PRIMARY PURPOSE:

• To facilitate a student’s functioning in the school setting; to minimize the effects of the student’s disability on his or her ability to participate in the educational process.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education/Certification:

• Licensure by Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners

SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:

• Possess Knowledge of pediatric/adult student population, variety of disabilities, intervention methods/strategies, and the educational system.
• Exhibit excellent communication (verbal and written), public relation, and interpersonal skills.
• Have knowledge and understanding of the policies and procedures for the MISD

EXPERIENCE:

• Pediatric affiliation and/or public-school experience
• Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the administration may find appropriate and acceptable

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

• Assist students to develop self-help skills necessary to permit students to manage in classroom and school with minimal assistance for personal needs.
• Assist students to develop functional mobility to permit greatest freedom of movement within the educational environment.
• Provide environmental adaptations to permit students the access to and mobility within the educational, home and community environment.
• Evaluate and recommend appropriate educational accommodations for students with disabilities.
• Communicate with healthcare providers and recommend/provide appropriate educationally based occupational therapy interventions.
• Evaluate and provide assistance with and/or devices for written communication at all grade levels.
• Provide instruction in positioning in order to maintain the best position for learning and functional use of the body.
• Evaluate, recommend, and construct positioning devices to provide stable postural base to allow attention to be focused on educational tasks; to enable students to complete written class work in appropriate time frames.
• Evaluate and recommend appropriate adaptive equipment and/or communication devices.
• Provide staff instruction and/or training in positioning, handling and transferring of students.
• Evaluate and recommend modifications to meet federal ADA standards.
• Evaluate and recommend vocational needs to prepare students for vocational placement and general life skills.
• Provide instruction in the integration of the multisensory approach in the classroom.
• Evaluate behaviors; recommend strategies and programs for appropriate integration into the educational setting.
• Other School Health and Related Services (SHARS) duties as assigned
• Perform other duties as assigned

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• None

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Mental Demands:

• Communicating well in both oral and written form, complying with time lines, making multiple decisions regarding supportive services required to assist a student to benefit from special education

Physical demands/environmental factors:

• In-District travel
• Daily standing, stooping, and walking
• Daily lifting/transferring of students (independently and/or assisted)

The foregoing statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills that may be required.

Employment Begins: As soon as possible

The Mesquite Independent School District is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, military status, genetic information, or for any other reason prohibited by law.