Occupational Therapist Position Available In Mobile, Alabama

Job Description Title – OCCUPATIONAL

THERAPIST SUPERVISED BY/REPORTS TO

Director of Special Education and/or the Occupational and Physical Therapist Manager or their designee

FLSA Designation:

Exempt

QUALIFICATIONS

Must have graduated from an accredited occupational therapy program. Must be licensed/certified by the State of Alabama Board of Occupational Therapy. Must have at least one (1) year experience with children or in a school setting. Ability to meet the suitability criteria for employment under the Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999 and Act No. 2002-457. Must have a valid Alabama Driver’s License and have access to appropriate transportation to perform job responsibilities at various school sites or other settings as required. Good general health, clean in attire and appearance. Must have regular and punctual attendance, full compliance with system sick leave and personal leave policies.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS

Must have knowledge of Occupational therapy strategies, techniques and methodologies in educational settings using evidenced based practices. Must have knowledge of applicable laws and regulations concerning medical records, therapy services and IDEA including HIPPA and FERPA. Must have ability to evaluate identified students and to develop plan of treatment. Must have knowledge of educational and developmental needs of children with disabilities. Must have knowledge of and operation of therapeutic and medical equipment.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read and interpret documents including lesson plans, safety rules, attendance instructions, and school and district procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Must be proficient in oral and written communication. Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions and to exchange ideas. Effective interpersonal skills to work effectively to communicate, to collaborate and to problem solve with district personnel, parents, and community representatives.

REASONING ABILITY

Must have the ability to work independently with little direction to create and to manage work schedules. Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed written or oral instructions. Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.

COMPUTER SKILLS

Occupational Therapist Job Description Created 12/2024 Page 1 of 3 General knowledge of computer usage and ability to use email, internet software, and word processing software. Must use technology to communicate, to use data, to produce and to maintain reports, and to correspond with district staff and other team members. Must learn other software used by the district, i.e., PowerSchool, Schoology etc.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

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. While performing the duties of this job: The employee must have dexterity of hands and fingers to operate therapy equipment. The employee must be able to reach overhead, above the shoulders and horizontally to utilize therapy equipment. Must sit, walk, or stand for possible long periods of time while working with students. The employee must be able to bend at the waist, kneel, or crouch to assist students. Must have the physical strength, agility, acuity, reflexes, to grasp, push, pull, lift students in the use of wheelchairs, and the mobility to perform job responsibilities with therapy equipment in assisting students. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and push or pull up to 75 pounds with assistance. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, ability to focus, and peripheral vision. Must see to monitor children and to read a variety of materials.

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES

The performance responsibilities and essential duties described here are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. These that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully and satisfactorily. 1.Provide direct, indirect, and consultative Occupational Therapy services upon needs determined through processes to individual or groups of students according to their Individual Education Plans (IEPs); identifies and evaluates occupational needs of students related to dysfunction in fine and gross motion, visual-motor, visual perceptual, sensory, and functional self-help skills. 2.Conducts assessments of the student’s progress on an ongoing basis and develops reports to determine the needs for occupational therapy, reviews history of past school-based IEP and OT reports; observes and interviews students, teachers, and parents to access student’s fine and gross motor, visual-motor, visual-perceptual, sensory, and self-help function in the classroom and other school environments. 3.Evaluates students using standardized, functional and observational tools to assess student needs and abilities to access and to participate in in the educational curriculum, to create occupational therapy programs and to provide recommendations to meet their educational goals. 4.Prepare written evaluation and reports in a timely and accurate manner. Maintains accurate, complete, current records and treatment logs. 5.Consults and communicates results of evaluations and reports of occupational therapy reports to the educational staff, parents and other professionals and agencies concerned with the students. May serve a liaison to District staff, teachers, parents and other outside professionals regarding treatment plans. 6.Devises treatment plan and activities aimed at improving the identified areas of function as they relate to the student’s educational needs and monitors student performance and makes program changes, as necessary. 7.May train and supervise Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). 8.Maintains and respects confidentiality of all students’ records, meetings and other school matters. Occupational Therapist Job Description Created 12/2024 Page 2 of 3 9.Engages in professional growth by attending professional education workshops and/or trainings to remain up to date on relevant topics. 10.Set-up and adjust therapeutic equipment for treatment sessions and operate a variety of therapeutic, sensory-motor equipment. Operates a variety of office equipment including a computer and copier. Safely uses and cares for equipment and material resources of the school system and effectively supervises and monitors others in the care, maintenance and use of tools and equipment and inventory. 11.Responds to inquiries, request, constructive feedback, concerns, and/or complaints promptly and positively. Reports potential problems, unusual events, or work irregularities to appropriate administrative or supervisory personnel. 12.Maintains a calendar of weekly schedule, reports absences and takes leave in accordance with system policies and procedures. 13.Adheres to school system rules, administrative procedures, local Board policies, and state, federal regulations. 14.Works well with all supervisors and other members of the team. 15.Performs other duties assigned by supervisor or administrator.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be outside for brief periods where the temperatures are above 100º or below 32º. The employee must be able to meet deadlines with severe time constraints and interact with public and other workers. The employee may be exposed to noise levels that are loud enough in a classroom, a gymnasium, playground, or a cafeteria that the employee must raise his/her voice to be heard.

EVALUATION

Performance of this job will be evaluated annually in accordance with provisions of the Board’s policy on Evaluation of Classified Employees. Evaluation will be by the Occupational Therapist and Physical Therapist Manager or his/her designee.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

Occupational Therapists work either 11-month (222 days) 8 hours per day, OR 10-month (202 days) 8 hours per day, OR 9-month (187 days) 7 hours per day. Occupational Therapy Assistants work 9-month (187 days) 7 hours per day. Daily work schedules will be determined by the Principal and/or the Occupational Therapist and Physical Therapist Manager or their designee. Work schedules are subject to change. Is an at will Employee subject to the Students First Act of 2011 and other applicable state and federal laws. SALARY See current Salary Schedule on Human Resources Webpage. This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job goals, qualifications, and responsibilities and the employee may be required to perform other related duties as assigned. The Mobile County Board of Education Division of Human Resources reserves the right to amend the job description as needed, without notice.

THE MOBILE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

EMPLOYER and does not discriminate based on age, race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religious preference, marital status, disability, national origin, or any other reason prohibited by state or federal law. Employees of the District are required to comply with the provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments. Occupational Therapist Job Description Created 12/2024 Page 3 of 3