East Central

Occupational Therapist
**$5,000 signing bonus provided**

Position Location: This full time (1.0 FTE) Occupational Therapist will serve Chisago Lakes and North Branch

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 21 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 21 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

Districts of Assignment: Chisago Lakes, Rush City, and Pine City

Position Purpose:
The Low Incidence Services Coordination position assists SCRED member districts in implementing a continuum of supports for students with low incidence disabilities.  Low incidence disabilities include: Moderate to Severe Autism, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Blind or Visually Impaired, Deaf-Blind, Physically Impaired, Other Health Disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injury, Developmental Cognitive Disabilities, and Severely Multiply Impaired.

This position provides collaboration and consultation on specific student cases and overall programming, creates and facilitates high-quality professional learning opportunities for member district staff, and assists in the coordination of service delivery to ensure students are receiving effective instruction designed to meet their needs in their least restrictive environment.

Essential Duties:

• Collaboration & Consultation
  • Provide on-site coaching and support for the implementation of evidence-based instructional practices within the tertiary prevention level of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework
  • Guide staff in the creation of special education evaluation plans that equip teams to identify infants, toddlers, and students who have low incidence disabilities and their educational needs
  • Support staff in the development of IFSPs and IEPs that are designed to meet the unique communicative and functional needs of students with low incidence disabilities
  • Consult with special education staff regarding students who are not responding to academic, behavioral, or functional skill interventions
  • Promote collaboration between general education and special education staff regarding accommodations and modifications that may help students to reach their IEP goals and access the general curriculum
  • Provide expertise as part of IFSP and  IEP teams for students with significant and unique low incidence-related needs
  • Collaborate and provide consultation services regarding assistive technology and accessibility, and secondary transition
• Professional Learning
  • Engage in professional learning aligned with SCRED goals and district-specific needs to inform SCRED professional learning opportunities related to low incidence programming
  • Complete professional learning plans in collaboration with the SCRED Services Coordination Team to ensure alignment with SCRED goals and messaging across service areas
  • Facilitate professional learning using effective adult learning strategies on a variety of low incidence-related topics, including assessment, instruction, inclusion, accessibility, assistive technology, secondary transition, and program evaluation
  • Provide on-site coaching and support to enhance implementation of best practices in low incidence
• Coordination of Service Delivery
  • Provide leadership, guidance, and work direction to the SCRED Low Incidence team on a regular basis to promote continuity of service, including meeting facilitation, coordination of joint tasks, problem solving for specific student cases or programming, and professional growth opportunities
  • Facilitate the implementation of best practices in low incidence-related assessment, instruction, inclusion, accessibility, and program evaluation
  • Assist in conducting needs assessments to support various resource allocation and/or programming decisions
  • Secure and disseminate resource materials and equipment for low incidence-related needs that can be shared across districts
  • Facilitate the distribution of Collaborative Planning funds for low incidence-related needs
  • Support teams in planning for transitions of students with low incidence disabilities between buildings (i.e., from elementary to secondary)
  • Participate and/or facilitate SCRED internal meetings and workgroups as assigned
  • Participate in the regional Development Cognitive Disability and Assistive Technology Communities of Practice
  • Assist administration in coordinating the activities of SCRED’s itinerant special education teachers and related service providers
  • Provide work direction to the administrative assistant supporting the low incidence services area
• Other Duties as Assigned
  • Perform other duties as assigned