East Central

**$5,000 signing bonus provided to in-person candidates**

Position Location: This part time (0.7 – 1.0 FTE) Occupational Therapist

Position Purpose:
School-based occupational therapists (OTs) use meaningful activities (occupations) to help children and youth participate in the educational activities they need and/or want to do in order to promote physical and mental health and well-being. Using a collaborative model, school-based occupational therapy addresses the physical, cognitive, psychosocial and sensory components of performance. OTs focus on supporting student growth in academics, play and leisure, social participation, self-care skills (Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)), and transition/work skills. The OT’s expertise includes activity and environmental analysis and modification with a goal of reducing the barriers to participation. Occupational therapy is provided through a collaborative model in schools.

Essential Duties:

• Identification, Screening and Evaluation
  • Conduct in-home evaluations and assessments of infants and toddlers, ages birth to three, as deemed appropriate by screening results, medical records or evaluation team decisions
  • Complete informal screening of students whose parents or teachers express concerns regarding a student’s fine motor, sensory, functional or self-regulation needs
  • Conduct school-based evaluations for students ages three through 22 suspected of having disabilities as well as those with disabilities who are currently receiving special education and related services
  • Facilitate procurement and review of appropriate medical records, as applicable
  • Interpret results of motor assessments to determine the effect of fine motor impairments and/or sensory or self-regulation deficits on a students’ ability to learn and access the educational setting
  • Complete relevant portions of evaluation summary reports, including the documentation of evaluation results and present levels, the identification of educational needs, and, when appropriate, additions and modifications necessary to promote adequate progress and access to the general curriculum
• Service Delivery
  • Develop therapeutic strategies and accommodations specific to the student’s needs
  • Facilitate accommodations and modifications to educational materials, assistive technology, and the instructional environment
  • Incorporate self-regulation strategies to promote readiness for learning
  • Provide direct and indirect OT services to infants and toddlers, ages birth to three, in home setting throughout the calendar year
  • Provide direct and indirect OT services to students ages three through 22 throughout the school year
  • Assist in gathering accurate and timely data related to student progress, regularly review student progress, and assist in making instructional changes when necessary to allow students to make adequate progress and have meaningful and appropriate access to the general curriculum
  • Maintain proper documentation of service, in accordance with state and federal requirements
• Curriculum and Instruction
  • Provide input on curriculum and instruction development, selection, and implementation as requested
  • Assist in the development and procurement of accessible instructional materials, as needed
• Consultation and Collaboration
  • Assist in Individualized Education Program (IEP) planning for students with physical disabilities, differences in sensory awareness, and adaptive/functional needs, including attending IEP meetings, providing input on IEP goals related to Occupational Therapy service, and determining appropriate accommodations, modifications, and supports
  • Collaborate on the development of Personal Care Assistant (PCA) Plans of Care for students covered under the Minnesota Health Care Program (MHCP) who require school-based PCA support for Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
  • Participate in planning and procedural committee meetings at SCRED
  • Advise on the selection of specialized equipment and instructional materials/supplies when the need for Assistive Technology (AT) is identified
  • Monitor the use of necessary equipment to ensure proper functioning as well as consistency and fidelity of use
• Professional Learning
  • Provide ongoing training to educational teams, including the initial training and ongoing monitoring of the use and care of specialized equipment, curriculum materials, self-regulation, and motor strategies, and environmental modifications
  • Provide required training and supervision of PCAs providing school-based ADL services to students covered under MHCP
  • Facilitate professional learning in areas of expertise to individual student teams, parents, and SCRED and member district staff or other service providers, as requested
  • Develop resources pertinent to occupational therapy services when the need for such resources is identified
  • Actively participate in the regional OT community of practice (COP) as well as other relevant state or regional professional learning opportunities
• Other Duties
  • Performs other duties as assigned

Special Education Teacher
This position will support our setting IV program located in Pine City – VISION

Position Purpose:
The special education teacher develops materials and lesson plans, conducts classroom instruction and evaluates and assesses both instructional materials and student performance. The teacher meets with parents, interprets student progress and informs parents/guardians about student strengths, weaknesses and/or progress. Additionally, the special education teacher facilitates Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and Evaluation Summary Report (ESR) meetings and completes special education paperwork as determined by state and local due process requirements.

Performance Responsibilities:

1. Plans instruction and other student support activities, including the establishment of overall goals and priorities, unit plans, classroom activities, (i.e. laboratory experiments, media presentations, etc.) and daily lesson plans, as applicable to the teacher’s particular assignment. Such plans should be consistent with the district/department goals and objectives; should consider the needs and abilities of the students; and should incorporate basic components of lesson design, as appropriate. Reviews, selects and modifies materials and resources consistent with instructional objectives and students’ participation.

2. Provides instruction to students in a manner which incorporates essential elements of instruction; i.e. teaching to specific objectives, teaching at appropriate levels of difficulty, including methods of extending students’ thinking, uses techniques to monitor student progress and adjusts instruction accordingly, and correctly employs various principles of learning.

3. Establishes and maintains student control/discipline in the classroom, on school premises, and/or in school activities by communicating expectations for appropriate behavior. Provides structure and consistency and encourages student responsibility, cooperation and mutual respect in a manner consistent with district policies and procedures and legal requirements.

4. Participates in parent/teacher conferences. Interprets student strengths, weaknesses and/or problems that the student may be experiencing in the classroom.

5. Collaborates with other professional staff regarding the needs of students, communicating accurately, preserving confidentiality of information and sharing approaches to instructional units and new teaching technologies or procedures available.

6. Develops student tests and evaluates results. Determines student grades for instructional units and reports grades to parents.

7. Develops and maintains adequate knowledge of the subject(s) taught or support services rendered, and demonstrates an understanding of how the subject(s) or support services fit into the overall district and department philosophy, objectives and curriculum.

8. Pursues professional development activities to broaden and deepen knowledge of content and teaching skills and continually identifies professional needs and develops strategies to meet these needs.

9. Collaborates with other professionals regarding the formulation of building site procedures.

10. Facilitates IEP and ESR meetings as determined by state and local due process requirements.

11. Completes all special education paperwork in compliance with state and local due process requirements.

12. Performs related work as apparent or assigned.