K-8: Speech Language Pathologist - Greater Boston

Company Description

Our Mission

Together with our families and communities, we create joyful and identity-affirming schools where students achieve excellent and equitable academic outcomes. We believe doing this ensures that our students are prepared to pursue any path they choose - college, career, and beyond - so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world. Our program is based on:

• A focus on high-quality instruction supported by rigorous professional development to ensure that our students develop the academic skills necessary to pursue the life they choose.
• A high regard for character development to ensure that our students and staff celebrate and develop their character and identity strengths.
• An emphasis on family engagement, because we believe that our students are most likely to be able to maximize their potential when we work in partnership with our students and their families.
• A focus on college readiness for all students so that all students can make choices about their post-secondary education and future.

What We Do

We seek to provide a world-class education for students from educationally underserved communities in Lynn and Boston. Our student demographics mirror those of neighborhood schools in terms of race, socioeconomic status, Multilingual Learners (MLL), and students who receive special education services.

Our promise to families is that their children will enter college and the professional world able to thrive academically due to their literacy, numeracy, and core knowledge in science and social studies. We also promise that our students will develop the zest for learning and grit necessary to persevere as they climb the mountain to and through college and career. Our graduates will be prepared to return to their community as teachers, leaders, and architects of continued growth in Lynn and Boston.

Who We Are

KIPP Massachusetts began enrolling students in 2004. We currently hold two charters, operating two "districts." Our first district, KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School, is based in Lynn, MA. Our second district, KIPP Academy Boston Charter School, is based in Mattapan, MA. Each district is housed on one or more "campuses," which we use to refer to different grade spans, for example, elementary grades, middle school grades, or high school grades.

In Lynn, KIPP Academy Lynn Elementary (serving grades K-4), KIPP Academy Lynn Middle (serving grades 5-8), and KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate (serving grades 9-12), are all under our Lynn charter. Admission to any grade in the Lynn district is admission to all remaining grades in the Lynn district K-12. 74% of our students in Lynn are Hispanic, 15% are Black, 3% are multiracial, 5% White, and 4% Asian.


In Boston, KIPP Academy Boston (serving grades K-8) is under our Boston charter. Admission to any grade in the Boston district is admission to all remaining grades in the Boston district K-8. 36% of our students in Boston are Hispanic, 59% are Black, 3% are multiracial, 1% are White, and 1% are American Indian or Alaskan Native.

Across both districts, we serve over 2,200 students. KIPP MA has a Regional Office, with teams such as Teaching and Learning, Talent and Operations, which supports both districts.

KIPP Foundation

KIPP Massachusetts partners with the KIPP Foundation, which is a non-profit national network of college-preparatory public charter schools serving elementary, middle and high school students. The KIPP Network has a 30+ year track record of preparing our students in educationally underserved communities for success in college and life.

The KIPP Public Schools Network is made up of 278 K-12 schools, 28 regional support organizations, and the nonprofit KIPP Foundation. We are a national network with nearly 16,500 educators and 190,000 students and alumni. Together, we continually raise the bar for teaching and learning, then ensure success in one classroom travels across our network to hundreds more. We believe that excellent academic, safe and structured schools, empowered teachers, an emphasis on character development and support through college and career are the foundation for student success, and we strive to provide this for every student.

All KIPP schools, whether they are in Massachusetts or in other states, are part of the free public school system in their respective states and enrollment is open to all students. KIPP public charter schools are given more academic and budgetary flexibility than traditional public schools, and in exchange commit to deliver high-quality academic results for students.

Job Description

Speech-Language Pathologist at KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School

KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School is looking for a Speech-Language Pathologist demonstrating commitment to working with students from diverse and multicultural backgrounds. The Speech and Language Pathologist will work with students who exhibit educationally significant communication impairments, supporting in areas such as articulation and phonology, motor speech, augmentative and alternative communication, receptive and expressive language, stuttering, and social pragmatic communication. By providing assessment, consultation, and direct services, the Speech Pathologist will work to help provide students equitable access to the curriculum and social aspects of learning.

This role requires consistent and reliable demonstration of the following essential job functions and key responsibilities:

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Screening, Testing, Diagnosing and Consulting
Serve as a member of individual schools' Health & Wellness team; attend H&W team meetings as part of the Response to Intervention (RTI) process upon request.
Develop research-supported Speech interventions for classroom implementation.
Keep organized the current data collection for students in RTI and Special Education.
Conduct initial evaluations and reevaluations and administer necessary and requested assessments
Write reports using a reader friendly index and explain to parents and students evaluation findings in clear, understandable language with cultural sensitivity
Abide by a 45 day turn-around time from date of receipt of referral packet

Conduct Therapy
Provide group and individual sessions as indicated by the Individual Education Plan (IEP)
Write annual IEP goals/objectives in language that empowers students to transfer intervention strategies to classroom and academic performance
Participate in annual IEP meetings, as needed
Write progress reports toward achieving goals and objectives on IEPs to be sent home with report cards every 9 weeks

Collaborate with Teachers, Parents, and Other Providers
Provide consultation on services in inclusive settings in order to support student generalization of speech and language skills
This may include staff education on speech/language needs, clinical classroom observation, informal classroom push-in and probes
Maintain positive, supportive relationships with families

Constant Learning
Remain knowledgeable of current trends, federal and state regulations in the field of speech-language pathology and special education to ensure competency
Keep certifications and licensure current

General Requirements and Responsibilities

Embody KIPP MA's Code of Conduct by acting with integrity, leading with humanity, centering self-awareness and critical consciousness, taking personal responsibility, and engaging productively
Participate and engage in regional professional development and community events as required
Demonstrated ability to collect and interpret data, evaluate, reason, define problems, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, and make reasonable judgments and decisions in a timely manner in accordance with the needs of the school
Self-awareness, flexibility and emotional intelligence to navigate a setting with students who express diverse needs
The consistent use of interpersonal and self-management skills to effectively support behavioral and emotional needs of students to ensure a safe and inclusive environment, as well as build relationships and manage conflict with students, staff, and caregivers
Effective communication skills to perform assigned duties and to meaningfully exchange information with students, staff, families and others in person, through written communication, in front of groups, and on virtual platforms
Physical mobility to move self in various positions in order to execute duties effectively, which may include kneeling, walking, pushing/pulling, squatting, twisting, turning, bending, stooping and reaching overhead
Physical strength sufficient to periodically lift and/or carry 20 pounds of materials or supplies and to physically restrain a student to keep from harming themself and/or others in an emergency situation
Manual dexterity sufficient to perform repetitive hand/wrist/arm motions and to operate a computer and office equipment
KIPP MA staff are supported in their demanding work by experienced and dedicated leadership and staff who have themselves proven successful in the teaching role. Our leaders maintain consistent school-wide systems and procedures - academic, behavioral, cultural, logistical - designed to permit teachers to do their best work.
In addition to the responsibilities listed above, there will occasionally be other duties as assigned that staff will engage in to help promote a positive and safe learning environment and culture.

QUALIFICATIONS

Deep alignment with KIPP MA's mission and values, including the unwavering belief in the high potential of all students
Passion for subject/content area and demonstrated commitment to professional learning
2+ years of full-time experience- Strong clinical fellows will be considered
Master's degree in communication sciences and disorders
Certificate of Clinical Competency in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP), strongly preferred
Current Massachusetts state license to practice as a Speech-Language Pathologist
Professional (or initial) license as a Specialist Teacher in the area of Speech, Language, and Hearing Disorders obtained through the Massachusetts Department of Education
Prior clinical or school-based experience providing speech therapy to students, preferably in a school serving low-income families.
Demonstrated ability to work well in a team.
Strong project management and organizational skills.
Strong communication skills.
Ability to travel between school sites
Computer literacy and baseline familiarity with Google Suite
Pass Criminal Background Checks

Qualifications

Additional Information

What We Offer

The minimum salary for this exempt position is $65,000 to $95,000 (per 1.0 FTE/45 hours per week), depending on years of experience. The role includes a $1,000 signing bonus-and an annual $2,000 retention bonus in subsequent years, as well as other bonuses, when eligible. This role follows our School Year calendar. For more about what we offer, how to apply and more about KIPP MA, please visit this link HERE.

KIPP MA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in building a vibrant and welcoming school community that advances our mission of ensuring that all KIPP students graduate with the skills and confidence to lead fulfilling lives. This includes a commitment to attracting and developing individuals who understand the experiences of the students and communities we serve. We hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability.