Speech-language Pathologist

Speech-Language Pathologist

Assabet Valley Collaborative (AVC) is seeking to hire a part-time Speech-Language Pathologist for our special education programs - REACH and Evolution.

Are you ready to build meaningful connections with students who will inspire you daily?

Are you looking for a job with joy, growth, & connection?

Do you value working with students, their families & a multi-disciplinary team?

Who We Are:

Assabet Valley Collaborative (AVC) is an educational service agency in Metrowest/Central Massachusetts. Our services include school programs (including REACH & Evolution, see below), wraparound services, transportation services, professional development, cooperative purchasing and consulting. We are in the process of developing a shared leadership model to engage stakeholders across the organization in learning, leading, designing, and decision making. AVC's Commitments to Educational Equity are the vision for our future. To achieve our vision, we are committed to a continuous study of the principles of human-centered design, social innovation, cultural proficiency, and culturally responsive practices.

AVC's Evolution is a transition program for young adults aged 18-22 who have a diverse range of cognitive and physical needs. AVC's REACH is a program designed to meet the diverse physical, medical, and learning needs of students with multiple disabilities between the ages of 3-18.

Job Responsibilities:

The Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) is an essential member of the AVC team by supporting the speech, language, and communication needs of our students through a range of direct and consult services. AVC promotes high quality, educationally-relevant therapeutic services with embedded therapy as a primary core value while also supporting individual interventions when in the best interest of students. AVC Speech-Language Pathologists work with teams to develop strategies and interventions that will maximize opportunities for generalization of therapeutic recommendations. Simultaneously, SLPs are streamlining schedules, treatments, and maximizing the value of the consultative/collaborative relationships with colleagues.

Job-specific Details:

• 10-15 hours expected per week in our classrooms (Southborough, Northborough, Marlborough - within 10 minute drive of each other)
• Additional hours may be added if additional students join this classroom or if services required in other classrooms surpass the capacity of other members of our SLP team.
• Collaboratively design and provide intervention for students with a range of communication needs - including students who use AAC/AT systems and/or those whose communication goals are related to language, social pragmatic, cognitive or other aspects of speech development.
• Support students with diverse needs such as cochlear implants, cortical visual impairment, G tube feeds, varied physical mobility and and/or positioning challenges
• Ideal candidates will have flexibility/potential to add hours in the future while starting 10-15 hours per week this year.

Educationally and Life Skill Relevant Speech & Language Services:

• Develop IEPs and implements service delivery as indicated on each student's IEP; services enhance access to learning
• Complete evaluations per special education timelines - selects appropriate evaluation tools, evaluates students, interprets findings, and reports results
• Recommend equipment, materials, and test supplies necessary for student progress.
• Provide suggestions for classroom, leisure, home, and community/transitional activities
• Collaborate with others on acquiring communication equipment (medical necessity documentation, resource navigation)
• Collaborate with team members across all domains and roles
• Attend and serve as a resource in team meetings (i.e. IEP meetings, consultation meetings etc.)
• Attend students' communication center appointments and offers in-home communication system trainings to parents and care-givers to support generalization of skills across settings

Communications and Consultation:

• Maintain oral and written communication with districts, families, and community agencies regarding students.
• This can include, but is not limited to progress notes, IEPs, collaborative 3-year evaluations, calls, year-end reports, informal notes, virtual conferencing, home programs and medicaid documentation
• Familiar with technology skills to collaborate and electronically document (G-Suite), web based IEP programs.
• Background knowledge of lesson plan and data sheet creation and implementation
• Provide suggestions for students within and outside of their learning environment that will support their progress in and out of school
• Collaboration with colleagues and professional networks, ability to harmonize with the various environments of each individual classroom
• In-service training of team members (devices, strategies, communication systems, supports)

Qualifications:

We're looking for a Speech-Language Pathologist who serves as a leaders and as a learner; a team member who is flexible, resourceful, and thrives in a fast-paced, non-traditional, collaborative environment and who understands educational and human service institutions. This team member demonstrates a learning mindset and ability to receive feedback, self-reflect, and pivot as well as an ability to effectively facilitate the learning of others by pushing their thinking, building their skills, and sparking their self-reflection and curiosity. Additionally, AVC SLPs should have a strong passion for working with students of varying abilities and levels of need, and within a diverse community.

Ideal candidates have:

• Degree from CAA accredited program of Speech-Language Pathology or Communicative Sciences and Disorders and MA DESE licensure in Speech Language and Hearing Disorders.
• Deep working knowledge of AAC and emerging assistive technologies for students with severe and profound communication disorders
• Deep working knowledge of the following domains: FERPA, HIPAA, IDEA, special education
• Knowledge of working within and across diverse public education environments
• Flexibility, versatility, and follow through
• Ability to engage with conflict and core tensions
• Ability to seek and provide clear and direct feedback
• Bilingual or multilingual is a plus
• Ability to thrive within a team while also being able to work independently
• Willingness to travel between sites throughout the day
• Physical ability to execute job responsibilities that may include: transferring, lifting, shifting students or equipment, and managing equipment.