectives for students, based upon results of an occupational therapy evaluation. Develop a student's occupational therapy goals and objectives to be incorporated into the student's Individual Education Plan (IEP). Implement appropriate occupational therapy services as identified through evaluations and defined by the goals and objectives of a student's IEP. Identify the disparity between what is (current condition) and what ought to be (desired condition) regarding the priorities in his/her assigned programs. Working with and through people to develop plans and accountability systems to eradicate disparity between what is and what ought to be in terms of district goals. Provide reevaluations of students at intervals determined to be educationally and medically appropriate. Effectively communicate results evaluations and reports of therapy services to the educational staff, parents, and students and, when appropriate and approved, to other professionals and agencies concerned with the student. Keep the school principal and program specialist informed of current critical issues and incidents about which they should be aware. Participate in staff development activities for personnel. Attend staffing and other school meetings when necessary and feasible. Maintain supplies, equipment and therapy areas. Maintain departmental statistics and required documentation of treatment. Supervise COTA, as appropriate, for carrying out duties within the department. Participate in department meetings, contribute suggestions, enter discussions assist in the decision-making process, and share professional information with colleagues. Follow the district's policies and procedures as related to all HRMD guidelines, executive limitations, the district's initiatives, and the school district's charter guidelines. Follow the district's policies and procedures as related to fixed assets. Develop leadership in subordinates. Responsible for keeping up to date on current technology being used by OCPS. With the support of the district, attends training to ensure skill level in various technologies is at the level required to perform in current position. Responsible for maintaining timely and accurate information and accountable for the quality of information maintained by those they supervise. Responsible for self-development and keeping up to date on current research, trends and best practices relevant to the area of responsibility. Essential Performance Responsibilities Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor.

Terms of Employment: Non-bargaining unit compensation plan, 217 days, 8.0 hours per day.

Evaluation: Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Board's policy on evaluation of personnel.