Speech Language Pathologist

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:  The Office of Exceptional Education provides a continuum of services to ensure that all students have a quality education that meets their unique needs and prepares them to be productive, contributing members of a global society.  Through collaborative partnerships with parents and educators, Speech-Language Pathologists serve on a team of related service providers who support students’ ability to access their educational programs in either a comprehensive or private school setting.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Participates as a member of the Child Find team and the school-based eligibility team
• Conducts evaluations using an appropriate mix of formal and informal diagnostic measures and performs quality data analyses to diagnose specific speech-language impairments with students across grade levels exhibiting the full range of communication disorders, including those involving language, articulation (speech sound disorders), fluency, voice/resonance, and swallowing
• Develops an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) for identified students and provides appropriate programs of therapy to meet individual needs
• Ensures that students receive quality culturally sensitive evaluations and services, with an understanding of and appreciation for the diversity in our schools
• Participates in the division- and department-level training opportunities and meetings
• Maintains accurate and complete documentation of student services and reports student progress in a timely manner as required by law, School Board policies, and RPS administrative regulations and procedures
• Serves as liaison between home, school, and community in matters relating to speech-language development and works closely with the division's audiologist to conduct hearing screenings to determine students’ hearing acuity
• Engages appropriate community agencies in collaborative arrangements to address student needs
• Demonstrates evidence-based practices in keeping with the latest research and current trends by participating in professional organizations and memberships, continuing education and professional development opportunities, and reviews of the literature as released in both written and electronic publications
• Demonstrates best practices, and provides consultation, education, and training as needed to teachers, parents, and school staff on topics related to service delivery for students with communication impairments
• Adheres to ethical standards and codes of the profession and to the established rules, regulations, and laws governing Special Education programs
• Performs other related duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's Degree or greater in Speech-Language Pathology from an accredited institution, and/or a current license to practice Speech-Language  Pathology issued by the Virginia Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
• Ability to communicate and work in a collaborative manner with diverse groups in schools and the community
• Understanding of the knowledge, skills, and processes of normal development and the use of speech, language and hearing, and swallowing
• Knowledgeable about the communication sciences (acoustics; physiological processes of speech, language and hearing, and swallowing)
• Knowledgeable about the instrumentation and remedial procedures of disorders of articulation, language, voice, fluency, auditory processing, hearing, and dysphagia (swallowing)
• Understanding of the processes of evaluation, instruction, and service delivery including organization and administration of a public school speech/language pathology program, to include the provision of in-person face-to-face as well as virtual services for persons with speech-language disorders
• Understanding of the knowledge, skills, and processes for educating students with disabilities, the associated legal mandates, and a sensitivity to issues of diversity
• Bilingual to include Spanish preferred
• Ability to manage time, work independently, and demonstrate excellent organizational, oral, and written communication skills
• Ability to manage typical public school Speech-Language Pathology caseload and workload