Occupational Therapist-Early Childhood

HAZELWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Title: Occupational Therapist


Reports to: Early Childhood Site Coordinator


Position Summary: Identifies specific delays or deficits in the development process of fine motor and sensory-motor dysfunction, assesses physical limitations, and provides intervention programs to establish the foundation essential to the learning process.


Essential Functions:

1. Provides Occupational services as determined by the Individual Education Plan (IEP).
2. Evaluates students for physical limitations, developmental delays, sensory-motor dysfunction, perceptual-motor abilities, self-help skills, functional daily living skills and adaptive equipment needs. Develops and administers educational programs based on evaluation results.
3. Plans, writes and implements individual education plans for students whose motor delays warrant occupational therapy.
4. Consults with Early Childhood teachers and parent's regarding student's progress and appropriate reinforcement activities.
5. Provides training and consultations to teachers, assistants and aides regarding individualized handling and position techniques, adaptive equipment, materials and programs as needed.
6. Works in conjunction with other staff members (PT, SLP, ECSE teachers) to meet the needs of the students, such as sensory-motor integration and integrated ECE curriculum.
7. Recommends or fabricates adaptive equipment for ADL (Activities of Daily Living) needs, for communication, and for individualized classroom seating. Monitors utilization of prosthetics, orthotics, and adaptive appliances.
8. Provides home programs for parents/guardians when appropriate.
9. Participates in district and program required meetings, IEP meetings, Parent-Teacher Conferences and staff meetings.
10. Participates in continuing education and professional conferences and workshops to keep abreast of current treatment methods and to disseminate information to other disciplines.
11. Maintains student records, prepares reports (including Medicaid), on student performance; prepares other reports as requested.
12. Maintains inventory of materials and supplies; submits requisitions as needed.
13. Travel between buildings may be required.

Marginal Functions:

1. Changes diapers as necessary.
2. Assist with playground and bus duties as required.
3. Copies classroom materials on copy machine as required.

Physical/Visual Activities or Demands: Physical/visual activities or demands that are commonly associated with the performance of the functions of the job.

1. Walking, sitting, stooping or crouching, kneeling, crawling, talking, hearing.
2. Normal attention with clarity of vision at 20 inches or less as well as 20 feet or more, depth perception, and ability to identify and distinguish colors, required.
3. Lifting up to 60 lbs., which would include students and equipment.

Position Qualifications Requirements:

Education: Master's degree and license in Occupational Therapy . Experience in pediatrics/school based occupational/physical therapy preferred.


Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:


Missouri Occupational Therapist.


Licensure with the State of Missouri for Occupational

Experience: One year of Occupational Therapist/Physical Therapist experience preferred.


Skills and Abilities:

1. Apply commonsense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagrammatic form. Deal with problems involving several concrete variables in or from standardized situations.
2. Add, subtract, multiply, and divide all units of measure. Perform the operations with like common and decimal fractions. Compute ratio, rate, and percent.
3. Perform reading, writing, and speaking at an intermediate level.
4. Must continuously work to upgrade own professional knowledge and technical skills.
5. Must possess positive, effective "people skills".

Machines, Tools, Equipment and Work Aids: Which may be representative, but not all inclusive of those commonly associated with this position:


Computer and related software, "suspended equipment" such as swings.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying the position. Employees may be required to follow other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties as requested, subject to all applicate stated and federal laws.


Certain job functions described herein may be subject to possible modification in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.


"Commonly associated" is not intended to mean always or only. There are different experience that suggest other ways or circumstances where reasonable changes or accommodations are appropriate.


All activities, demands, conditions, and requirements are linked to Essential Job Functions unless marked with an asterisk which denotes linkage only to marginal functions.