Position Type:
Student Support Services

Date Posted:
1/14/2022

Location:
BPS

Date Available:
21-22 School Year

Closing Date:
Open Until Filled

BRIDGEPORT PUBLIC SCHOOLS
45 Lyon Terrace, Room 310
Bridgeport, CT 06604

JOB OPENING

Physical Therapist

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
Physical therapists help students with injuries and chronic health conditions regain their range of motion, manage their pain, and improve their quality of life. PTs play a critical role not only in treating musculoskeletal conditions, but also in educating students, teachers, and parents about staying fit and preventing future injuries.

Knowledge and Skill Set of the School-Based Physical Therapist
The physical therapist plays an important role as a member of the educational team by contributing unique expertise in children's movement, function, and sensorimotor development especially in relation to the musculoskeletal and neuromuscular systems. In addition to knowledge about the individual, physical therapists also have expertise in task modification, and environmental adaptations which may include evaluation, prescription, and management of adaptive equipment to promote students' participation in educational programming.

Physical therapists in the school setting are expected to demonstrate competencies in a variety of areas. Individuals practicing as school-based physical therapists need to be educated, trained, and competent to demonstrate sound clinical decision-making and judgment. Knowledge of educational legislation, standards, and strategies is important. The implementation of student-centered programming that incorporates the student's and family's cultural considerations, needs, and values helps to assure best practice. Effective communication is essential for collaboration with all educational team members, including parents, for the purpose of enhancing the student's educational experience.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Planning:

1. Designing the physical therapy program so that it is consistent with the total educational philosophy of the district.
2. Continuing professional growth through educational meetings, visiting related facilities, reading professional literature, and exchanging ideas among the district staff.
3. Attending and conducting training. Professional development is a licensure requirement for Connecticut physical therapists. The time required to attend may occur during school hours.
4. Working in coordination with teachers and ancillary personnel in planning and developing the program.

Programming:

1. Identifying strengths and weaknesses of referred exceptional education students.
2. Preparing, implementing, and evaluating an annual Individual Educational Plan (IEP) or Section 504 Accommodation Plan, as appropriate, for each student based on individually assessed needs and in accordance with district procedures.
3. Preparing, implementing, modifying, and evaluating a plan of care for each student in accordance with district policies or listed in an IEP or 504 plan.
4. Using appropriate assessment instruments pertinent to areas of therapy.
5. Supporting projects and programs designed to serve students in the program.
6. Providing indirect intervention, including but not limited to monitoring equipment, adjusting equipment, establishing and monitoring routines and procedures delegated to other staff, researching treatment strategies and service provided on behalf of a student.
7. Providing appropriate schedules for exceptional students involving school personnel as required. g. Providing specialized physical therapy techniques through individual and/or group sessions designed to meet the educational, social and emotional needs of the students.
8. Seeking a variety of services through community resources and agencies to meet the needs of exceptional students.
9. Participating on evaluation teams for exceptional education students as appropriate.
10. Pre-Intervention consulting with school staff, participating in pre-referral activities, observing programs.
11. Providing parents with suggestions for home techniques.
12. Providing teachers with suggestions for follow-up strategies and techniques, as requested and required.
13. Developing a professional library that can be used by parents and other professionals in conjunction with instruction.
14. Contacting and reporting to physicians and agencies as requested and required.
15. Designing and constructing adaptive equipment, assistive devices and upper extremity orthotic devices.
16. Specialized equipment management: Collaborating with District staff, parents, and extermal vendors in order obtain appropriate equipment for students. Managing inventory of District-owned equipment.
17. Evaluating and providing training with regard to lower extremity prosthetic skill.
18. Traveling in and out of district, between schools, or within a school district, to provide services, obtain adaptive equipment, to attend medical appointments, and to conduct home visits.
19. Supervising physical therapist assistants and physical therapy students.
20. Developing school wide programs, campus safety and access, program planning, and budget recommendations.

Public Relations:

1. Cooperating with school personnel in coordinating services within that school.
2. Developing and conducting an In-service program to inform classroom teacher of the goals and objectives of the physical therapy program and ways of achieving them in the school setting.
3. Conferring with the classroom teacher as requested concerning any educational needs of the student.
4. Making available to teacher's instructional ideas that are appropriate for exceptional students within the classroom situation.
5. Providing information to community groups and parents concerning physical therapy programs as requested or needed.

Reporting:

1. Ensuring that each student in the program has necessary evaluation records in his/her permanent folder.
2. Furnishing the principal with current exceptional student schedules.
3. Completing progress reports on each student in the program.
4. Supplying progress reports to school personnel physicians and parents of exceptional students as necessary and requested.
5. Completing appropriate reports for local, state, federal and educational agencies.
6. Referring those students who require further evaluation or follow-up services to the appropriate school personnel or community agencies.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Physical Therapy degree at Bachelor's, Master's or Doctorate level.
2. Licensed as a physical therapist in Connecticut by the Board of Medical Examiners.
3. Minimum of three years of successful practice.
4. Demonstrated success in working with parents and community in a multicultural setting.
   1. Desirable: Successful experience in pediatric or school-based practice.
5. Self-starter who is able to work effectively with minimal direct supervision.
6. Demonstrated success in team building and planning.
7. Superior oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

Qualified candidates who wish to apply should access the Bridgeport Public Schools' AppliTrack system: https://www.applitrack.com/bridgeport/onlineapp

"The Bridgeport Board of Education is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer."