Extended School Year Occupational Therapist/OTA

READING PUBLIC SCHOOLS
READING, MASSACHUSETTS
Position Title: Extended School Year Occupational Therapist/OTA
Department: ESY - Special Education
Reports to: Director of Special Education and ESY Coordinator
FLSA Classification:Non-Exempt
Approved by: Thomas Milaschewski, Ed. D.
Revision Date: March 2022
SUMMARY: The Extended School Year Occupation Therapist interprets evaluation data to assist others in making appropriate adaptions to instruction. Plan and implement therapeutic activities to assist special education students to benefit from their educational experiences. Works with classroom teachers to provide OT strategies for all students. The Extended School Year program is scheduled for July 8-August 8, 2024.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES: The essential functions or duties listed below are illustrations of the type of work that is performed and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for by this position. Other duties may be assigned.

• Designs activities that appropriately aligns with students' IEPs and implements therapy to meet IEP/504 goals; program planning and management.
• Develops and delivers services including self-help, functional mobility, environmental adaptations/adaptive equipment, positioning, motor functions, sensory processing, prevocational skills, and sensory diets to students in need.
• Consults with classroom teacher and parents as deemed necessary.
• Provides written performance and progress summaries on all students on caseload as needed.
• Plans and facilitates integrated therapy planning sessions as required.
• Maintains equipment room.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Exercises no supervision.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. The Superintendent may waive or modify the qualification requirements.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABLITIES:

• Knowledge of human development throughout the life span and integrates with student's unique developmental status.
• Knowledge and appreciation of the influence of disabilities, socio-cultural and socioeconomic factors on student's ability to participate in occupations.
• Knowledge and use of occupational therapy theories, models of practice, principles, and evidence-based practice to guide intervention decisions.
• Knowledge of the federal, state, local legislation, regulations, policies and procedures that mandate and guide occupational therapy practice in schools.
• Ability to gather and assess outcomes program evaluation data and to use to modify services at the programmatic level.
• Ability to maintain current reporting, documentation, scheduling, and billing in accordance with professional standards, state and local guidelines, and reimbursement requirements.
• Ability to determine the need for an occupational therapy evaluation and to select and administer appropriate assessment tools to evaluate the student.
• Ability to interpret the evaluation data and write a comprehensive report that reflects strengths and barriers to student's participation and occupational performance.
• Ability to participate collaboratively with multi-disciplinary educational teams to develop Individualized Education Programs to meet student needs.
• Ability to develop occupationally-based intervention plans based on evaluation information.
• Ability to provide evidence-based occupational therapy intervention to improve student's performance skills and participation.
• Ability to adapt and modify environments, equipment, and materials including assistive technology.
• Ability to plan, coordinate, and conduct continuing education for educational personnel, parents, and students.
• Ability to use professional literature, evidence-based research, and continuing education content to make practice decisions.
• Ability to provide legal and ethical supervision of occupational therapy assistants.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of special education procedures to maintain appropriate confidential records.
• Ability to develop effective working relationships with students, staff and the school community.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both in oral and written form.
• Ability to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and Board of Education policies.

EDUCATION/ EXPERIENCE:
Minimum of a baccalaureate degree in occupational therapy from an accredited college or university.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS:
Valid MA DESE licensure; valid MA licensure to practice occupational therapy. COTA - per State Board.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to move about to provide services and may be required to occasionally traverse throughout the school building. The employee must also often remain in a stationary position for considerable periods of time. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and sit, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and use hand strength to grasp tools. The employee will frequently bend or twist at the neck and trunk while performing the duties of this job. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move fifty (50) pounds. Occupational therapists must move heavy equipment. Occupational therapists must also occasionally lift or position students to provide services. The employee must be able to input information into a computer and as well as read material from a computer monitor as well as printed matter with or without visual aids. The employee must be able to communicate effectively with students, parents and other staff members in person and on the telephone. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate. The employee interacts with students, parents, and other staff members. The employee is directly responsible for the safety, well-being and work out-put of students.
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and is subject to change by the employer, as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.