Physical Therapist/PTA for the 26-27 School Year

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree or more advanced degree from a college or university accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) in Physical Therapy required
• Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy Certification through the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in Physical Therapy required
• Current Physical Therapy license from the Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts required
• Two (2) years of experience as a Physical Therapist in a school system or other pediatric practice setting preferred
• Must have a valid driver's license and daily access to a vehicle required for travel throughout the school district
• Able to lift up to 25 pounds, transfer, and position students as needed to implement goals during therapy

Fair Labor Standards Act Status: Exempt

Reports to: 

Director of Special Services

Job Goal:

The Physical Therapist leads the process of development, implementation, and coordination of physical therapy services of the Independence School District. Professional judgment and clinical knowledge are used to develop individualized programming by providing direct student services, making environmental modifications, consulting with staff on individual students, providing screenings, evaluations and intervening services. 

Performance Responsibilities:

• Collaborates/consults with other disciplines to ensure team understanding of a student's educational performance strengths and needs, through evaluation, educational program planning, and service delivery
• Under a physician's prescription, administers functional assessments and evaluation strategies, including well planned observations that demonstrate how strengths and deficits impact school function and performance
• Synthesizes the results of assessments into a comprehensive written report which reflects strengths and barriers to student participation in the educational environment
• Uses activities and adaptive surroundings to facilitate the student's independent functioning and to decrease the effects of the disabling condition on the student's ability to participate in the educational process
• Provides services related to functional use of the body for postural alignment, mobility around the school (e.g. walking, stair climbing, wheelchair mobility), use of braces or prostheses, maintaining/ improving endurance in mobility skills for school participation, design or procurement of adaptive equipment to support posture and movement for the school routine, positioning for independent posture, and/ or movement required during a school day
• Instructs teachers, paraprofessionals, students etc. for the purpose of ensuring: proper use of assisted devices and plan for implementation for remediation of functional limitations
• Develop educationally relevant goals
• Maintains data collection and progress monitoring to document the effectiveness of the intervention procedures that were chosen and to make decisions regarding changes in intervention
• Prioritizes and schedules work tasks independently
• Manages inventory of therapeutic equipment and assessments, and project needs for budget planning
• Maintains clinical and administrative records in accordance with professional standards, state guidelines, and school system policy
• Supervises PTA and co-signs PTA documentation along with documentation of the amount, degree and pattern of supervision provided to the assistant or student therapists for the purpose of ensuring that standards/ program objectives are achieved and performance maximized
• Adheres to federal and state legislation, regulation, and policies that affect physical therapy practice
• Performs additional professional responsibilities which include, but are not limited to, record-keeping, participating in staff development activities, taking part in parent conferences, consulting with school staff, caseload management, scheduling, and other duties as assigned by the Director of Special Services
• Adhere to all District policies and procedures and laws outlined by Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) and the Missouri State Plan for Special Education

Terms of Employment:

Physical Therapists will be employed for nine (9) month positions. The salary and work year will be established annually by the Board of Education.

Evaluation:

Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with Board of Education policy by the immediate supervisor, utilizing the Independence School District Physical Therapist Performance Based Evaluation.