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Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant - Temporary

Employer
Tacoma Public Schools
Location
Tacoma, WA, US
Salary
Competitive

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Tacoma Public Schools

Expected Start Date: March 2021

FTE: .875

Hours per day: 7

Salary Level: PA8 $26.76 DOE

Union/Days per year: Para 182 + 11 holidays Active

Benefits: This job has the full range of benefits offered by Tacoma Public Schools.

Additional Information: This is a TEMPORARY/one-year only position to cover for a staff member on a leave of absence. The start date is approximately March 22 with an end date of the last student day in June 2021. Benefits will end on the last day of June 2021.

Summary:
This position assists the occupational therapist in the process of screening, evaluation, development and implementation of intervention services to meet assigned student(s) needs; provides individual and group occupational therapy treatments for the assigned student(s), under the direction of an occupational therapist; assists in planning individual program activities, assessing student(s) progress, and documenting information that will assist the student(s) in meeting their goals as established by the occupational therapist; designs, builds, and adapts materials and equipment to meet student(s) needs.

Responsibilities:
1. Oversees individually designed occupational therapy activities for student(s) focused on restoring impaired motor skills, sensory processing ability and perceptual motor skills necessary for successful participation in the school and outside environment; determines which activities will assist the student(s) in meeting Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals and objectives established by the occupational therapist.

2. Administers therapy exercises and activities for the purpose of strengthening muscles, improving mobility and activity of the assigned student(s) and meeting IEP goals; may be required to assist the medically fragile with certain medical and hygiene functions in keeping with the IEP goals.

3. Monitors and reports on student(s) motor and development skills progress within the established treatment plan; may assist in modifications of prescribed exercises and activities; assists the occupational therapist in collecting assessment data which may include interviews and the administration of standardized tests not requiring interpretation during testing (after receiving specific training and under the direction of the occupational therapist.)

4. Schedules therapy treatment for student(s) at single or multiple sites, as assigned; travels between schools for therapy sessions; plans travel times; informs building staff of therapy schedule.

5. Maintains therapy facilities at assigned schools for the purpose of providing a safe environment for treatment programs; assembles, designs, constructs, and modifies materials and equipment as needed to perform planned activities and meet student(s) needs; trains student(s) and/or staff and caregivers on prescribed equipment to ensure safety of student(s) and effectiveness of equipment.

6. Prepares and maintains occupational therapy files; completes and files District forms; performs student daily documentation and billing activities for eligible Medicaid recipients; per request of occupational therapist, checks student(s) progress toward IEP goals for trimester progress reporting and annual IEP meeting; completes paperwork used by occupational therapy staff; accesses and navigates the IEP online software to gather data regarding student(s) medical and treatment history.

7. Consults and collaborates with other staff members regarding equipment and materials needs, scheduling concerns, and student(s) needs.

8. Attends departmental, building, and may attend IEP meetings, per request of the occupational therapist; assists occupational therapist with IEP process within parameters allowed by law and District policy; may attend Student Resource Team (SRT) meetings with school staff and specialists to discuss concerns regarding a student(s) academic performance.

9. May help student(s) to board and disembark buses; may provide instruction on feeding skills to student(s) who regularly eat in the classroom; hand feeds and tube feeds student(s) as necessary, as part of the treatment session and in keeping with the IEP goals.

11. May assists in supervising student(s) field trips; instructs student(s) in social interaction, community mobility skills, and shopping skills in keeping with the IEP goals.

OTHER JOB DUTIES
1. Maintains current knowledge in the field by participating in professional and educational activities, as directed and supports the overall objective of the position.
2. May perform cleansing intermittent catheterizations after receiving required training.
Performs related duties as assigned.

CONDITIONS
Experiences frequent interruptions; frequently required to lift/transfer/position student(s)s or equipment; may require significant lifting (50 pound lift/position change maximum), carrying, pushing, and/or pulling; frequent climbing and balancing; frequent stooping, kneeling, crouching, and/or crawling; and significant fine finger dexterity; may operate hand and power tools to build and repair adaptive equipment; requires 30% sitting, 30% walking, and 40% standing; assigned to more than one location and may frequently travel between District sites; will be regularly exposed to organic wastes and infectious diseases; required to deal with distraught students of all ages; may be required to deal with, and defuse, if appropriate, difficult and sensitive situations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience
Completion of a two-year certificated occupational therapy assistant program at an accredited college; work experience with children who have varying and diverse medical and behavioral challenges; or any combination of experience and training which provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and ability required to perform the work and that meets federal and state requirements.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Knowledge of current theories and accepted practices in the field of occupational therapy.
Knowledge of developmental milestones and general child development.
Knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology.
Knowledge of occupational therapy activities and programs.
Knowledge of and ability to operate hand and power tools.
Knowledge of principles and practices of age appropriate child development and guidance applicable for an education setting.
Knowledge of instruction methods.
Knowledge of medical and therapeutic protocols and procedures used for student hygiene and comfort.
Skills that are well developed in human relations required for communicating and dealing with diverse students.
Skill in exercising patience when conveying information to students having difficulty with verbal and written communications.
Skill in demonstrating sensitivity to the special needs of students.
Skill in oral and written communication.
Ability to assess the needs of individual students, under the direction of the Occupational Therapist, and develop instructional support techniques and materials to meet those needs.
Ability to perform the specific medical or therapeutic processes following developed protocols and procedures.
Ability to interact with staff, teachers, parents and specialist in order to carry out assigned duties.
Ability to work with students who have varying and diverse medical and behavioral challenges.
Ability to fulfill the needs of the job having physical strength and dexterity.
Ability to maintain confidentiality.
Ability to operate a personal computer with basic and adaptive software applications.
Ability to organize and coordinate activities.
Ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively on a team.
Ability to obtain clarify, and exchange information.
Ability to relate positively with students in a teaching/learning environment in order to build confidence.
Ability to work without direct supervision.
Ability to work with student(s) of all ages with varied and diverse needs.
Ability to demonstrate reasonable reliable and regular attendance.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of people in a multi-cultural, diverse socio-economic setting.

Licenses/Special Requirements
Current Washington State Occupational Therapy Assistant License.
Current certification with the National Certification Board for Occupational Therapy.
Required to pass the National certification exam and Washington state jurisprudence exam.
Continued certification required with renewal of license every two years and renewal of certification every three years, with certification inclusive of 36 hours of continuing education.
30 hours of continuing education every two years.
Current Washington State driver's license and access to personal transportation.
CPR certification and First Aid training, required.
MANDT training or District directed alternative required.
May be required to complete cleansing intermittent catheterization (CIC) training.
Fingerprints and successful WSP and FBI background clearance/sexual misconduct clearance.

Job Locator Number: D23-02

This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Tacoma School District administration has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice. The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the primary functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required and the scope of responsibility, but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods or otherwise balance the workload.

Tacoma Public Schools does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Civil Rights Coordinator: Lisa Nolan, 253-571-1252, lnolan@tacoma.k12.wa.us; Title IX Coordinator: Eric Hogan, 253-571-1191, ehogan1@tacoma.k12.wa.us; and 504 Coordinator: Elementary, Elise Friedrich-Nielsen, efriedr@tacoma.k12.wa.us, 253-571-1096; Secondary, Cari Ake, cake@tacoma.k12.wa.us, 253-571-1225. Address: P.O. Box 1357, Tacoma, WA 98401-1357.

HRInfo@tacoma.k12.wa.us, (253) 571-1250

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