Ex Ed Interpreter for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing (Classified)

Hamilton County Schools, located in Chattanooga, TN, is working to ensure that all students thrive and experience a future without limits.  We are committed to excellence for every student and are seeking outstanding leaders, teachers, support staff, and district employees who desire to make a difference in the lives of students. With nearly 75 schools, we are confident that you can find your place in Hamilton County. 

Learn more about working for Hamilton County Schools at careers.hcde.org and get to know us and our strategic plan, Opportunity 2030.

The purpose of this job is to facilitate communication among students who are deaf or hard of hearing, their hearing peers, the classroom teacher and other personnel in the school system. The educational interpreter provides interpreting and support services to students who are deaf or hard of hearing being educated in the school district. Other duties that may be performed when they do not interfere with interpreting include tutoring, participation in meetings and being an active member of the school’s educational team.

• Facilitate communication for students with hearing impairments in academic and non-academic settings
• Must have sign language skills at a level equivalent to the rate, pace and vocabulary of high school curriculum and be able to pass an in house competency assessment
• Use interpreting strategies and techniques
• Provide academic assistance to students with hearing impairment
• Accompanies assigned student/s site to site including field trips and extracurricular activities
• Performs miscellaneous tasks as needed for deaf education teacher and other teachers serving hearing impaired students
• Prepares and receives various documents pertaining to student instruction and school operations
• Operates various equipment and tools associated with projects and work activities
• Task may require the ability to exert physical effort which will require, lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling of objects/materials.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation
• Must be flexible with daily schedule
• Communicates with supervisors, school officials, teachers, students, parents, vendors, the community, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities under the direction of administration or special education teacher/supervisor.
• Attends staff meetings, parent meetings, IEP-Team meetings, or other meetings as required.
• Follows established procedures to ensure assigned areas are safe.
• Works collaboratively with supervisor, administrators, employees, students, and other stakeholders.
• Attends work regularly and arrives to work in a timely fashion.
• Maintains confidentiality.
• Adheres to the Teacher Code of Ethics as defined by Tennessee Law.
• Other responsibilities may include lifting, transferring, and positioning students with physical support needs; appropriate use of assistive technology; feeding/oral-motor interventions; signing; Brailing instructional materials; augmentative systems; etc.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge/Education/Experience:

Applicants must have one of the following to be considered for this position:

Hold a School Service Personnel License as an Education Interpreter (#147)

OR satisfy one of the following criteria:

1. Non-licensed educational interpreters employed by a local school system prior to January 2021, shall satisfy the following requirements by January 1, 2021:
1. Obtain a passing score on the written portion of the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA); and
2. Obtain a minimum score of 3.0 on the performance assessment portion of the EIPA.
2. Non-licensed educational interpreters employed by a local school system on January 1, 2021, or after, shall satisfy the following requirements:
1. Hold at a minimum an associate’s degree;
2. Obtain a passing score on the written portion of the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA); and
3. Obtain a minimum score of 3.0 on the performance assessment portion of the EIPA.

If the applicant holds the State Interpreter License, they will be paid on the teacher scale.  

If the applicant does not hold the State Interpreter License, they will be paid on the classified scale at a Grade 15.

With a willingness to seek licensure.

Skills/Qualifications:

• Must have sign language skills at a level equivalent to the rate, pace and vocabulary of high school curriculum
• Be able to pass an in house competency assessment
• Demonstrate proficient verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with students who have a variety of disabilities.
• Training in or willingness to be trained in nonviolent crisis intervention techniques.