Reports To: Director of Exceptional Education/Building Principal

Supervises: None

Employment Terms: Part-Time Position

Position Summary

Performs difficult professional work assessing and diagnosing student speech and language disorders, providing strategies and interventions designed to improve or correct communication disorders and related work as apparent or assigned. Work is performed under the limited supervision of the Director of Special Education.

Qualification Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Functions

1. Provides therapeutic services to students with speech, language and hearing impairments
2. Provides thorough assessments and diagnosis of speech, voice, hearing, language and motor speech disorders
3. Provides speech/language and hearing screenings (when required) to identify children with a suspected speech or language impairment at regular intervals and at specific levels
4. Assists in proper referrals of individuals to agencies and specialists in the community as appropriate
5. Maintains accurate, complete and correct records for the individual student receiving therapy as required by law, school board policies and DCPS administrative regulations and procedures
6. Develops individualized educational programs (IEPs) for identified students and provides appropriate therapy programs to meet individual needs
7. Serves as a liaison between the home, school, and the community in matters relating to speech and language development of children
8. Collaborates with classroom teachers, parents, and appropriate community agencies to address student needs and provide support
9. Maintains continuing education credits by staying up to date with research to include evidenced based practices and current trends in the field
10. Provides in-service education and serves as a consultant to teachers, parents, and school staff members on topics relating to communication skills and disorders
11. Independently manages a caseload to include chairing meetings (child study, eligibility, and IEP for speech only students)
12. Implements evidenced based practice strategies during structured therapy sessions
13. Collects data and maintains documentation of service logs
14. Conducts Assistive Technology evaluations for Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) using devices or other low-tech forms of communication
15. Performs any other related duties as assigned by the Director of Exceptional Education, Superintendent or Designee.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

1. Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices and procedures of speech and language diagnosis and therap
2. Thorough knowledge of casework methods and procedures
3. Thorough knowledge of local, state and federal resources, programs, procedures, laws, rules and regulations
4. Skill in the use of computer equipment
5. Ability to conduct interviews, assessments and diagnosis effectively and analyze needs and problems objectivel
6. Ability to communicate ideas clearly and concisely, orally and in writin
7. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with children, students, parents, associates and the general public
8. Ability to travel frequently to and from schools/agencies within and without division.

Qualifications, Education and Experience

1. Must possess a Master’s Degree in speech-language pathology and/or current license in school speech-language pathology issued by the Virginia Board of Examiners for Audiology and Speech-language pathology
2. Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the School Board may find appropriate and acceptable.

Physical Requirement

1. Must have the training and experience necessary to develop consistent, stable, and supportive relationships with very young children
2. Able to ensure a safe and healthy environment for children and staff, all staff should demonstrate that they are in good health
3. This work requires the frequent exertion of up to 10 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 50 pounds of force
4. Work regularly requires sitting and speaking or hearing, frequently requires using hands to finger, handle or feel and occasionally requires standing, walking, lifting and repetitive motions
5. Work has standard vision requirements
6. Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickl
7. Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound
8. Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, using measuring devices and observing general surroundings and activities
9. Work occasionally requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions, exposure to bloodborne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment and bodily fluids
10. Work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

1. Possession of or ability to acquire appropriate license(s), certificate(s) and/or endorsement(s) for the position as required by the Commonwealth of Virginia or School Board.
2. Valid driver's license in the Commonwealth of Virginia for the operation of division-owned/leased motor vehicles. The incumbent’s driving record will be subject to periodic review and must be acceptable in accordance with the provisions of the Dinwiddie County School Board’s policy manual. 
3. All candidates must successfully undergo the following pre-employment screenings:
1. Tuberculosis Screening
2. Child Protective Services (CPS) Investigation
3. State Police Criminal History Investigation
4. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)/National Criminal History Investigative Search

Evaluation

Performance of this position will be evaluated in accordance with the provisions of the Dinwiddie County School Board’s policy manual.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Dinwiddie County Public Schools does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.  

We will recruit and select applicants for employment solely on the basis of their qualifications. Our guidelines and practices, including those relating to wages, benefits, transfers, promotions, terminations and self-development opportunities, will also be administered without regard to race, color, religion, sex/sexual orientation, gender/gender identity, age, marital status, genetic information, national origin, ancestry, political affiliation, disability, protected veteran status and all other classes protected by the Federal and State Law. Dinwiddie County Public Schools is a Drug & Alcohol Free Workplace.