Occupational Therapist 2024-25

FLSA Status: Exempt

Grade: 19 (Educational Support)

Revision Date: December 4, 2015

Location: Health Services

Job Summary

The occupational therapist provides a continuum of services and supports to students under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of1973.  The goal of intervention is to reduce barriers to the student’s participation in and to enhance the functional performance of school activities and educational programs required in their role as a student.    In the school setting, occupational therapy services address the physical, cognitive, psychosocial and sensory components of performance by focusing on academics, play and leisure, social participation, self-care skills, and transition/work skills for children and students with disabilities, 3 to 21 years of age.  (Adapted from AOTA’s Occupational Therapy in the School Setting 2010 and AOTA’s What is the Role of the School Based OT Practitioner 2013).

Duties and Responsibilities

• Conducts, as scheduling permits, screenings, consultations, and classroom observations, and provides recommendations.
• Provides services for struggling learners using a multi-tiered approach
• Participates on collaborative teams
• Conducts evaluations of motor development, adaptive skills, perceptual and sensory integrative skills, and work performance skills with parental permission, and provides written assessment reports based on these evaluations.
• Develops and implements an individualized education plan for each student receiving occupational therapy services, including annual goals and short-term objectives.
• Provides therapeutic intervention services for special education students found eligible by the Eligibility/IEP committee.
• Participates as needed in eligibility and individualized education plan (IEP), conferences of students referred.
• Performs reevaluations for triennial review of those students receiving occupational therapy services.
• Establishes and coordinates occupational therapy schedule with other therapists and teachers, allowing flexibility for classroom structure plus travel, consultation, planning, and evaluation time.
• Provides quarterly updates on students’ progress and recommendations for continued therapy.
• Recommends, and/or orders supplies and equipment required for treatment programs and system-wide educational support.
• Assesses the need for adaptive equipment, fabricates or fits the equipment for individual students, and trains classroom staff in its proper use.
• Provides consultation and monitoring to teachers and parents for suggestions, carryover of appropriate exercises, and activities and use of adaptive equipment.
• Consults with physicians and other agencies concerning students receiving occupational therapy services, if needed.
• Recommends discontinuation upon maximum benefit from educationally relevant occupational therapy services.
• Provides in-service programs upon request.
• Attends specialty courses and workshops, professional conferences, and in-services as time, budget, and selection permit.
• Adheres to the legal and ethical aspects of occupational therapy practice in the state of Virginia, and related regulations and rules of the employing school division.
• Communicates with Coordinator of Health Services, Supervisor of Special Education, Director of Student Services, and building principals on matters pertinent to occupational therapy services.
• Models the WJCC Strategic Plan Values: Individualism, Integrity, Innovation, Accountability and Collaboration.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills and/or Abilities Required)

Bachelor’s Degree in occupational therapy and experience as an occupational therapist preferred. State license as an Occupational Therapist.

Supervision Exercised

Certified occupational therapy assistants, occupational therapy students from accredited colleges and universities, and volunteers

Supervision Received

Performs duties under the supervision of the Supervisor of Health Services

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

Manual dexterity to dial a telephone, enter data on a computer, see and read a computer screen with or without visual aids. Hear and understand speech at normal classroom levels, outdoors and on the telephone. Speak in audible tones so that others may understand clearly in normal classrooms, outdoors and on the telephone. Physical agility to lift up to 25 pounds to shoulder height and 50 pounds to waist height. Physical ability to bend, to stoop, to sit on the floor, to climb stairs, to walk and to reach overhead. Possession of a valid driver’s license. Essential duties are typically performed in the school environment. Duties may occasionally be performed on field trips away from school. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.