Speech & Language Pathologist ( Lake County)

Description

Founded in 2001, LEARN is a network of high-performing college preparatory, tuition-free public elementary and middle schools with the mission of providing children with the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree. There are 11 LEARN Schools serving 4,100 students in grades PK-8 across Chicago, Waukegan, North Chicago, and Washington, D.C.
 

It is our goal to create an environment, on every campus, in which our staff members feel supported, respected, and appreciated. Our staff work together at each school and across the network to share ideas, problem solve, and innovate to move our schools and students beyond the expected.
 

LEARN and our amazing educators, have received numerous recognitions for making an impact in public education, including the 2018 Chicago Magazine's Top Elementary Charter Schools and the 2018 Illinois Network of Charter Schools Principal of the Year Award. 
 

LEARN's mission remains crystal clear: to provide children with the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree. LEARN is currently looking for hard-working and passionate professionals that are dedicated to transforming public education.

What You'll Do

Key Essential Functions

Planning and Oversight

• Organizes a program that addresses school speech-language goals.
•  Contributes to the development of program guidelines as appropriate.
• Cooperates with the School District, community, and/or state programs to affect comprehensive services.
• Works cooperatively with school personnel to accomplish the goals and objectives of the program.
• Attends meetings, such as faculty meetings, special meetings and parent-teacher conferences.
•  Schedules interventions using a variety of service delivery models, including classroom intervention, consultation/collaboration and pull-out as appropriate to meet student needs in the least restrictive environment.
• Coordinates speech-language services with student services provided by other school personnel.
• Collaborates with school personnel such as teachers, to best meet the needs of all students.
• Meets with related school personnel to coordinate specific objectives for individualized educational programs.
• Maintains records of the speech-language program and prepares periodic reports as required.
• Safeguards confidentiality of student records. 
•  Adheres to established rules, regulations, laws and appropriate ethical standards.
• Provides services which hold the well-being of each student paramount.
•  Guards against conflicts of professional interest.
• Demonstrates knowledge of federal, state and local rules, regulations and laws.

Screening, Testing, Diagnosing and Advising

• Conducts speech, language and hearing screenings.
•  Serves on student intervention team/Individualized Education Program (IEP) team as appropriate.
•  Administers formal and informal (ongoing & curriculum-based) assessments.
• Observes students in educational environments.
•  Analyzes and interprets information to make recommendations regarding the need for speech-language services.
• Presents and explains data to IEP Team.
•  Presents information to school personnel about language disorders as they relate to literacy and interactive communication skills.
•  Presents information to school personnel about speech disorders (articulation, voice, fluency) and their impact on communication and learning.
•  Provides information to parents and teachers about speech, language and hearing development.
• Provides information to school personnel, and parents about current procedures and program guidelines.

Major Function:  Managing and Conducting Therapy

•  Collaborates/consults with classroom teachers in the management of speech-language disorders.
• Plans evidence-based interventions appropriate for individual students and groups of students. 
•  Implements the service delivery model most appropriate to the students' degree of severity.
• Provides activities commensurate with students' interest and aptitudes.
•  Modifies therapeutic instructional approaches and other functions from data gathered during therapy.
• Designs, selects and/or modifies special curricula/therapy content.
•  Provides feedback and reinforcement to students.
• Arranges therapy environment to create optimum learning conditions. 
•  Chooses therapy materials to meet the needs, age, cultural differences and interests of individual students.
•  Adjusts intervention strategies based upon student performance.
•  Promotes effective interpersonal relations with students.

Adhering to Local, State, Federal Regulations and Ethical Practices

•  Demonstrates knowledge and use of statewide testing procedures.
• Abides by professional code of ethics.
• Develops appropriate IEPs based on students' strengths & needs.
• Demonstrates awareness of professional performance in due process matters and litigious environments.
• Submits to the appropriate person(s) and maintains schedule for speech-language screening, hearing screening, diagnostic assessments, therapy/instructional services and other activities.
• Keeps updated schedule of each student's therapy.
• Participates in professional meetings, symposia and workshops directly related to the speech-language-hearing profession.

Liaison

•  Provides consultation to parents, teacher and other appropriate school personnel.
• Seeks the assistance of teachers, parents and others to meet the communication needs of students. 
• Gives written information to teachers, parents and others on ways to foster speech-language growth.
• Talks with teachers formally and informally about individual student's needs and progress.
• Consults/communicates with non-school agencies to enhance services.
•  Requests specific information on individual student's receiving services from non-school agencies (e.g. clinics, hospitals, physicians, health departments, day care centers, etc) with signed release of information.
•  Makes recommendations and referrals for audiological/medical and related services.
•  Determines needs for referrals, collaborates and consults with audiologist regarding hearing.

Qualifications

What You'll Need:

• Masters Degree in Speech Language Pathology or related field.  Licensed in Speech Language Pathology (L-SLP) and/or Professional Certification (CCC-SLP).
• Special Service License with Speech Language Pathologist endorsement issued by Illinois State Board of Education. 
• Two Years of experience preferred, but we will consider candidates with less experience.
• Demonstrated ability to work with school personnel and students to accomplish the goals and objectives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Benefits Summary

• We offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package for all full time employees, including
• Health insurance, dental, vision, paid vacation, personal days, paid holidays,
• Short and long term disability, paid life insurance,
• 403B and the Chicago Teachers' Pension fund. 

Physical Demands
Caring for children can be physically demanding.  School staff may be lifting and carrying children and equipment, and may spend time sitting on the floor or child sized furniture.  Nature of work requires an ability to operate standard business office equipment.  Requires the ability to communicate and exchange information, collect, compile and prepare work documents, set-up and maintain work files.  School staff will also be expected to clean and maintain equipment and facility, and may move throughout the community with children.  Physical demands require the ability to stand, bend, reach high and low, stoop, walk around the classroom and kneel upwards of 60% of the day.  In addition walking up and down stairs several times a day.  Must be able to lift 15 to 20 pounds for short periods of time and push and pull 15 to 20 lbs.