Description
Hamden Public Schools
Hamden CT 06517
Job Title:
Speech-Language Pathologist
Employee Qualifications:
1. Connecticut teaching license with endorsement for speech and language pathologist.
2. A minimum of three year’s experience working with students.
3. Ability and competence to provide services to students with speech and language disorders.
4. A current, research- and experience-based understanding of speech and language development.
5. Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of situations where only limited standardization exists.
6. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
7. Ability to deal effectively with associates and the public.
8. Ability to organize and maintain diverse data, files and records.
9. Ability to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and Board of Education policies.
10. Such alternatives or additions to the above qualifications as the Board of Education may find appropriate and acceptable.
Qualification Requirements: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed here are representative of the knowledge, skills and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Reports to:
Director of Special Education or Designee
Job Goal:
To help improve/remediate speech, language and/or hearing disorders that interfere with a student’s ability to derive full benefit from the educational program.
To maintain confidentiality of school and staff records and related information.
To interact with the public, as necessary.
Essential Performance Responsibilities:
1. Attends regularly and is punctual.
2. Interacts effectively with students.
3. Demonstrates an understanding of the public school system as a whole, including special education laws, regulations and Planning and Placement Team (PPT) procedures.
4. Has or seeks a knowledge of local curriculum and of instructional issues.
5. Has an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of students, parents and staff.
6. Demonstrates knowledge of cultural and linguistic diversity and its relation to communication development and disorders.
7. Demonstrates knowledge of student and special services policies and procedures.
8. Provides services and practices in full accordance with established principles of professional ethics and legal requirements.
9. Works to ensure that all students fulfill their potential.
Pupil Personnel Services
A. Serves as a member of the school Planning and Placement Team (PPT) in handling referrals and evaluating and identifying students as eligible for service.
B. Assists and guides teachers in observing and referring children for possible speech-language impairments.
C. Collaborates with appropriate support personnel to provide services for students who demonstrate need.
D. Participates in screening and monitoring the hearing status of children as designated by departmental policy.
E. Provides a thorough assessment and diagnosis of articulation, voice, fluency and language disorders.
F. Develops and/or provides individualized education programs (IEP) to meet the needs of children with articulation, voice, fluency and/or language impairments.
G. Recommends and monitors instructional and curricular modifications to accommodate children’s communication impairments.
H. Makes use of a variety of resources, materials and methods for effective intervention.
I. Maintains a positive learning environment appropriate to the maturity and interests of the students.
J. Evaluates/monitors student progress on a regular basis.
School Operations
A. Organizes time, space and materials for effective delivery of services.
B. Consults/collaborates with classroom teachers, other school staff members and/or parents to provide opportunities for generalization of communication skills and behavior across a variety of settings.
C. Serves as a consultant on issues related to speech and language.
D. Assists the department in the preparation of the department budget to adequately fund speech and language services.
E. Assumes responsibility for requisitioning and maintaining equipment and supplies.
F. Prepares and maintains the confidentiality of student records and completes various reports as assigned.
Community Relations
A. Develops and maintains positive working relationships with teachers, administrators and other staff.
B. Provides appropriate information and support to families about communication disorders.
C. Consults with community personnel and other health professionals regarding speech, language and hearing concerns.
D. Assists in proper referrals of individuals to agencies and specialists in the community, as appropriate.
Professional Responsibilities
A. Conducts appropriate in-service programs in speech and language for teachers and other support staff, as necessary.
B. Participates in curriculum development appropriate to the discipline.
C. Attends professional conferences and workshops to update professional knowledge and skills.
D. Submits written reports and statistics in a timely fashion and in accordance with departmental standards and format.
E. Develops and adheres to daily/weekly schedule of students in caseload.
F. Develops and maintains systems for recording weekly progress notes of students receiving service.
G. Participates in staff/departmental meetings.
H. Performs other duties as assigned by the special education director or designee.
Job Responsibility Requirements: All work is to be conducted in compliance with applicable employer, state, local and federal safety and environmental requirements.
Incidental Duties:
1. Maintains work area as a neat, pleasant work environment.
2. Composes routine correspondence.
Physical Demands:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, sit, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee is regularly required to reach with hands and arms. The employee may be required to lift, push and/or move up to 25 pounds or more, including office materials and equipment. The employee must be able to hear clearly (correctable to within normal limits) to record telephone information. The employee needs to be able to tell where a sound is coming from in a noisy environment. Specific vision abilities required by this job include vision correctable to 20/20, distance vision, depth perception and peripheral vision. Adaptive technology may be used. There is stress in interacting with the public in routine as well as emergency situations.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Work Environment:
Exposure to student and staff illnesses. There is intermittent exposure to computer screen. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate and is acceptable to this particular environment. The employee must work with the public and staff, continuously meeting multiple demands from several people, sometimes in emergency situations.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Terms of Employment:
Per negotiated agreement
Evaluation:
Performance of the person holding this position will be evaluated annually in accordance with provisions of the Board's policy on evaluation of certified personnel.
The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (A.D.A) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.