Occupational Therapist - Special Education SY24/25

TITLE : Occupational Therapist

LOCATION : TBD

The Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools (KCKPS) is a nationally recognized urban school district that serves approximately 22,000 students and 60+ different languages are spoken in the homes of our students.

KCKPS is home to Sumner Academy, the #6 highest rated High School in the Nation and #1 High School in Kansas according to the US News rankings.

With Head Start / preschools, 28 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, and 5 college and career academies / high schools, we are the fifth largest district in the state of Kansas and our student population is approximately 56% Hispanic, 24% African American, 9% White, and 6% Asian.

To serve our students, the district employs approximately 4,000 employees including more than 1,800 teachers.

JOB GOAL :

To provide evaluation and treatment to students in need of school based therapy.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS :

• Provide evaluation upon a referral request from the screening team. The evaluations are initiated only with parental consent.
• Attend student staffing and IEP meetings to discuss pertinent information collected throughout the assessment process.
• Implement annual and short-term goals for each student on their caseload as part of the IEP process according to district policies.
• Provide educationally relevant therapy to students, as necessary, on a scheduled basis.
• Write treatment programs for individual students as needed. This includes instruction in the program for all persons involved with that student.
• Provide progress reports and notes on each child as indicated.
• Re-assess students as indicated throughout the school year.
• Accompany parents and students to medical clinics, when indicated, to be the medial liaison for parents and teachers.
• Supervise COTA's, CPTA's and paraeducators as assigned.
• Supervise therapy students from various accreditation programs.
• Maintain confidentiality following the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education policies.
• Ability to work an 8 hour duty day in the location or locations assigned by the supervisor.
• Physical and emotional ability to perform required work and move about as needed in the fast-paced, highly intensive school environment.
• Maintain a neat and appropriate appearance.
• Performs other related work as required.

QUALIFICATIONS :

• Meets the employment qualifications set forth by the Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education and the Kansas State Department of Education.
• Holds or is eligible for certification by the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts.
• Maintains professional attitude with students, families and staff.

COMMUNICATION / ORGANIZATION : Maintains communication with school personnel, and parents / guardians to enhance cooperative action which will meet the educational needs of students.

Utilizes existing technology effectively in the performance of duties.

REASONING ABILITY : Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.

Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

LANGUAGE SKILLS : Ability to read and analyze and interpret general professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.

Ability to write reports, general curriculum and learning theories, correspondence, and protocols. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of administrators, staff, parents, students, and the general public.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS : The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, walk, stand and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and / or move up to 50 pounds.

The employee must occasionally push items of 50 pounds such as pushing on a bike ore wheelchair, or moving / rearranging furniture.

While performing the duties of the job the employee occasionally may visit a child's home. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.

WORK ENVIRONMENT : The 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. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud and is a standard acceptable level for this environment.

Is directly responsible for students' safety, work output and well-being.

OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES : Ability to apply knowledge of current research and theory to instructional program; ability to plan and implement lessons based on division and school objectives and the needs and abilities of students.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, peers, parents and community; ability to speak clear and concisely in written or oral communication.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT : 186 Days

SALARY : Based on KCKPS Salary Schedule

FLSA STATUS : EXEMPT

REPORT TO : Coordinator for Data, Finance, OT / PT, Adaptive Music, Adaptive P.E. and Homebound

EVALUATION : Evaluation of the Occupational Therapist or Physical Therapist will be conducted in accordance with the procedures outlined by the KCKPS Board of Education.

SIGNATURES :

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position.

The individual holding this position performs additional duties and additional duties may be assigned.

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KCKPS is an equal opportunity employer and shall not discriminate in its employment practices and policies with respect to hiring, compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of an individual's race, color, religion, sex / gender (to include orientation, identity, or expression), age, disability, national origin, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by law.

For more information regarding Title IX please contact :

District Compliance Coordinator

2010 N. 59th Street

Kansas City, KS 66104

913-279-2262

Title [email protected]

This job description has been approved by all levels of management :

Manager

Human Resources

Employee signature below constitutes employee's understanding of the requirements, essential functions, and duties of the position.

Employee Date