Occupational Therapist

School Occupational Therapist (Grades 6-8)

Salem School District is seeking a dedicated and collaborative Occupational Therapist to join our Middle School team. This role is focused on helping students develop the functional skills necessary to navigate the increased academic and environmental demands of the middle school setting, with an emphasis on fostering student independence and self-advocacy. Distinguishing feature: This position prioritizes a "consultative and assistive" model; the primary focus is on providing students with the tools, strategies, and assistive technology (AT) required to manage complex schedules, organizational tasks, and the physical demands of a multi-classroom environment, helping them prepare for the transition to high school.

Essential duties and responsibilities:

• Comprehensive assessment: Administer, score, and interpret standardized and clinical assessments related to executive functioning, keyboarding proficiency, visual-perceptual skills, and sensory regulation within the context of a rotating academic schedule.
• Functional analysis: Evaluate the intersection of student physical and sensory capabilities with the demands of middle school life, including locker management, notebook organization, and prolonged classroom sitting/note-taking.
• Goal development: Draft measurable, data-driven IEP goals that emphasize functional independence, self-advocacy, and the mastery of adaptive strategies.
• IEP collaboration: Serve as the subject matter expert during Eligibility and IEP meetings, highlighting the role of assistive technology and accommodations in closing the gap between student potential and academic performance.
• Academic integration: Partner with team teachers to implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, providing strategies for focus, ergonomic seating, and organizational tools that support classroom accessibility for all students.
• Regulatory compliance: Ensure all evaluations, documentation, and service delivery records strictly adhere to IDEA, state licensure, and school district standards.

Required qualifications and credentials:

• Education: Master's or Doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy (MOT, MSOT, or OTD) from an ACOTE-accredited program.
• National certification: Must hold current National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) registration.
• State licensure: Must hold (or be eligible for) a valid New Hampshire Board of Allied Health Professionals license as an Occupational Therapist and New Hampshire Department of Education (NHDOE) educator certification (or eligibility).

Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Expertise in middle school developmental milestones, specifically regarding executive function, independence, and the social-emotional impact of physical and sensory challenges.
• Proficiency in the evaluation and training of Assistive Technology (AT), including speech-to-text software, specialized keyboarding instruction, and organizational digital tools.
• Ability to coach students to advocate for their own sensory or physical needs in a variety of classroom settings.
• Strong organizational skills to manage a diverse caseload across a departmentalized middle school structure while maintaining clear communication with families and multi-disciplinary teams.