Sign Language Interpreter

Position starts in the 2025-26 school year

QUALIFICATIONS: 

•  Bachelor’s degree, preferably from an Interpreter Training Program (ITP) or three years of experience may be accepted.
• Full license from the Kentucky Board of Interpreters (KBI) 

JOB GOALS: 

             Serve as an integral member of the educational team serving students who are deaf or hard of hearing in the educational environment according to the specifications of the student’s individualized education program (IEP).  This environment includes the classroom, laboratory, field trip, assembly, and other educational sites that are deemed appropriate for student learning.

             Apply interpreting and/or transliterating skills in the educational environment to facilitate communication between deaf and hard of hearing students and faculty, staff, and other students to equalize the target language with the source language in maximizing the learning situation of all involved.

             Will be an ambassador for Spencer County Public Schools and commit to offering excellent customer service to students, parents, and staff. 

CRITICAL SKILLS/EXPERTISE REQUIRED: 

        KNOWLEDGE OF:

• American Sign Language, Signed English, Signed Exact English and other recognized modes of communication with the deaf and hard of hearing.
• Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary.
• Basics of various subjects taught at the community college.
• Values, behavior, and language of the American deaf culture.
• Legal rights of the deaf and hard of hearing.
• Code of Ethics of the Registry Interpreters of Deaf (RID)/National Association of the Deaf (NAD)

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

        ABILITY TO:

• Demonstrate professionalism in all interactions and with administrators, teachers, staff, parents, students, and visitors or individuals unfamiliar with the educational setting.
• Facilitate communication between deaf and hard of hearing students and faculty, staff, and other students.
• Interpret in both sign to voice and voice to sign.
• Relate well to deaf and hard of hearing individuals.
• Attend classes with deaf and hard of hearing students and interpret classroom lectures, discussions and activities.
• Work independently with little direction.
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others. 

PERFORMANCE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Use recognized interpreting and/or transliterating skills to facilitate communication between deaf and hard of hearing students and others.
• Attend classes with deaf and hard of hearing students to interpret lectures, discussions and other audible classroom activities.
• Interpret into spoken English the questions and verbal presentations of deaf and hard of hearing students.
• Assist deaf and hard of hearing students in communicating with faculty, staff, administrators, and others.
• Interpret at meetings, conferences, appointments, and during other educational activities.
• Utilize planning time to meet with teachers and staff as deemed appropriate by the educational team and/or supervisors.
• Prepare for demanding course material as necessary for successful interpreting and/or transliterating.
• Make recommendations to instructional staff based on the learning styles of students being served.
• Participate and make recommendations as a professional member of the educational team in the Admission and Release Committee (ARC) process.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Principal and Director of Exceptional Child Services that do not interfere with the communication accessibility of assigned student(s).

 PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

• Work is performed while standing, sitting and/or walking.
• Requires the ability to communicate effectively using speech, vision and hearing.
• Requires the use of hands for simple grasping and fine manipulations.
• Requires bending, squatting, crawling, climbing, reaching
• Requires the ability to lift, carry, push or pull medium weights, up to 30 pounds

FOR THIS TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT, STATE LAW REQUIRES A NATIONAL AND STATE CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND CHECK AND A LETTER, PROVIDED BY THE INDIVIDUAL, FROM THE CABINET FOR HEALTH AND FAMILY SERVICES STATING THE APPLICANT HAS NO ADMINISTRATIVE FINDINGS OF CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT FOUND THROUGH A BACKGROUND CHECK OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT RECORDS MAINTAINED BY THE CABINET FOR HEALTH AND FAMILY SERVICES